UK University of Cambridge Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

The Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge invites applications for Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships in History. The Faculty invites candidates to compete internally for Isaac Newton Trust match funding for the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship scheme, and then shortlisted candidates are put forward to the Isaac Newton Trust as required.

The Faculty states it considers applications in all fields of history. Potential candidates should first contact a suitable academic host from among existing staff, and may seek guidance from the Research Director on who to approach. The internal stage is highly competitive, and only a small number of candidates may be nominated to the University’s selection process.

The Faculty states that it must operate internal competitions in advance of the Leverhulme deadlines so only appropriate applications are submitted to the Trust. The Leverhulme Trust requires candidates to secure matching funding for their salary before applying. The internal selection process for the Isaac Newton Trust provides 50% funding of salary costs for Y1 to Y3, plus salary shortfall underwrite, and successful candidates then compete nationally at the Leverhulme stage.

The Faculty indicates that candidates successful at the internal stage for matching funds from the Isaac Newton Trust will be asked to prepare and submit their applications to the Leverhulme Trust in February. The Faculty also states that candidates must secure matching funding for their salary before applying to the Leverhulme Trust.

• Applicants must not yet have held a full-time permanent academic post (including stipendiary Junior Research Fellowships at Oxbridge Colleges) in a UK university or comparable UK institution.
• Applicants must not hold a full-time permanent academic post concurrently with the Early Career Fellowship.
• Applicants must have submitted their PhD no earlier than 19 February (unless they have had a career break) and not later than 4pm on 19 February.
• Applicants must currently either hold a degree from a UK HEI or, at the time of application, have held an academic position (eg fixed-term fellowship) in the UK for at least 4 months (were appointed before 20 October).
• Alternatively, applicants may hold a UK academic position which commenced no less than 4 months prior to the closing date or was held continuously for 4 months prior to the deadline.

• Isaac Newton Trust match funding providing 50% funding of salary costs for Y1 to Y3.
• Salary shortfall underwrite.

1. First contact a suitable academic host from among the Faculty’s existing staff; if guidance is needed on whom to approach, contact the Research Director.
2. Complete a Cover sheet and submit it to [email protected] before the deadline of noon on 13 October 2025.
3. Submit a single document (Word or PDF) that includes: your CV (2 A4 sides maximum), a list of publications (maximum one side of A4), a statement of your current research (maximum 250 words), and a detailed statement of your proposed research (maximum two sides of A4).
4. Arrange two letters of reference for the internal stage (at least one from outside Cambridge), and request that referees send their letters to [email protected] by noon on 13 October 2025.
5. If successful in the internal competition for matching funds from the Isaac Newton Trust, prepare and submit your application to the Leverhulme Trust in February.

• Application Cover Sheet.
• CV (2 A4 sides maximum).
• List of publications (maximum one side of A4).
• Statement of current research (maximum 250 words).
• Detailed statement of proposed research (maximum two sides of A4).
• Two letters of reference (at least one from outside Cambridge), sent by the referees to [email protected] by noon on 13 October 2025.
• Single document submitted in either Word or PDF containing the CV, list of publications, current research statement, and proposed research statement.