The British Council is delighted to be awarding up to two 12-month Postdoctoral Fellowships, starting in January 2027, at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh. 

Applicants must be based in an ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates* (see list at the bottom of the page) and be qualified to undertake postdoctoral-level research for the fellowship. 

ELIGIBILITY:

These fellowships are intended to support research that is aligned with the overarching vision of the British Council (‘a more peaceful and prosperous world built on trust’) and the purpose outlined in our strategy: 

They support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding, and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. 

Applicants must be based in an ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates and be qualified to undertake postdoctoral-level research for the fellowship. Applicants must have completed their viva examination/defense and any subsequently required corrections to their thesis by the application deadline; applicants do not need to have graduated before the deadline.

These are early-career fellowships, meaning applicants must be within seven years of completion of their PhD. They especially welcome applications from candidates who have not already had an undergraduate or postgraduate education in the UK or another non-ODA recipient country.

Research topics should be relevant to the areas of priority across Arts, Education and the English language that are outlined in our strategy, and to areas of cross-cutting strategic British Council interest such as international relations and soft power, international development and peace building, and cultural relations and cultural diplomacy. 

Within this broad thematic remit, the specific research focus of each Fellowship can be shaped by the expertise and interests of the applicant. However, Fellowship proposals should include plans for outputs that are relevant to Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy or practice, and which have potential to advance knowledge or engage stakeholders or audiences in the Fellow’s home country or region. 

Please visit the IASH website from 05 May onwards for full application guidelines, detailed eligibility criteria, and details of the Bursary and other support provided as part of the Fellowship.

Note: 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.

Any questions?

Please contact Researchglobal@britishcouncil.org 

ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates: 

Albania,  Algeria, Argentina, Armenia,  Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, China (People’s Republic of), Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Palestine, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Türkiye, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe. 

BENEFIT:

The Fellowship provides a bursary of £2,500 per month and travel expenses as well as desk space, library access, and academic mentoring as part of the vibrant scholarly community of visiting fellows at IASH. Fellows will also be expected to engage closely with the British Council throughout their Fellowships, both in the UK and in their home country or region, as part of the knowledge exchange component of the Fellowship.