British Academy International Fellowships — Fellowship

The British Academy International Fellowships bring early-career researchers from outside the United Kingdom to a UK university or research institute for two years of independent research. The scheme covers the humanities and the social sciences, spanning classics, theology, area studies, linguistics, history, philosophy, law, economics, anthropology, geography, sociology, political studies, psychology, education, management and cultural studies.

Each fellow works with one named UK sponsor at the host organisation. The sponsor mentors the fellow and the department provides space, facilities and access to expertise. Creative outputs are welcome where they sit inside a project of critical or historical importance.

The Academy runs the scheme to draw international talent into the UK research system and to build research links that outlast the award. Fellows are employed and paid by the host institution, not by the Academy, and can apply for alumni follow-on funding once the fellowship ends.

Benefits & funding

An employed, salaried post at the UK host institution for 24 months. The host sets the salary in line with the fellow’s skills and experience, and the Academy funds it at 80 per cent of full economic cost.
Research expenses of up to £12,000, funded at 100 per cent, covering travel, fieldwork, consumables, conference attendance and dissemination.
Relocation costs of up to £8,000. Larger sums are considered in exceptional cases with justification.
Visa costs, including the Immigration Health Surcharge, and childcare costs are eligible expenses.
Reasonable adjustments for disabled researchers are eligible.
Former fellows can apply for alumni funding after the award ends.

Eligibility

Hold a doctorate, or have the PhD viva completed before the Final Awards Committee meets on 1 June of the award year. For the 2027 round that date is 1 June 2027.
The PhD must have been awarded by a university outside the United Kingdom.
No more than five years of active full-time postdoctoral experience at the time of application. Teaching, time in industry, honorary positions and visiting researcher posts all count. Documented career breaks such as parental leave, sick leave, unemployment or non-academic work are discounted.
Applicants must not hold United Kingdom citizenship.
Applicants must be working outside the UK and must not have lived, worked or carried out research in the UK during the 12 months before the deadline. Short visits totalling under three months are allowed. Refugees in the UK under the Geneva Convention are exempt from this rule.
Competence in spoken and written English, confirmed in writing by the UK sponsor.
A research proposal agreed in advance with a sponsor at an eligible UK host organisation: a publicly funded university, a research institute holding long-term research council funding, or an approved independent research organisation. Institutions in British Overseas Territories are not eligible.
One application per applicant per round, and one application per sponsor per round. Emeritus professors may act as sponsors. Former Newton International Fellows cannot apply.
Unsuccessful applicants may apply again in a later round.
From the 2027 round each eligible UK institution may submit at most eight applications, so institutions run an internal selection before the Academy deadline.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

Education required
PhD Enrolled · PhD
Experience required
≤ 5 yrs

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Application process

1
Settle on a research topic and approach a prospective sponsor at an eligible UK host organisation. The Academy does not match applicants with sponsors.
2
Ask the host institution about its internal selection timetable, since it can forward only eight applications from the 2027 round onwards.
3
Create and complete the application in the British Academy Flexi-Grant system.
4
Work through the nine sections of the form: eligibility, research proposal, contact details, career summaries for applicant and sponsor, financial details, declarations, departmental support and diversity monitoring.
5
Collect the sponsor statement, which also confirms English competence, and the head of department statement covering space, resources and terms of appointment.
6
Send the completed application to the institutional approver at least five working days before the Academy deadline. The approver submits it; late applications are rejected.
7
Await assessment by subject experts and the decision of the Awards Committee. Every applicant is notified by email.

Program timeline

11 March 2026
Deadline for the 2026 round, 5pm UK time
1 June 2026
Final Awards Committee for the 2026 round
August 2026
2026 round outcomes announced
October 2026 to March 2027
2026 round fellowships begin
Early to mid January 2027
2027 round expected to open
Early to mid March 2027
2027 round deadline expected
1 June 2027
Final Awards Committee for the 2027 round