POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH
FUNDING
Lynne Parsons
lep13@le.ac.uk; ext. 2181
Research Support Office
It’s much harder these days to go straight into a
lectureship after finishing a PhD.
It’s becoming much more common to have a period
of post-doctoral research to get more experience
and publications before getting an academic job.
So what are the options if you want to stay in
academia?
Three main areas:
1. Fellowships
2. Named Research Assistant
3. Other Opportunities
How do I find out more?
1. FELLOWSHIPS
FELLOWSHIPS (1)
The basics:
 You apply in your own name
 Project remit decided by you but must move
beyond PhD
 Variable length (few months – 3 years)
 Limited numbers
 Prestigious and hard to get
 Often known as Early Career/Junior fellowships
 I can provide examples of previously successful
bids
FELLOWSHIPS (2)
Leverhulme Trust:
Early Career Fellowships
 3 years’ salary plus research expenses (up to £6000
p.a.)
 50% funding from University/College
 Application deadline March – call announced Dec/Jan
 Must have completed PhD
 70 awards from 400-500 applications
 All subjects eligible
 http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/ECF/ECF.cfm
FELLOWSHIPS (3)
British Academy: Postdoctoral Fellowships
 Three years’ salary plus research expenses
 Outline submissions in October; full submission March
 Must be within 3 years of completion of PhD
 Must have completed PhD by 1st April in year would start
 Around 45 awarded each year; announced May to start
Autumn.
 Humanities and Social Science subjects eligible
http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/pdfells.cfm
FELLOWSHIPS (4)
Wellcome Trust: Research Fellowships
 Medical History and Humanities & Ethics & Society
 Broadly interpreted could cover (e.g.) social history,
sociology of health
 Up to 3 years salary plus research expenses
 Need a mentor in host department
 Strong preference for applicants with a good prospect of
achieving an academic career in subject
 Two application dates each year (1st Aug and 1st Feb);
preliminary applications at least 6 weeks before
 http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Medical-history-andhumanities/Funding-schemes/Fellowships/WTD003793.htm
FELLOWSHIPS (5)
ESRC Future Leaders Scheme
Aims to
 enable outstanding early career social scientists to
develop the skills to become future world leaders in their
field
 fund excellent social science research projects with
high potential impact
 Annual call – announced in June
 Less than 4 years’ post-doctoral experience
 Nomination by host institution: UoL internal competition
 70+ awards each year
 http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/fundingopportunities/15938/future-research-leaders.aspx
FELLOWSHIPS (6)
AHRC Fellowships – Early Career Route
Salary plus research expenses for 6-24 months
 Designed to build the capacity of the leaders of the
future and equip individuals to be future leaders
 Must result in significant research and outputs
 At least 2 years’ post-doctoral experience and up to 8
 Requires nominated mentor at host institution and
support from department
 Also requires a contract beyond the end of the
fellowship
 Open call - apply any time to start circa 9 months later
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/Fellowships---Early-CareerResearchers.aspx
FELLOWSHIPS (7)
Miscellaneous sources
A variety of organisations (e.g. Cambridge
colleges, learned societies), UK and overseas
 Usually for 6 – 12 months
 Remits vary from specific topics to broad subjects
 Advertised in a number of places
 Help on where to find them later
2. NAMED RESEARCH ASSISTANT
NAMED RESEARCH ASSISTANT (1)
Different to Fellowships:
 Work with a particular academic to develop project
 You are named on application as research assistant
 Can last from 1 – 5 years
 Expected to do research in application rather than
your own work
 Success rate varies
 Application must fit funding body remit
NAMED RESEARCH ASSISTANT (2)
Possible sources include:
 AHRC Research Grants Scheme
 ESRC Research Grants Scheme
 Leverhulme Trust Research Programmes and
Research Project Grants
 Heritage Lottery fund and other lottery related funds
 Wellcome Trust
 European Union funding
 Other charities and various learned bodies
3. OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
 Not everyone knows who they want to appoint on a
research grant and will need to advertise.
 Temporary lectureships can be a good way into
academia although they can be hard work.
 Miscellaneous other opportunities are out there, you
just need to keep checking
 Opportunities are advertised in the press and on the
web.
 At Leicester, you will find them on the website
4. HOW DO I FIND OUT?
FINDING OUT
Two main types of websites:
 Job opportunities websites
 Funding opportunities websites
 There is also funding available for travel etc
while you are studying.
Job Opportunities
 http://www.jobs.ac.uk/
 http://www.findapostdoc.com/
 Let’s have a quick demonstration
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
 http://www.researchprofessional.com/
 http://www.ukro.ac.uk/Pages/UKRO.aspx
 Details on how to use these sites are in the
handout
Thank you.
Any Questions?