The British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships provide international early-career researchers with an opportunity to undertake a 12-month postdoctoral fellowship in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh.
The programme targets postdoctoral researchers based in eligible Official Development Assistance (ODA)-recipient countries where the British Council operates.
For the 2027 fellowship round, successful researchers receive:
£2,500 per month for 12 months
plus:
Travel expenses
along with:
Dedicated office space
University email
Library access
Academic mentorship
and opportunities to participate in the scholarly community at IASH.
The fellowship provides ten months of research residence at the University of Edinburgh, followed by up to two months in the Fellow’s home country focusing on knowledge exchange and dissemination in collaboration with the British Council.
However, applicants should note an important update:
The latest application round is now closed.
The application deadline for fellowships beginning in January 2027 was:
31 July 2026 at 17:00 BST.
The official IASH page confirms that the application portal has closed.
About the British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships
The fellowships are delivered through a partnership between:
The British Council
and
The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh.
The British Council celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2024, and the research fellowship partnership forms part of a three-year collaboration covering:
2025–2027.
For the latest round, the programme offered:
Up to two 12-month fellowships
starting in:
January 2027.
£2,500 Monthly Bursary
Successful Fellows receive a bursary of:
£2,500 per month.
The fellowship runs for:
12 months.
This corresponds to a total bursary value of:
£30,000
over the full 12-month period, assuming the stated monthly bursary is paid throughout the fellowship.
This is separate from the programme’s stated provision for:
Travel expenses.
Travel Expenses Are Also Provided
In addition to the monthly bursary, the fellowship provides:
Travel expenses.
This is particularly significant because the programme is designed specifically for international researchers based in eligible countries.
Applicants should nevertheless consult the applicable fellowship conditions for the precise expenses and travel arrangements covered.
12-Month Fellowship
The fellowship lasts:
12 months.
For the latest round, it begins in:
January 2027
and concludes on:
31 December 2027.
No alternative start date is available for this cohort.
First 10 Months at the University of Edinburgh
The first:
10 months
are spent at:
IASH, University of Edinburgh.
For the 2027 programme, this covers:
January through October 2027.
Fellows must make IASH their main place of work during this residential component.
They are expected to remain in residence throughout the ten months and contribute actively to the Institute’s scholarly community.
Final Two Months for Knowledge Exchange
The fellowship’s final stage focuses on:
Knowledge exchange and dissemination.
This takes place during:
November and December 2027.
Fellows can spend up to two months based in their home countries, working on knowledge exchange and dissemination in collaboration with the British Council.
This structure distinguishes the fellowship from a conventional 12-month residential postdoctoral appointment.
Academic Mentorship
Each Fellow receives:
A University mentor
working in an area relevant to their research interests.
Mentorship can help early-career researchers develop their projects, establish new academic connections, and strengthen their research profiles.
Office and Library Access
Successful Fellows also receive:
Dedicated office space
University email
and
Library access.
These resources provide Fellows with an institutional base for conducting their research during their ten-month period in Edinburgh.
Scholarly Community at IASH
Fellows become part of the visiting scholarly community at IASH.
The programme includes:
Weekly Fellows’ Lunches
to help researchers build connections.
Fellows can also participate in:
Work-in-progress seminars
where researchers can test and discuss developing ideas.
Other opportunities include events organized by the Institute and College and participation in or development of:
Funded workshops
Colloquia
and related scholarly activities.
Who Can Apply?
The fellowship targets:
International early-career postdoctoral researchers.
Applicants must be based in an:
ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates.
They must also be qualified to undertake postdoctoral-level research.
PhD Requirement
Applicants must already have been:
Awarded a doctorate
at the time of application.
For the 2027 round, applicants would normally have completed their doctorate within the previous:
Seven years.
The official guidance explains this as normally meaning researchers who graduated between:
2019 and summer 2026.
What About Researchers Awaiting Formal Graduation?
The programme provides some flexibility for researchers who have completed their doctoral requirements but have not yet formally graduated.
Applicants who had not formally graduated could provide:
A transcript.
Testamur.
Or a letter confirming completion or eligibility to graduate.
The documentation needed to show that:
The viva examination had been completed
and:
All necessary thesis corrections had been made.
Career Breaks Are Considered
The seven-year post-PhD period can take into account significant career breaks.
Examples include:
Parental leave
or other:
Time away from academia.
Applicants with qualifying career interruptions could therefore potentially have completed their PhD earlier than the standard seven-year window.
Permanent University Positions
Applicants should not have held a:
Permanent university position.
This requirement reflects the programme’s focus on early-career researchers.
However, candidates who have held:
Temporary
Recurring
and/or
Short-term employment
remain eligible.
Previous IASH Fellows
Candidates who have previously held:
A Fellowship at IASH
are not eligible under the stated criteria.
Eligible Countries
Applicants must be based in eligible ODA-recipient countries where the British Council operates.
The official list for this fellowship included countries such as:
Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, 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, 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, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Applicants should always use the country list published for the relevant fellowship round because eligibility can change between calls.
Zimbabwe Is Included
For researchers in Zimbabwe, an important point is that:
Zimbabwe appears on the official eligible-country list for this fellowship round.
However, the latest application round has already closed.
Researchers interested in similar future opportunities should monitor subsequent British Council and IASH announcements rather than attempting to submit to the closed 2027 round.
Research Areas
The programme has a broad but defined thematic focus.
Research should relate to British Council priority areas across:
Arts
Education
and
The English language.
Cross-cutting strategic areas can also include:
International relations and soft power
International development and peacebuilding
Cultural relations
and
Cultural diplomacy.
ODA Relevance
Fellowship proposals should include plans for outputs relevant to:
Official Development Assistance policy or practice.
Research should also have the potential to:
Advance knowledge.
Engage stakeholders.
Reach relevant audiences.
The research should have meaningful relevance to the Fellow’s home country or region.
Researcher Flexibility
Within the fellowship’s overall thematic framework, applicants have flexibility to shape the specific research question according to their:
Expertise.
Interests.
Academic background.
The programme is therefore thematic without prescribing one identical research question for all Fellows.
British Council Programme Objectives
Applicants were required to explain how their proposed fellowship would support the British Council’s wider objectives.
One objective is to generate new knowledge that builds upon or complements:
British Council data.
Evidence.
Insights.
Expertise.
The research should also support British Council:
Programming.
Strategy.
Diversifying Global Research
Another programme objective is to:
Diversify and broaden the British Council’s knowledge base.
The fellowship seeks to create opportunities for knowledge exchange with researchers from regions and communities that may be under-represented in global research production and discourse.
This international perspective is a central feature of the programme.
Capacity Building
The fellowship also seeks to support:
International capacity building
and:
Professional development
for emerging research experts from eligible countries.
This makes the programme particularly relevant to researchers still developing their international academic networks.
International Research Networks
The programme seeks to establish longer-term connections between:
UK researchers.
International researchers.
British Council staff.
The fellowship therefore combines individual research with institutional and professional networking.
Knowledge Exchange
Knowledge exchange is a core requirement rather than an optional extra.
Applicants need to demonstrate a commitment to:
Knowledge exchange
and
Dissemination
during and beyond the fellowship period.
This is reinforced by the final two-month knowledge-exchange component in the Fellow’s home country.
How Candidates Are Assessed
Applications are evaluated by a panel consisting of:
University of Edinburgh
and
British Council staff.
The panel considers the applicant’s:
Research background.
Professional background.
Academic record.
Research proposal.
Stakeholder-engagement experience.
Commitment to knowledge exchange.
Research Proposal
The research proposal needs to demonstrate clear potential to support the:
British Council’s programme objectives.
Candidates should therefore avoid preparing a generic academic proposal without explaining its connection to the fellowship’s objectives and thematic priorities.
Non-Academic Engagement
Applicants are expected to demonstrate experience engaging:
Non-academic audiences and stakeholders
with research.
Examples identified by the programme include engagement with:
Policy makers.
Practitioners.
Artists.
Other public audiences.
This is an important distinction from fellowships evaluated almost entirely on academic publication records.
Contact With University of Edinburgh Researchers
Candidates are expected to make contact with researchers at the:
University of Edinburgh
before submitting an application.
Applicants need to provide evidence of these contacts.
Candidates who can demonstrate that their proposed project is relevant to the University of Edinburgh research community are viewed favourably.
Innovation and Interdisciplinary Research
The programme places particular weight on:
The quality and timeliness of the proposed project.
Innovative and interdisciplinary topics and approaches are encouraged.
Applicants should therefore demonstrate why their research question is timely and how their proposed approach can contribute something meaningful to existing knowledge.
Application Documents
For the latest round, candidates needed to submit:
Application form
Curriculum Vitae
Research proposal
Cover letter
and:
Two to three confidential references.
Cover Letter
The cover letter had a specific purpose.
Applicants were expected to explain how their Fellowship would support:
British Council objectives for the programme.
Candidates therefore needed to connect their individual research goals with the wider objectives of the British Council-IASH partnership.
References
Candidates needed a minimum of:
Two confidential references
and a maximum of:
Three.
Referees were required to comment on:
The nature and quality of the research proposal.
The qualifications of the applicant.
At least one referee was also expected to certify successful completion of the candidate’s PhD viva and final examination.
No Regular Teaching Requirement
Fellows are not required to undertake:
Regular teaching.
This allows researchers to focus primarily on their research, engagement and knowledge-exchange responsibilities.
However, Fellows must participate actively in the life of IASH.
Seminar Presentation
During the fellowship, each Fellow is expected to deliver at least:
One seminar presentation.
This provides an opportunity to share research with the IASH scholarly community.
Final Research Report
Fellows must also submit:
A report on their research
at the end of the fellowship.
These requirements form part of the Fellow’s participation in the Institute’s research community.
Is the British Council Fellowship Fully Funded?
The fellowship provides a substantial funding package consisting of:
£2,500 per month for 12 months
and:
Travel expenses.
It also provides non-cash institutional support including:
Dedicated office space.
University email.
Library access.
Academic mentoring.
Participation in the IASH scholarly community.
This amounts to £30,000 in bursary support over 12 months, plus the stated travel expenses.
However, the official information does not say that every conceivable personal cost is covered.
For maximum accuracy, the programme can be described as a funded 12-month fellowship offering a £30,000 bursary plus travel expenses and institutional research support.
Important Dates
For the latest round:
Application portal opened: 5 May 2026
Applicant webinar: 26 May 2026
Application deadline: 31 July 2026
Selection: By the end of September 2026
Fellowship begins: January 2027
University of Edinburgh residence: January–October 2027
Home-country knowledge exchange: November–December 2027.
Applications Are Now Closed
This is the most important update for anyone reading about the opportunity in September 2026.
The official University of Edinburgh page states:
The latest round, for visits between January and December 2027, is now closed.
The portal closed after the:
31 July 2026 at 17:00 BST
deadline.
Late applications are not considered.
Therefore, this opportunity should not currently be promoted as “applications open.”
Can Researchers Apply Now?
Not for the 2027 fellowship round described in the current official announcement.
The application portal is closed.
Researchers interested in the programme should monitor the British Council and University of Edinburgh’s IASH for any future calls.
Because the partnership is described as running from 2025 to 2027, applicants should also avoid assuming that a 2028 round will automatically be offered unless a new announcement confirms it.
Important Details at a Glance
Programme: British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships
Partners: British Council and IASH, University of Edinburgh
Career Level: Early-career postdoctoral researchers
Latest Fellowship Cohort: 2027
Number of Fellowships: Up to two
Duration: 12 months
Edinburgh Research Period: 10 months
Home-Country Knowledge Exchange: Up to two months
Monthly Bursary: £2,500
12-Month Bursary: £30,000
Travel Expenses: Provided
Office Space: Provided
Library Access: Provided
University Email: Provided
Academic Mentor: Provided
Regular Teaching: Not required
PhD: Required
Normal PhD Window: Within the previous seven years, with career-break flexibility
Permanent University Position: Applicants should not have held one
Eligible Countries: ODA-recipient countries where the British Council operates
Zimbabwe: Included in latest eligible-country list
Latest Deadline: 31 July 2026 at 17:00 BST
Current Application Status: Closed
Latest Fellowship Start: January 2027
Why This Fellowship Stands Out
The British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowship combines postdoctoral research with:
International collaboration.
Academic mentorship.
Professional development.
Policy relevance.
Public engagement.
Knowledge exchange.
The £2,500 monthly bursary provides significant financial support, while travel expenses and institutional resources help Fellows undertake their research at the University of Edinburgh.
Its structure is particularly distinctive because researchers spend ten months immersed in Edinburgh’s academic environment before completing a final knowledge-exchange and dissemination phase connected to their home countries.
Final Considerations
The British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships at the University of Edinburgh offer early-career international researchers a 12-month postdoctoral opportunity combining academic research with knowledge exchange.
Successful Fellows receive:
£2,500 per month for 12 months
which equals:
£30,000 in total bursary support
plus:
Travel expenses.
Fellows also receive dedicated office space, University email, library access, academic mentorship and opportunities to participate in the IASH scholarly community.
The programme is available to eligible postdoctoral researchers based in ODA-recipient countries where the British Council operates.
For the latest round, eligible countries included numerous countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Botswana.
However, the key current-status information is that:
Applications for the January–December 2027 fellowship round are closed.
The deadline was:
31 July 2026 at 17:00 BST.
Researchers interested in future opportunities should monitor official British Council and University of Edinburgh IASH announcements for any new fellowship calls.
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