British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships 2027

Overview

The British Council and the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh jointly award 12-month postdoctoral fellowships for early-career researchers from ODA-recipient countries where the British Council operates. Fellows spend ten months in residence at Edinburgh, followed by up to two months back in their home country for knowledge exchange and dissemination. Fellowship start date is January 2027. The programme focuses on arts, education, peacebuilding, international development, and cultural relations. The application round closes at 17:00 BST on 31 July 2026. Eligible countries span sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Benefits

• Monthly stipend of GBP 2,500 for 12 months (GBP 30,000 total).
• International travel costs to and from Edinburgh (economy class) covered by the British Council.
• Access to University of Edinburgh library resources, research infrastructure, and IASH seminar programme.
• Academic mentoring from IASH faculty during the residency.
• Up to 2 months of funded knowledge exchange activity in home country.

Eligibility

• Based in an ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates at time of application.
• Within 7 years of completing a PhD (career breaks for family reasons or illness may be considered).
• Qualified to undertake postdoctoral research in humanities, social sciences, or an adjacent field relevant to British Council themes (arts, education, English, peacebuilding, international development, cultural relations).
• Not currently enrolled in a further degree programme.
• Demonstrate clear links between the proposed research and knowledge exchange in the home country.

How to apply

1. Review the full eligibility criteria and thematic priorities on the IASH website at the source link.
2. Prepare a research proposal (up to 1,000 words) outlining the project, its relevance to British Council themes, and the planned knowledge exchange activity.
3. Prepare a CV in standard academic format (maximum 2 pages), and arrange one academic reference letter.
4. Submit the completed application form via the IASH portal (iash.ed.ac.uk/application-form) by 17:00 BST on 31 July 2026.
5. Shortlisted applicants will be notified in October 2026; interviews (if required) will follow in November 2026.
6. Fellowship start date: January 2027.