Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships 2026 for Researchers (Salaried)

Overview

The Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships allow researchers to spend time as salaried fellows at the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH) at the University of Cambridge, from September 2027 to May 2028. The Isaac Newton Trust matches the Leverhulme award for people who successfully apply for fellowships held at Cambridge starting between 1 September 2027 and 1 May 2028. An internal Cambridge competition determines which applications receive the match-funding, and applicants should read the Isaac Newton Trust guidance.

Who can apply

The doctorate must be completed by the start of the fellowship, with the thesis submitted for viva voce by the Leverhulme deadline, likely early or mid February 2027. Applicants must not be registered for another degree when the fellowship starts, and their thesis submission date must not be earlier than four years before the Leverhulme deadline, unless a career break for exceptional circumstances can be shown. Applicants must hold a degree from a UK university or have held a UK academic position for at least four months before the deadline. Those with three or more years of postdoctoral research experience focused on independent research are not eligible. Candidates must not have held, or hold during the fellowship, a full-time permanent academic position at a UK university or equivalent, although permanent roles without research duties will be considered. Holders of a stipendiary fellowship cannot hold it alongside this one.

How to apply

Candidates apply to be hosted at one of three CRASSH centres: the Centre for Geopolitics, Cambridge Digital Humanities or the Centre for Pandemic Risk Management. The online application requires a completed cover sheet, a CV of at most two pages, and drafts of the three Leverhulme items: a list of major publications of one side, a statement of current research of up to 250 words and a detailed research proposal of up to two sides including references. Two reference letters are also needed, at least one from outside Cambridge, uploaded directly by the referees. Applicants name their chosen centre on the cover sheet and give a proposed mentor and department in the academic host section. The mentor may be in another department. Strong applications explain why the chosen centre is the ideal environment for the project. Overlength applications are not considered.

Key dates

Applications are due by 12:00 noon on Friday 16 October 2026, and referee letters by 17:00 the same day.