The Faculty of English and Department of Anglo Saxon Norse and Celtic welcome applications for British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships.

About the British Academy fellowships:

The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship offers outstanding early career researchers the opportunity to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in an academic environment. The scheme aims to help develop the award holder’s curriculum vitae and boost their prospects of obtaining a permanent academic post. The primary emphasis is on the completion of a significant piece of publishable research, and the integration of the award holder into the community of established scholars within their field.

The details of the call can be found on the British Academy website please read the scheme guidance carefully. The fellowship has a two step application process. Applications will open for the outline stage of the scheme on 2 July 2025 and if successful, applicants will then be able to apply to the second stage.

Mentors

The selection form asks applicants to give the name of a proposed mentor. The British Academy’s expectation is that a mentor will help integrate new fellows into their department. Applicants are asked to contact their proposed mentor before the deadline. Mentors must be academic staff employed in the faculty (for example, assistant professors, associate professors and professors) 

Eligibility:

1. Applicants must be either a UK/EEA national or have completed a doctorate at a UK university. If an applicant does not meet the prior categories, they may be accepted if they can demonstrate ‘strong prior association’ with the UK academic community.
2. Applicants must be within three years of the award of a doctorate (i.e. with a viva between 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2026). Exemptions from this criterion may be granted for extenuating circumstances.
3. Those with a permanent academic post are ineligible to apply.
4. Applicants may apply only once in the three years they are eligible. Previously unsuccessful applicants will be able to submit another application only if specifically invited to do so by the British Academy.

Next steps:

If you are thinking of making an application for a Fellowship in the Faculty of English or Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, after checking your eligibility, please supply the following materials to administrator@english.cam.ac.uk by the Faculty deadline of Monday 11 August 2025 at 09.00 am.

1. Selection Form
2. A two-page CV including the dates on which you took your PhD viva and on which you were awarded the PhD;

You will be notified as to whether the faculty is able to support your application in good time to let our research office know of your intention to submit (which needs to be 4 weeks before funder deadline of 1 October 2025)

For more information about the application process, please contact the Faculty Coordinator, April McIntyre at administrator@english.cam.ac.uk

Salary

Please note that successful applicants will normally be placed on Scale Point 41 (current rate £37,174) progressing one point up the scale each year of their Fellowship.