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International Fellowships for PhD and Early Career Researchers 2025 (Grant)

Apply to undertake a funded fellowship at an international cultural institution. You must be either: • a PhD student currently funded by AHRC (or ESRC for Library of Congress only) • an early career researcher based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding

  • Opening date:
  • Closing date:

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Contents

Summary

Apply for a funded fellowship at an international institution.

Fellowships are available at:

  • USA: Harry Ransom Center, Huntington Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, Yale Centre for British Art

  • Japan: National Institutes for the Humanities (NIHU)

  • China: Shanghai Theatre Academy

You will receive £1,000 for travel and visa costs (£1,200 for travel to Japan and China) and £1,925 for each month of the fellowship. You can apply for two to six months of funding.

Please refer to the ‘Additional Information’ for more information on the aims of the scheme and an overview of each host.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to:

PhD students funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) may apply for a fellowship at the Library of Congress.

AHRC applicants must apply to undertake primary research in an AHRC subject area for all hosts.

ESRC-funded PhD students are only eligible to apply to Library of Congress and must be applying to undertake primary research in an ESRC subject area.

AHRC applicants can apply for a fellowship at more than one institution in a single round, noting that separate applications need to be submitted. However, dates and applications must:

  • be for separate and distinct research work packages

  • not overlap

  • take place in one continuous block of time

  • not be interdependent

If applying for a fellowship at more than one institution, you should also check there are no visa restrictions on returning to the host country within the same year.

You can only hold a fellowship at the same institution once in each stage of your career, for example once as a student and once as an ECR.

Deferred entry applications are not permitted. Equally, if your application is successful but you cannot undertake your placement, you must reapply the following year.

Before applying, you must secure the approval of your UK research organisation and supervisor (for PhD students) or head of department (early career researchers and research assistants) to attend the placement in full, should the application be successful.

Before applying for funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.

For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual.

Who is eligible to apply

Individual eligibility for PhD students

AHRC-funded doctoral students can apply to any host. ESRC-funded doctoral students can only apply to Library of Congress.

Placements must be undertaken during the funded period of your doctoral award.

PhD students must include their doctoral training grant reference in the ‘About you’ section of the application form.

Because these fellowships are intended to enrich and form part of the period of doctoral study, no additional time will be added to the doctoral award end date.

Individual eligibility for ECRs

To be considered an ECR, applicants must meet a minimum of two of the following five criteria:

  • not previously been a project lead or lead on an externally funded project or led a significant programme of work in a commercial or non-academic setting

  • precariously employed, for example currently employed via a temporary contract of employment

  • recent returner from a career break, for example maternity, caring responsibility, sickness, unpaid sabbatical

  • changing career track or returning after substantial administrative responsibility

  • recent change in career, for example industry to academia or academia to industry

These durations should exclude any period of career break. We define a career break as an extended period when you have not been actively engaged in scholarly research or teaching at a higher education institution. The career break could be, for example, for family care or health reasons. See section two of AHRC’s research funding guide for further information on the eligibility criteria for early career researchers.

Doctoral level research assistants are eligible – you must:

  • be of postdoctoral standing, having either a PhD qualification or equivalent research experience

  • and have a contract with a UK research organisation at the time of application that extends beyond the end date of the fellowship

You will be asked to provide evidence of how you meet this criteria. Failure to do so could result in your application being rejected. Where previous AHRC funding has been held, ECRs must include their previous grant reference in the application form.

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

We invite applications from eligible doctoral students, and early career researchers in any arts and humanities discipline (and doctoral students in the social sciences for the Library of Congress) and from all regions and nations of the UK.

We are committed to promoting the values of equality of opportunity, diversity, and inclusivity. A dynamic, diverse and inclusive research and innovation system must be an integral part of UK society, giving everyone the opportunity to participate and to benefit. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications from persons who identify as:

  • an ethnic minority

  • people with health conditions or impairments

  • persons of diverse gender identities and expressions

  • persons identifying with other groups who are currently underrepresented

Where additional funding is essential for an individual to take up the fellowship (such as accessibility-related costs), this can be covered through the UKRI Disabled Students’ Allowance or through additional fellowship funding. Please contact AHRC to discuss any specific accessibility needs, and we will support integrating this request into the application process.

Applicants are invited to complete the EDI survey when setting up their UKRI account. Participation in this survey is voluntary and will not influence funding decisions, which are made solely based on merit.

Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI.

Host-specific eligibility

Applicants to NIHU, looking to work with the following collections, are required to speak and understand Japanese to an advanced level:

  • National Institute of Japanese Literature (NIJL)

  • National Museum of Japanese History (NMJH)

  • International Research Center for Japanese Studies (IRCJS): eligibility is determined by the specific requirements of the chosen research field

For all other NIHU institutes, a knowledge of basic (conversational) Japanese is useful, but not compulsory.

Applicants to the Smithsonian Institution must select, and approach a contact, at the institution in advance of submitting their application. This contact will act as an adviser should the respective application be successful. Please use the 2022 Smithsonian opportunities for research and study guide to contact an appropriate Smithsonian academic or staff member.

The Smithsonian has recently implemented a new review process for activities that engage with the US government’s ‘countries of concern’ (USGCOCs). The goal of this added layer of review is to support mission-driven work across all disciplines and Smithsonian units while ensuring appropriate institutional awareness and evaluation of risk regarding engagements with USGCOCs. The countries covered by the Smithsonian guidance, which draws from two US government lists, State Sponsors of Terrorism and the National Science Foundation’s NSPM-33 Definitions (PDF, 157 KB), are currently China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Syria. Please note that these countries may change over time as the US Government adds or removes countries which the Smithsonian Institution will monitor.

Academic appointments for foreign nationals of USGCOCs are included in this process of institutional review. Therefore, applicants bearing any of these nationalities should be advised to account for, and expect, an additional processing period of a minimum of three weeks in advance of any official fellowship letter being issued, a step which must be completed before the Smithsonian can initiate the visa process.

Objectives

Scope

We’re looking to fund eligible PhD students and early career researchers to complete a research fellowship at an international cultural institution for two to six months.

The International Fellowships for PhD and Early Career Researchersprogramme provides early career researchers, and AHRC-funded and ESRC-funded doctoral students, with inclusive and dedicated access to internationally renowned collections, programmes and expertise held at host institutions.

The scheme aims to enhance the depth, range, diversity, and quality of research activities conducted by scholars, including research exploring under-represented and under-researched cultures and histories.

The fellowship provides unique opportunities for networking with other international scholars based at these world-renowned institutions and can have a transformational impact on personal development and career progression.

The host institutions for this round are:

  • Harry Ransom Center

  • Huntington Library

  • Library of Congress

  • National Institutes for the Humanities, Japan

  • Shanghai Theatre Academy, China

  • Smithsonian Institution

  • Yale Centre for British Art

Your fellowship must be based on your area of current research (including your doctoral research if you are a PhD student). The proposed research activities and outputs from your fellowship should complement, strengthen, or build on your current area of research. You will need to propose a distinct package of research in your application and explain how this project relates to both your current research and the collections and expertise of your prospective host institution.

Full details of the documentation required can be found in ‘How to apply’, and the assessment criteria for applications to this scheme are available under ‘How we will assess your application’.

Duration

Please refer to the Available Fellowships document (PDF, 110KB) for information regarding the number of fellowships expected to be awarded by Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) at each host, as well as the eligible period for undertaking a placement.

Funding available

The following should be noted with regards to costs and the application process:

  • all fellowship placements will be between three and six months, except for the Harry Ransom Centre and Shanghai Theatre Academy (which can be between two and six months)

  • the total awarded will be a £1,000 one-off stipend for travel and visa costs (£1,350 for applicants to NIHU and STA) and a living stipend of £1,925 for each month of the fellowship

  • limited additional support may be agreed by the AHRC on a case-by-case basis for applicants with disabilities, to support inclusive and accessible participation

  • the full stipend will be paid directly to the submitting UK research organisation (RO). It is a condition of the award that the RO pays funds to fellows in full, in advance of the placement, to allow flights and accommodation to be booked by the fellow in advance of their placement. The RO will then recoup the funds when these are paid to them by AHRC

  • fellows will continue to receive any stipend or salary they receive as part of any current AHRC or ESRC award funding. PhD students will not be allowed additional time to be added to the AHRC or Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) award end date or submission date to account for time spent on their placement

  • you should discuss your work plan with your supervisor (if a PhD student) or head of department (if an early career researcher (ECR) or research assistant) and the host institution to ensure your proposed research can be completed within a realistic timescale and will appropriately feed into your current research or any AHRC parent project

  • there is no cap on the number of applications that can be submitted by a UK RO

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.

Dates

Assessment process

All applications will be checked for eligibility after the funding opportunity closes.

Eligible applications will be shared with the respective placement institutions and will be reviewed by relevant experts at the institutions. Scores and comments from the host reviews will then be moderated by AHRC and ESRC.

Applications which do not meet the eligibility requirements of this funding opportunity will be rejected prior to the reviewing stage. We will notify the submitter for any applications rejected at this stage.

Outcomes

Funding decisions will be communicated to the persons who were selected as ‘grant holders’ on the application form. Where the applicant is a student, this email should be forwarded to them without delay.

The email will provide successful applicants with further information about their placement and will request confirmation of the start and end dates of each placement.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.

We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

  • eligibility

  • purpose

  • applicant experience

  • supervisor’s or head of department’s support

Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.

How to apply

To start your application in the UKRI Funding Service click https://funding-service.ukri.org/OPP773/apply/816

Preparing your application

You must identify and research the institutions’ collections, fully familiarising yourself with them and how they are relevant to your own research. Please visit the institutions’ individual websites as a starting point to investigate the collections and inform your choice:

Once this initial step is completed, you can proceed to directly contact the relevant host institution to discuss your potential application and for information about the collections.

For NIHU and the Smithsonian Institution, you must contact the institutions before applying. For the other hosts, it is optional but highly recommended. Any contact should be made as soon as possible before the application deadline. Contact details can be found in the ‘Contact’ section of this page.

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

If a student’s PhD is funded through a consortium of research organisations, the application should be submitted by the student’s home research organisation rather than the consortia lead research organisation.

To apply

PhD students and early career researchers (ECRs) are both eligible to apply as a project lead for this funding opportunity. UKRI expects the research organisation will ensure that students do not apply for any other opportunities as a project lead unless it is specified that they are eligible to do so.

Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.

  1. Confirm you are the project lead.

  2. Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email support@funding-service.ukri.orgPlease allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this Opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.

  3. Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.

  4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.

  5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.

  6. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.

Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. You should:

  • use images sparingly and only to convey important information that cannot easily be put into words

  • insert each new image onto a new line

  • provide a descriptive legend for each image immediately underneath it (this counts towards your word limit)

  • ensure files are smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format

Watch our research office webinars about the Funding Service.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:

Make sure you get any necessary approval from your organisation in advance and give your research office plenty of time to review and submit your application before the closing date.

Deadline

AHRC must receive your application by 13 March 2024 at 4.00pm UK time.

You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.

Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

Personal data

Processing personal data

AHRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.

We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.

AHRC as part of UKRI, will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with the host institutions so that they can participate in the assessment process.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email the International Partnerships and Engagement Team on international@ahrc.ukri.org

Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include:

  • individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)

  • declaration of interest

  • additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section

  • conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection

  • the application is an invited resubmission

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.

Publication of outcomes

AHRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at Board and panel outcomes – AHRC.

Important note for ECRs: If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.

Summary

Word limit: 250

In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.

We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:

  • opinion-formers

  • policymakers

  • the public

  • the wider research community

Your summary must include:

  • the name of the host institution you aspire to study at (remember if you are an ESRC applicant you can only apply for the Library of Congress)

Core team

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

  • project lead (PL) – PhD students and ECRs are both eligible to apply under this role for this opportunity

Only list one individual as project lead.

Application questions

Eligibility to apply for opportunity

Word limit: 200

Provide details about your eligibility status.

If you are a PhD student, please provide the following information:

  • the title of your PhD

  • for AHRC applicants, the grant reference number for your current AHRC award (beginning AH). If that award is part of an institutional block grant or consortia grant, for example BGP, DTP, DTC, CDA or CDP, we also require that grant reference number. If you are unsure of your grant reference number, you must contact your research organisation

  • for ESRC applicants, the grant reference number of your Doctoral Training Partnership or Centre for Doctoral Training (beginning ES)

  • confirmation that if the application is successful no additional time will be added to the doctoral award end date

If you are an early career researcher, provide information detailing how you meet the eligibility criteria by confirming you have:

  • a contract with a UK research organisation (RO) that extends beyond the end date of the fellowship, and be either within eight years of the award of your PhD or equivalent professional training or within six years of your first academic appointment

Note that the durations should exclude any period of career break.

If you are a doctoral level research assistant, provide information detailing how you meet the eligibility criteria by confirming you:

  • are of postdoctoral standing, having either a PhD qualification or equivalent research experience

  • have a contract with a UK RO at the time of application that extends beyond the end date of the fellowship

Also explain how you meet any additional host-specific eligibility as described in the ‘Who can apply’ section.

Purpose

Word limit: 500

Why is the travel needed?

Explain why the proposed travel is necessary and where alternative approaches are not appropriate, including reference to:

  • added value to existing or future research and innovation

  • promotion of collaboration

  • acquisition and development of skills

  • benefit to the countries, organisations and regions involved where appropriate

  • why you are the best person to carry out this visit

  • why the place you are travelling to is the best place to go to, in terms of people and resources (including access to particular collections)

  • a breakdown of how the time spent there would be used

Within this section we expect you to provide:

  • a summary of the research you propose to conduct during your fellowship, indicating how it relates to your current research

  • explanation of how your research objectives, methodologies, context or both could offer a unique contribution to your host community

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Applicant experience

Word limit: 600

Why are you the right individual to successfully deliver the proposed work?

Evidence of how you have:

  • the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to make best use of the benefits presented by this funding opportunity to develop your career

  • the right balance of skills and aptitude (including language proficiency if relevant) to deliver the proposed work

Within this section we expect you to include:

  • a brief summary of your current research to date (including any AHRC or ESRC funded grants)

  • a timeline for the completion of any current research projects, showing the stage you are at now and the stage at which the fellowship would take place (you may include a table if it helps)

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Your supervisor’s or head of department support

Word limit: 400

Provide a statement of support from your supervisor, if applying as a PhD student, or Head of Department if ECR.

Reviewers will be looking for a strong statement of support.

The statement should include:

  • why the proposed institution is appropriate for you to conduct your research

  • details of the supervisory arrangements that will be in place whilst you are undertaking your research during this placement

  • assurance that the time spent on the fellowship will not result in extra time being required to complete the current research funded by AHRC or ESRC

You must also include the following details:

  • the person’s name and position

  • office address or web link

Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.

Supporting information

Successful applications

Once outcomes are issued, successful applicants will have 10 working days to confirm their start and end dates. Failure to do so will result in Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) using the dates originally selected in the application. Beyond this, applicants will be required to contact the host institution directly to discuss the feasibility of any changes before contacting AHRC to approve and process any changes.

Around 30 days from the first successful notification, the UK research organisation responsible for submitting the application will receive an official offer document from AHRC via our grants system confirming the dates and funding amount. This should be sent on to the successful applicant.

Finally, the applicant will receive documentation from their placement institution. Further details of this will be provided if their application is successful.

If successful, fellows are responsible for booking travel and accommodation (including any travel insurance) and securing appropriate visa arrangements themselves. Local accommodation is available close to each host institution. Further information regarding accommodation options will be provided if you are successful.

The offer letter issued by AHRC and the paperwork from individual placement institutions will be sufficient to support a visa application, and the UK research organisation may be able to offer support for this process. Successful applicants are advised to start the visa application process as early as possible, and to be aware that there is a short turnaround time between outcomes being issued and the earliest possible placement start dates.

Reporting outputs and impacts

All recipients of research council funding are required to enter the details of their outputs and impacts through the Researchfish system. Students are only required to enter details in Researchfish from the third year of their PhD onwards.

Early career researchers (ECRs) are required to enter details from the first year of their main research grant. Invitation emails will be sent to award holders at the point at which they are required to start using Researchfish.

See more details regarding Researchfish

For further information on supporting training awards please see:

Research and innovation impact

Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.

Additional disability and accessibility adjustments

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process if required.

Webinar for potential applicants

We will hold a webinar on 23 January 2025 at 2:00pm to 3:00pm UK time. This will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.

Register for the webinar

Research disruption due to COVID-19

We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:

  • breaks and delays

  • disruptive working patterns and conditions

  • the loss of ongoing work

  • role changes that may have been caused by the pandemic

Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.

Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.

Supporting documents

Available Fellowships document (PDF, 110KB)

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