British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships, 2023-24

Expression of Interest Deadline: 12pm (noon), Tuesday 29 August 2023

The History Faculty, University of Cambridge invites applications for British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships. The Faculty is delighted to receive applications in any area of History. The Faculty will review expressions of interest and shortlist applicants to put forward proposals to the British Academy in October 2023.

Potential candidates should first contact a suitable academic mentor from among our existing staff; if you need guidance on whom to approach, please contact the Research Director Dr Celia Donert (chd31@cam.ac.uk). Once you find a willing mentor, please ask them to write a letter direct to the Faculty commenting on your suitability for the scheme, what you would bring to the Faculty, and your longer-term employment prospects.

Then, prepare your application to the Faculty, which must be submitted as a single pdf document comprising:

  • A completed Faculty Expression of Interest Form (download from sidebar)
  • CV (2 A4 sides maximum)
  • list of publications
  • writing sample (5,000 words, excluding footnotes)

The application must be sent to researchgrants@hist.cam.ac.uk by 12pm (noon), 29 August 2023.

*Please ask your mentor to send a letter of support separately to researchgrants@hist.cam.ac.uk by the same deadline: 12pm (noon), 29 August 2023.

 

Shortlisted candidates will then be asked to develop their application further for submission by the University to the British Academy. Specific guidance for the 2023/24 competition can be found on the British Academy website.

The aim of the British Academy in making these awards is to offer opportunities for outstanding early career researchers to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment, which will develop their curriculum vitae and improve their prospects of obtaining permanent lecturing posts by the end of the Fellowship. The primary emphasis is on completion of a significant piece of publishable research, which will be assisted by full membership of an academic community of established scholars working in similar fields. Awards are normally for three years and cover the salary of the Postdoctoral Fellow, small-scale research expenses, and costs towards the time of a mentor and the host institution's estates and indirect costs.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be supported by the UK host institution in which they wish to hold the Fellowship.
  • Applicants who have not applied previously and who have completed their viva voce between 1 April 2021 and 1 April 2024 will be eligible to apply for the scheme for this round
  • Applicants must have a reasonable expectation that they will have submitted and had their thesis examined by 1 April 2024.
  • Applicants must be a UK or EEA national, or have completed a doctorate at a UK university. Any applicant who does not fall into one of these categories must demonstrate a strong prior association with the UK academic community, for example through having already been employed in a temporary capacity (longer than twelve months) at a UK university.