Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships

Find out about when and how to apply for the Leverhulme Trust Early Careers Fellowship.

Applications are currently closed. We will update this page with details of the 2026 process when information is available.

For early career researchers, with a research record but who have not yet held a full-time permanent academic post, to undertake a significant piece of publishable work. These are 3-year fellowships, that provide 50% salary (up to a maximum of £28k per year) and up to £6k in research expenses per year. It is anticipated that approximately 145 Fellowships will be available across the UK.

When to apply

  • The internal application process is now open – the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences is looking to support up to 10 candidates.

  • Applications to the scheme open on the Leverhulme website on 1st January 2025 and closes 20th February 2025.

  • Apply within four years of getting your PhD, career breaks can be taken into account.

  • To apply, you must have a research record but will not yet have held a full-time permanent academic post.

  • See the call webpage for full details: https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/early-career-fellowships

How to apply through the University of Bristol

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Law is carrying out an internal selection process for this scheme:

  1. Potential applicants to identify a potential mentor and make contact with them.

  2. Potential applicants request a blank template of the Leverhulme ECF outline form via this link (if you have any problems accessing the link, please contact rdo-rduk@bristol.ac.uk). Applicants to draft their internal application with the support of their mentor. This outline application is to be submitted, along with a two-paged combined CV/publication list, to the relevant School Research Director by Monday 11 November,10am.

  3. Schools to review drafts and to nominate up to two candidates to Faculty by Tuesday 19th November.

      • Schools will only nominate two applications where both applicants are especially strong and an excellent fit to the scheme. Schools to send the internal application forms of nominated candidates to alss-research@bristol.ac.uk.

  4. Faculty selection panel to take place, taking a strategic view about which fellowships to support. This may involve making decisions that 1) align with Faculty strategy 2) balance where investment sits. Up to 10 candidates will be selected. Decisions about selected candidates to be communicated to SRDs and DREI by Thursday 5 December.

  5. Schools/SRDs will notify candidates of outcomes as soon as possible.

  6. DREI will contact successful candidates to invite them to a workshop on the scheme to take place on Thursday 12 December, as such, please keep this blocked out in your diary.

  7. DREI Research development will provide additional support and copies of successful bids to the final selected candidates only.

  8. Wednesday 1 January 2025 Leverhulme call opens. 

  9. Funder deadline Thursday 20 February 2025. NOTE: applicants will be required to submit the application internally one week before the deadline.

Eligibility and further details

All applicants should read the full eligibility notes on the Leverhulme web site.