The aim of this grant is to promote research in Basque and to honor the legacy of the researcher and Basque enthusiast Juan San Martin from Eibar. This year, focusing on Law and Human Rights, a grant of 15,000 euros will be offered. Aiora Arrieta, the Eibar City Council's euskera councilor, stated that the increase in the grant amount reflects the council's commitment to research in Basque, providing researchers with more resources to develop their projects.
The research must be conducted in Basque, and the projects, studies, and final report must be original and unpublished. The research will have a maximum duration of 18 months from the grant award date. Applications can be submitted from September 7 to October 23, 2026.
The Juan San Martin Grant was established in 2001 through collaboration between the Eibar City Council and the Udako Euskal Unibertsitatea. Since then, it has served as a pathway to promote research in Basque and generate knowledge in various academic fields. The grant's research areas have been linked to the disciplines Juan San Martin himself worked on throughout his career, including anthropology, linguistics, philology, toponymy, philosophy, literature, botany, art, history, journalism, ethnology, mountaineering, and law.
From 2001 to 2009, the call was annual, and since then, it has been published every two years. Throughout the grant's history, various researchers have participated and numerous works have been developed. Among them, Patxi Salaberri, Gotzon Iparragirre, Joxe Azurmendi, Maia Duguine, Idurre Alonso, Javier Muñoz, Josu Ozaita and Jaime Altuna, Maialen Odriozola, Josu Martinez, and in 2021, Eduardo Apodaka, Joseba Gabilondo, and Mitxelko Uranga were grant beneficiaries. Many of these research works have been subsequently published and can be consulted at the Juan San Martin Municipal Library of Eibar.
This year, Law and Human Rights have been chosen as the research area, allowing for the development of new research in Basque in these fields and the continued generation of academic knowledge in the language.
Both individuals and work teams constituted for this purpose may participate in the call. Applicants must hold a diploma, degree, or equivalent qualification, or a higher degree. They must also demonstrate a C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or equivalent, such as EGA or HE3.
The project proposal will have a maximum length of 15 pages and must include, among other aspects, the research area, background and current state of the issue, the prior experience of the researcher or team, objectives, methodology, timeline, and expected results. To ensure equal opportunities, the project cannot include data that identifies its author and will have a research period of 18 months.
The grant payment will be made in three installments: 40% upon award as an advance; another 20% after nine months, once the research progress report is submitted and approved; and the remaining 40% upon completion and approval of the final work. The final research must be between 100 and 300 pages, with at least 100 pages of text. The author must also submit a summary of about 30 lines and descriptors in Basque, Spanish, French, and English.
The Eibar City Council and UEU have encouraged citizens, especially those interested in academic research and the generation of knowledge in Basque, to participate. Applications must be submitted electronically, using a digital certificate or the B@K-Q system, through the Eibar City Council's electronic headquarters. The application deadline is October 23, 2026.
