Postdoctoral Fellowships: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have an application form?

Application forms are available from the e-Gap site.

Do I have to have obtained my doctorate before making an application?

No. Applicants who have not yet submitted their theses, but expect to do so in time to have the viva voce examination on or before 1 April in the year in which an award will be taken up, may be accepted in the competition. If the viva is not subsequently held in time, the application will need to be withdrawn. If it is already clear that the thesis cannot be submitted or examined until the summer or autumn of the year in which the award would be taken up, there is no point in submitting an application.

Am I eligible in terms of recency of postdoctoral status? (e.g. along the line of, I obtained my doctorate a few years ago but have since been out of academic life because…)

All candidates who have been formally awarded their doctorate within three years prior to the submission of an application are eligible.

Potential applicants who do not meet this requirement need to set out a case for exemption from this criterion demonstrating that they are of early career status, and that they have the prospect of a reasonable period in an academic career ahead of them. It is unlikely that an applicant whose academic career has progressed uninterrupted through other research fellowships, temporary teaching posts or research assistantships will be given exemption.

What grounds will be accepted as constituting an acceptable case for exemption from the recency of postdoctoral status clause?

All cases will be considered on their merits by the Research Awards Committee. Where there are good reasons, exemption from this criterion may be granted, provided the applicant can demonstrate that they have a reasonable period in an academic career ahead of them. Good reasons would be likely to include interruption to an academic career after the date of the viva voce examination for maternity leave, family commitments, illness etc.

I already hold a research fellowship. Am I eligible to apply?

If the doctorate was formally awarded within the three years prior to 1 April in the year in which an award will be taken up, yes, without question.

If the doctorate was awarded prior to the qualifying date, the potential applicant would need to be able to give a convincing explanation of how they could still be considered to be of early career status, given the experience they will already have obtained. The aim of the scheme is to help recently qualified postdoctoral scholars to obtain permanent academic posts. Very few awards are available each year, and the opportunities are limited. The Research Awards Committee will prefer to give awards to scholars who most need this opportunity to develop their academic career.

I am aged 35 etc? Am I eligible to apply?

No reference is made to a candidate’s age in determining eligibility. Rather the Academy refers to ‘early career status’.

Am I eligible in terms of ‘prior association with the UK academic community’?

The Academy accepts as eligible all of the following:

• British nationals who have a home or family home in the UK are eligible, even if they have studied for a doctorate overseas.
• Anyone, of whatever nationality, who has obtained a doctorate from a UK university (within the terms of the eligible time period specified above), is eligible regardless of whether or not they are currently resident in the UK.
• EEA nationals who did not obtain a doctorate from a UK university are eligible.

I don’t meet the standard terms of eligibility regarding ‘prior association with the UK academic community’. Can I still be considered for an award?

The Academy will consider accepting an application from any candidate who does not meet the standard criterion provided they can demonstrate a ‘prior association with the UK academic community’ that is equivalent to that of having obtained a doctorate from a UK university. This may include, but is not limited to, being resident in the UK and working in a temporary capacity (more than one year) within a UK university or other research institute.

What contact do I need to have with a potential host institution before submitting the application?

It is essential that both a relevant academic, such as Head of Department, and the relevant administrative authority, such as Research Services Officer, Research Grants and Contracts Officer or equivalent is contacted at the earliest possible opportunity. The application will need to be counter-signed by a relevant authority in the institution. Signing the form constitutes the institution's agreement to provide further information, including a more detailed statement of institutional support and a Full Economic Costing financial appendix, if required, at the second stage of the competition. The proposed host institution will be expected to commit themselves to a certain standard with regard to the treatment of the Postdoctoral Fellow, details of which are set out in the scheme notes.

Does the institution need to provide Full Economic Costing details for this application?

Not at the outline stage. The institution is not required to provide any financial details at this stage. Only in the event of an invitation to submit a second-stage application will the FEC details need to be completed.

Can I apply to hold the Fellowship at the same institution at which I did my doctorate?

Yes. The Academy does not require Postdoctoral Fellows to move to a new institution for the Postdoctoral Fellowship. Rather we will be looking for evidence of the suitability of the match between the host institution and the research topic, and for evidence that the proposed host institution will provide suitable facilities, training opportunities and support for the Postdoctoral Fellow, in general treating them as equivalent to a new permanent full-time member of staff and not a superannuated postgraduate student.

Who should I approach to be my referees?

The Academy very strongly recommends that the doctoral supervisor and the external examiner are the most suitable referees. If the external examiner is unavailable, the second referee should be someone who has a similarly independent relationship to the applicant, perceived as 'external'. This might be someone who is aware of the applicant's work from having read material submitted for publication or having heard conference presentations. The choice of referees is a personal matter, but it is unacceptable, in any circumstances, to have two referees from scholars working in the same institution.

Is my subject area suitable for support?

The Academy supports research in all fields of the humanities and social sciences. Applicants in the field of fine arts should apply to the AHRC. Applicants in science, engineering etc should apply to other funders as appropriate.

Are there any quotas for different subject areas?

No. There are no quotas for any subject area, nor for the division between humanities and social sciences.

How many awards are given each year?

The current Delivery Plan is based on the award of up to 45 awards per year.

How many applications do you normally receive? What are my chances?

These awards are extremely competitive. In recent competitions around 900 applications have been received each year, giving a success rate of little more than 5%.

Does the scheme provide funding for publishing the PhD thesis in book form? Or is it a condition to propose an entirely new project?

It is not advisable to base the research proposal for the three-year Fellowship simply on publishing the PhD thesis in book form. Rather, evidence of progression to a second project will be required - one for which the applicant can demonstrate they have the necessary skills to carry it out successfully based on the experience gained in the PhD research and any subsequent academic experience.

I have previously applied for a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship and have been unsuccessful. Am I eligible to apply again with the same proposal?

There is no prohibition against resubmission for candidates who continue to meet the terms of eligibility. It is not advisable to submit an identical proposal to the previously unsuccessful version, but in any event an applicant may well have further academic experience to mention, their publication list may have changed, and an applicant may well have had a chance to think further about the proposed research.

How will my application be judged? What is the selection process?

Applications are assessed initially by subject specialists who will identify the most promising candidates to be invited to submit second stage applications. All applicants will be informed of the result of the outline stage at the same time. Those invited to proceed to the second stage will be expected to provide a submission of written work, which will be considered in conjunction with the other material already submitted by one of two selection panels representing more comparative assessment. There is one panel for the Humanities and one for the Social Sciences. The final decision on all applications is taken by the Research Awards Committee.