International Fellowships Programme 2024

Each award is expected to involve a specific and protected research focus with the award holder undertaking high quality, original research.

This scheme is jointly run by the British Academy and the Royal Society.

Aims

• The overarching aim of the International Fellowships Programme is to attract and retain emerging talent in the UK and build a globally connected, mobile research and innovation workforce. The objectives are to:
  • Attract talented international early career researchers to establish and conduct their research in the UK;
  • Support early career researchers to pursue high-quality and innovative lines of research;
  • Provide opportunities to acquire and transfer new skills and knowledge through training and career development;
  • Foster long-term relationships through networking opportunities and the International Fellowships alumni programme.

Funding Information

• The International Fellowships offer support for two years and the award is offered at 80% FEC. Applicants may apply for research expenses of up to £12,000 and relocation costs of up to £8,000. Applicants will need to justify the level of research expenses and relocation costs requested in their application.
• Applicants may also be eligible to receive follow on Alumni funding following the tenure of their Fellowship to support networking activities with UK-based or international researchers.
• The British Academy International Fellowships are expected to commence between October 2024 and March 2025. Awards cannot start before 1 October 2024. A start date of the first of the month is preferred.
• This call is expected to be able to support approximately 15 British Academy International Fellowships.

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants for the International Fellowships must meet the following eligibility criteria:
  • Applicants must hold a doctoral degree or be in the final stage of their PhD provided that it will be completed (including viva) before the start date of the fellowship award (or have equivalent research experience).
  • Applicants should have no more than seven years active full-time postdoctoral experience atthe time of application, including teaching experience, time spent in industry on research, honorary positions and/or visiting researcher positions. Career breaks must be clearly detailed and explained in the application, for example “Start and end dates – career break – maternity/paternity leave.”
  • Applicants should be working outside the UK and should not hold UK citizenship at the time of application. Applicants cannot have lived, worked, or undertaken research in the UK in the 12 months immediately prior to the application, with the exception of short-term visits of less than three months in total and applicants who are refugees in the UK according to the Geneva Convention.
  • Applicants who are not currently employed are still eligible but will need to provide details of their previous supervisor.
  • Individuals already living, working, or undertaking research in the UK are not eligible to apply.
  • Individuals working outside the UK but employed by a UK organisation are also not eligible to apply.
  • Applicants who completed their PhD at a UK organisation must have been working and based outside the UK for at least one year at the deadline for the application.
  • Applicants proposing to return to their UK-based PhD organisation and/or PhD supervisor or to their post-doctoral supervisor will normally be considered to be ineligible and so applicants must have exceptional reasons for proposing to do so.
  • Applicants must be competent in oral and written English. The applicant must confirm their competency on the application form and the UK Sponsor needs to include the applicant’s competency in their supporting statement.
  • Applicants may only submit one application in a round. The application must be with only one UK Sponsor.
  • Applications who have been unsuccessful in a previous round of the competition may make another application in this round.
  • Applications who have previously held a Newton International Fellowship are ineligible to apply for an International Fellowship.

For more information, visit The British Academy.