UK University of Edinburgh Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

The School of Social and Political Sciences (SPS) process selects candidates for the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship. The Leverhulme Trust aims to provide career development opportunities for applicants at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, with a proven record of research. The expectation is that Fellows undertake a significant piece of publishable work during their tenure, and that the Fellowships lead to a more permanent academic position.

Applicants are expected to be within 4 years from the date of their successful Viva Voce examination. Exemption from this criterion may be granted for reasons occurring after the viva voce examination such as maternity leave, illness, or family commitments. SPS eligibility also requires a prior association with SPS and/or the University of Edinburgh through employment, study affiliation, or substantive ongoing research links with SPS faculty.

SPS applies a selection process based on documentation and a project proposal. The University sets a limit on the number of applications each school can submit, so the School assesses applications and selects suitable candidates for a School panel based on a 2-page project proposal, 1 page of bibliographic references, an abbreviated CV (max 2 pages), and a short statement of support from a mentor. SPS requires an SPS core staff mentor for all early-career fellowships.

• Applicants must be supported by a UK host institution.Applicants must have a PhD and must have submitted their doctoral thesis for viva voce not more than 4 years prior to the scheme closing date.Doctoral thesis for viva voce examination must be formally submitted by 4pm by the closing date.Candidates are eligible only if they formally submitted their doctoral thesis for viva voce examination after 19 February 2022 unless they have since had a career break (extenuating circumstances such as illness, parental leave, care-giving duties are considered).Applicants must either hold a degree from a UK higher institution at time of taking up the fellowship or hold an academic position in the UK (fixed term lectureship or short-term fellowship) at the time of the application deadline, which commenced no less than 4 months prior to the closing date.Applicants must have an early-career stage defined by Leverhulme as within 4 years from the date of successful Viva Voce examination.Exemption from the early-career stage criterion may be granted for reasons occurring after the viva voce examination such as maternity leave, illness, or family commitments.Applicants must have prior association with SPS and/or the University of Edinburgh through one or more of: current or prior employment in any relevant role at the University of Edinburgh for at least 3 months accumulatively; study affiliation at any School within the University at undergraduate or graduate level; demonstrable ongoing research links with SPS faculty that are substantive (for example related to an output, research or KEI project, or prior funding proposal).Candidates of any nationality can apply but must be resident in the UK for the fellowship duration.Those with permanent academic posts are not eligible to apply.Candidates who have been or are currently a Principal Investigator on a three-year postdoctoral research project, or have held a comparable three-year postdoctoral position to pursue their own research, are not eligible to apply.Applicants must have an SPS mentor (SPS core staff) for the proposed project application.

• Fellowship tenable for three years on a full-time basis.Trust support for requests to hold the award part-time over a proportionately longer period for health related reasons, disability, or childcare commitments.

1. Mentor identification: identify, contact, and have an agreed SPS core staff mentor for the proposed project application.Notification of expression of interest to School: email [email protected] with your intention to apply as soon as possible.Submission to School panel assessment and selection process: ensure the following are sent to the SPS Research Office by Monday 10 November 2025: outline project proposal (max 2 pages), references/bibliography (max 1 page), candidate CV (max 2 pages), and a mentor statement (max 1 page). Your mentor must ensure that in principle approval from the Head of Subject Area is emailed to the SPS Research Office before you submit your documents to the School panel process.Development and submission of application: decisions by the School are communicated to candidates by mid December 2025; those selected to progress to full application stage receive support and continue working with the Research Office until submission.Leverhulme portal opening: scheme opens on 1 January 2026 on the Leverhulme Trust grant application portal.Submit full draft application with budget: submit by 29 January 2026 in the Leverhulme Trust grant online system.University submission deadline: submit the application to Leverhulme Trust by 19 February 2026.

• Outline project proposal (max 2 pages)References/Bibliography (max 1 page)Candidate CV (max 2 pages)A mentor statement (max 1 page)In principle approval from the Head of Subject Area (emailed to the SPS Research Office by the mentor before document submission to the School panel process)Two-page CV and two-page project summary, one-page bibliographic references, and one-page mentor support statement (as specified for the School deadline for submitting an up-to-date set of documents)