British Academy- Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant

British Academy- Postdoctoral Fellowships Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The British Academy
Last Updated: February 26, 2026

Summary

The British Academy's Postdoctoral Fellowships support early-career researchers in humanities and social sciences, offering funding for independent research projects. With over £50 million distributed in 2024, the program aims to enhance academic experience and facilitate the completion of publishable research. Successful applicants will benefit from guidance within established scholarly communities, while the Fellowship, tenable for three years starting Autumn 2026, is designed to bolster their academic careers and curriculum vitae.

Overview

The British Academy The British Academy is the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. From artificial intelligence to climate change, from building prosperity to improving well-being – today’s complex challenges can only be resolved by deepening our insight into people, cultures and societies. We invest in researchers and projects across the UK and overseas, engage the public with fresh thinking and debates, and bring together scholars, government, business and civil society to influence policy for the benefit of everyone. We are a registered charity. Our work and research grants are funded by the UK government, major benefactors and individual donations. What sort of research do we fund? In 2024 we distributed over £50 million of funding in awards to enable the most talented academics in the humanities and social sciences to pursue their research. Concerned with such essential issues as the education of our children and our workforce, trends in our population, the management of our economy, our relationships with other peoples and nations, and the implications of our new technologies, the disciplines we support help to shape Britain and the world. British Academy- Postdoctoral Fellowships The British Academy is inviting proposals from early-career researchers in the humanities and social sciences wishing to pursue an independent research project, towards the completion of a significant piece of publishable research. The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship offers outstanding early-career researchers the opportunity to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in an academic environment. This scheme aims to help develop the award-holder’s curriculum vitae and boost their prospects of obtaining a permanent academic post. The primary emphasis is on the completion of a significant piece of publishable research, and the integration of the award holder into the community of established scholars within their field. The Fellowship is non-renewable and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT). Referee Applicants must be supported by one self-nominated referee, who will be asked to fill in a questionnaire via Flexi-Grant. The referee should normally be the external examiner or, if not available, someone else who is as external to the applicant as possible. The referee may not be the applicant's proposed mentor, doctoral supervisor or internal examiner. Value and Duration The scheme is covered under the Full Economic Costing (FEC) regime. Currently, the Academy funds 80% of salary costs, directly allocated and indirect costs under FEC. The Fellowship is tenable for three years, starting from Autumn 2026 in a UK-based university or higher education institution.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The applicant must be a researcher from the humanities and social sciences and be based at an eligible university or research organisation for the duration of the Fellowship. Suitable institutions include any UK university or recognised research organisation based in the UK. British citizens and any nationals from the EEA are eligible, regardless of where their doctorate was obtained. Anyone of any nationality who has a doctorate from a UK university is eligible. If an applicant does not meet the prior categories, they may be accepted if they can demonstrate ‘strong prior association’ with the UK academic community. Applicants must be of early-career status, meaning they must apply within three years from the date of their successful viva voce examination. For this round of competition, applicants are expected to have completed their viva voce between 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2026. The applicant must already be of postdoctoral status at the time when the Research Awards Committee meets.