British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships 2027

The British Council celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2024. We are delighted to announce a research partnership between the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh and the British Council.

University of Edinburgh are awarding up to two 12-month Fellowships starting in January 2027 – open to postdoctoral researchers based in any ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates (see list of countries on page 139 of their Annual Report or the list below). Fellows will spend the first ten months of their Fellowships at IASH, followed by up to two months based in their home countries focused on knowledge exchange and dissemination in collaboration with the British Council.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineJuly 31, 2026
• ValueFully Funded
• Study LevelPostdoctoral Fellowships
• SponsorUniversity of Edinburgh
• City to studyEdinburgh
• School to studyUniversity of Edinburgh
• Eligible CountryUnited Kingdom

Benefits

In short, a 2027 British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowship provides:

• Research visit at the University of Edinburgh for ten months, followed by up to two months based in their home countries focused on knowledge exchange and dissemination
• Bursary of £2,500 per month for 12 months
• Dedicated office space, University e-mail and library access
• A University mentor from an area relevant to the Fellows’ research interests
• Weekly Fellows’ Lunch to build community
• Collegial work-in-progress seminar series for testing new ideas
• Calendar of engaging events at the Institute and College
• Opportunities to participate in and design funded workshops, colloquia, etc at the Institute

Requirements

• The University of Edinburgh warmly welcome applications from ODA-recipient countries where the British Council operates (see the list above).
• Applicants must also have been awarded a doctorate at the time of application, and normally within the last seven years (i.e. you should have graduated between 2019 and summer 2026, although earlier graduates may be eligible if they have taken significant career breaks since completing their doctorate; if you have not yet graduated, you must be able to produce a transcript, testamur, or a letter of completion/eligibility to graduate as part of your application, showing that your viva examination has been successfully completed and all necessary corrections made to your thesis; you do not need to have actually graduated at the time you apply).
• You should not have held a permanent position at a university, or a previous Fellowship at IASH.
• Those who have held temporary, recurring and/or short-term employment are eligible to apply.
• If you have taken parental leave or other time away from academia, this will not count towards the seven-year limit, but we ask that you provide brief details of why and for how long you were not working.

Interview date, Process and Venue for British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships Fellowship

Applications will be considered by an assessment panel comprised of University of Edinburgh and British Council staff. Assessment will take account of the extent to which candidates meet the following criteria:

• A research and/or professional background and academic record that relates to broad thematic remit of the programme, outlined above
• A research proposal with clear potential to support the British Council’s objectives for the programme, outlined above
• Demonstrable experience of engaging non-academic audiences and stakeholders in research (e.g. through engagement with policy makers, practitioners, artists or other public audiences)
• A clear commitment to knowledge exchange and dissemination as part of the fellowship and beyond the timeframe of the fellowship itself, based on the networks, insights and learnings developed through their research

Check also:
Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Any additional supporting documents connected with an application should be emailed to [email protected].

• In addition to the application form, CV and research proposal, a cover letter outlining how the Fellowship will support the British Council’s objectives for this programme is required, as well as a minimum of two and a maximum of three confidential references.
• Applicants should ask their referees to email their reference to the Director at [email protected] by the deadline. If references are not received by this date, your application cannot be considered.
• Referees should comment on the nature and quality of the research proposal, as well as on the qualifications of the applicant. One referee should certify the successful viva (defence) and final examination of the candidate’s PhD thesis.

Notes

• The Fellowship begins in January 2027 and runs to 31 December 2027. No other start date is possible.
• The Institute was established in 1969 by the then Faculty of Arts at the University of Edinburgh  to promote enquiry of the highest standards in the Humanities, broadly conceived. It began to receive Fellows in 1970, and is now located as an independent institute within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.  Inter-departmental and interdisciplinary study has always been encouraged.
• Consideration will be given to the academic record and the publications of all applicants and their capacity to disseminate their views among a community of like-minded people. Candidates must give evidence of any contact they have made with researchers at the University of Edinburgh, are required to make such contact before submitting their applications, and those who can evidence the relevance of their proposed project to the University of Edinburgh research community will be regarded favourably.  Particular weight will be placed on the quality and timeliness of the project proposed, and we encourage innovative and interdisciplinary topics and approaches.
• For information about the scope of work undertaken at the University of Edinburgh, see Edinburgh Research Explorer, or browse through the staff pages of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
• Only fully completed formal applications will be considered. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that all documentation is complete, and that referees submit their reports to IASH by the closing date. 
• As requested above, please use the cover letter that is required as part of the application process to outline how their Fellowship will support the British Council’s objectives for this programme.
• Fellows must make the Institute their main place of work for the duration of the 10-month residential part of the Fellowship.  It is expected that Fellows will be in residence throughout the 10 months and will contribute fully to the life of the Institute during that time. Fellows give at least one seminar presentation during their tenure, and submit a report on their research at the end of their Fellowship. No regular teaching is required.