Leverhulme Early Career Scholarship 2026 in UK

Overview

The Leverhulme Early Career Scholarship provides competitive postdoctoral fellowship opportunities to researchers wishing to hold an Early Career Fellowship at the University of Cambridge. CRASSH administers an internal competition to support applications, with successful candidates receiving matched funding from the Isaac Newton Trust alongside the Leverhulme Trust award. Fellowships are intended for researchers starting between 1 September 2027 and 1 May 2028.

Benefits

Partially funded postdoctoral fellowship support.
Matched funding provided by the Isaac Newton Trust for successful Cambridge applicants.
Successful candidates are normally placed on Scale Point 41, progressing one point annually throughout the fellowship.

Eligibility

Applicants must complete a doctorate by the start of the fellowship, with the thesis submitted for viva voce by the Leverhulme deadline.
Thesis submission must not be earlier than four years before the Leverhulme deadline, unless a career break for exceptional circumstances applies.
Applicants must either hold a UK university degree or have been in a UK academic position for at least four months before the deadline.
Candidates with three or more years of postdoctoral research experience focusing on independent research are ineligible.
Applicants cannot have previously held a full-time permanent academic post at a UK university or equivalent.

How to Apply

Candidates must submit their application materials through the online application system by 12:00 noon on Friday, 16 October 2026.

Complete a cover sheet from the CRASSH website.
Provide a brief CV of a maximum of two pages.
Include drafts of the three required Leverhulme items: a list of major publications, a current research statement, and a detailed research proposal including references.
Arrange for two letters of reference to be uploaded directly by referees through the system by 17:00 on 16 October 2026.
Specify a chosen CRASSH Centre as the host and name the proposed mentor and department.

Deadline

The internal competition application deadline is 12:00 noon on Friday, 16 October 2026.

Overview

Eligibility

Applicants must complete a doctorate by the start of the fellowship, with the thesis submitted for viva voce by the Leverhulme deadline.

Thesis submission must not be earlier than four years before the Leverhulme deadline, unless a career break for exceptional circumstances applies.

Applicants must either hold a UK university degree or have been in a UK academic position for at least four months before the deadline.

Candidates with three or more years of postdoctoral research experience focusing on independent research are ineligible.

Applicants cannot have previously held a full-time permanent academic post at a UK university or equivalent.

How to Apply

Candidates must submit their application materials through the online application system by 12:00 noon on Friday, 16 October 2026.

Complete a cover sheet from the CRASSH website.

Provide a brief CV of a maximum of two pages.

Include drafts of the three required Leverhulme items: a list of major publications, a current research statement, and a detailed research proposal including references.

Arrange for two letters of reference to be uploaded directly by referees through the system by 17:00 on 16 October 2026.

Specify a chosen CRASSH Centre as the host and name the proposed mentor and department.