ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

Find out about when and how to apply for the ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships.

ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026

The Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences at the University of Bristol is pleased to invite expressions of interest for the ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026. These fellowships are aimed at providing a development opportunity for social science researchers in the immediate postdoctoral stage of their career, to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, their networks, and their professional skills.

They can be held for 9 months full time or 18 months part time and start on 1st October 2026.

For full details see the SWDTP call page: https://www.swdtp.ac.uk/prospective-students-and-fellows/esrc-postdoctoral-fellowships/ 

Please note, there is an information webinar about the call, run by SWDTP on 30 March 2026, 1-2pm.

Eligibility

Please consult the SWDTP call page full eligibility and further information

How to Apply Through the University of Bristol

For this year’s round, only the following Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Law Schools are invited to put one nomination forward:

  • Arts
  • Business School
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Humanities
  • Law
  • Policy Studies
  • Sociology, Politics and International Studies

Application Steps

1) Contact Your Host School

  • Applicants should contact their host School for details of the internal process, to discuss suitability, and to identify a mentor. See the information below for School contacts for initial enquiries.

2) Request an EOI form

3) Submit Your EOI to Your School

  • Applicants must submit an EOI form (including bibliographical references and a two‑page CV) by email to their host School. Deadlines are set individually by each School. See the table below for School EOI Submission Contacts & Deadlines.

4) Notification of Outcome

  • The University of Bristol is capped at 8 nominations. Eligible Schools can submit one EOI. Final selection will be made by a University level panel. Applicants will be informed whether they are selected to submit a full application by Monday 27 April 2026.

5) Full Application Submission

  • Shortlisted applicants must submit full applications, with all required attachments, to the SWDTP as one collated PDF by: 11.59pm, 01 June 2026

Further details

Find full eligibility guidelines and more information about the scheme on the SWDTP call page

Please email rda-alss@bristol.ac.uk with any further questions.

School-level Process

Each School will be following an individual EOI process.

Below outlines the contact details and the submission deadline for each School:

Arts

Business

Economics

Education

Humanities

Law

Policy Studies

SPAIS