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Postdoctoral Research

The Department of English and Related Literature has long supported postdoctoral researchers of all kinds in successful applications to myriad funding schemes. These include: UK Research Councils, the British Academy, the Leverhulme Foundation, the Danish and Irish Governments, and the Wellcome Trust. We welcome applicants to join one of our four period-specific research schools and benefit from the facilities and collegial environment of one of the top English departments in the world.

Arts and Humanities research in York is generously supported by the facilities offered by the purpose-built Humanities Research Centre on our main campus and at King’s Manor in York city centre. The University library is home to the Borthwick Institute for Archives (the largest public record office outside London) and the dedicated Raymond Burton Yorkshire Collection, and we also have research links with York Minster Library.

The Department supports a broad range of scholarly, intellectual and cultural activities in a variety of media, including theatre, film and creative industries. Writers at York brings high-profile national and international authors to campus every term. Our interdisciplinary research centres all host their own seminar series and York-based research projects.

We will support candidates who can demonstrate:

  • a track record of excellent research
  • 'fit' with a mentor (where appropriate)
  • compatibility with the work of our research schools and centres.

If you want to pursue your research here please contact our Director of Research, Professor Mary Fairclough, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk, in the first instance. In relation to mentorship, please also feel free to contact any colleagues on the below pages.

Find out more about our:

In the information that follows, where dates have passed, please bear in mind that we expect similar deadlines in future. For the most up to date information on deadlines, please check each funder’s website.

List of our current scholarships:

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

The department’s support for the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships scheme in 2025-26 is currently under review. We will update our guidance as soon as possible.

If you have any questions please contact Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk.

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships

The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships are three-year Fellowship awards made to an annual cohort of outstanding Early Career Scholars. The scheme provides a salary for three years and associated research expenses.

Who can apply?

The scheme offers 3-year fellowships for postdoctoral researchers who are within 3 years of the award of their doctorate (for the 2025/26 scheme, this means applicants are expected to have completed their viva voce examination between 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2026).

The applicant must be a UK or EEA national, or have completed a doctorate at a UK university. Applicants who don’t fall into one of these categories must demonstrate a ‘strong prior association’ with the UK academic community. This is typically gained through having been employed in a temporary capacity at a UK university for a significant period of time (generally at least 12 months).

While it is not a requirement, the British Academy does encourage applicants to consider moving to a different institution. If any York PhDs are interested in applying for a fellowship at York, it's important that they have a good reason for doing so (i.e. it’s integral to their career development) and can articulate this clearly in the application.

This is an extremely competitive scheme and the success rate rarely exceeds 10%. Resubmissions are not possible unless the applicant has made it through to a 2nd-stage application in a previous year. It is important that applicants take the time to submit the best application they can since it may be their only chance. It may be wiser to postpone submission until next year if that means a significantly stronger application.

How to apply

In order to be considered, please submit the following documents to Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk by 10 August 2025.

  • A short CV (one page)
  • An outline of the proposed research (max 500 words) and the name of your proposed mentor and why you have chosen them (max 100 words). The outline should include a summary of the project, the research questions, how the research advances the field and the proposed methodology.

We strongly recommend that you contact a proposed mentor in advance of applying and work with them as you develop your proposal. If you have any questions regarding the process please Mary Fairclough, Research Chair, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk.

British Academy International Fellowships

International Fellowships, delivered jointly by the British Academy and the Royal Society, enable postdoctoral researchers from overseas to work for three years at a UK institution with the aim of fostering long-term international collaborations.

Who can apply?

The scheme offers 24-month fellowships for postdoctoral researchers with no more than 7 years of full-time postdoctoral experience. Applicants must be currently working outside the UK and must not hold UK citizenship.

This scheme funds the Fellows' salary, and up to £12,000 per annum for research expenses, as well as a one-off payment of up to £8,000 for relocation expenses.

How to apply

In order to be considered, please submit the following documents to Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk by Friday 30 January 2026.

  • A short CV (one page)
  • An outline of the proposed research (max 500 words) and the name of your proposed mentor and why you have chosen them (max 100 words). The outline should include a summary of the project, the research questions, how the research advances the field and the proposed methodology.

We strongly recommend that you contact a proposed mentor in advance of applying and work with them as you develop your proposal. If you have any questions regarding the process please Mary Fairclough, Research Chair, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk.

British Academy/Wolfson Fellowships

British Academy/Wolfson Fellowships are designed to support early-career researchers who currently hold a permanent or fixed-term post, who show talent in both research and public engagement. This scheme is currently closed to applications.

Wellcome Early-Career Awards

Wellcome Early-Career Awards provide funding to early-career researchers from any discipline for research related to human life, health and wellbeing.

Who can apply?

Applicants must be early career researchers with a maximum of three years postdoctoral experience at the point of the application deadline (Postdoctoral experience is defined as any periods spent in research after the applicant passed their PhD). Applicants must be able to contribute at least 80% of their research time in support of the project proposed in the award.

How to apply

In order to be considered, please submit the following documents to Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk by 10 August 2025.

  • A short CV (one page)
  • An outline of the proposed research (max 500 words) and the name of your proposed mentor and why you have chosen them (max 100 words). The outline should include a summary of the project, the research questions, how the research advances the field and the proposed methodology.

It is strongly recommended that you contact your proposed mentor in advance of applying. If you have any questions regarding the process please contact Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk.

HRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

Read more about HRC Postdoctoral Fellowships (York only)

AHRC Curiosity Award

The AHRC Curiosity Award provides flexible funding to researchers across all career stages, from early career to established researchers. The scheme is currently only open to current permanent members of staff at the University of York. If you wish to apply the scheme, please contact Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk for more information.

AHRC Catalyst Award

The AHRC Catalyst Award provides funding to researchers without prior experience of leading a significant research project, to accelerate their trajectory as independent researchers. The scheme is currently only open to current permanent members of staff at the University of York. If you wish to apply the scheme, please contact Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk for more information.

UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship

The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship scheme is currently only open to current permanent members of staff at the University of York. If you wish to apply the scheme, please contact Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk  for more information about submitting an expression of interest.

EU - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships

This fellowship of two to three years is open to experienced researchers with a PhD (or at least four years’ full-time research experience). In all cases, the fellowship must involve an element of mobility (specified below).

  • European Fellowships are held in EU Member States or Associated Countries and are open to researchers either coming to Europe or moving within Europe. European fellowships are 12-24 months in length. To apply for a fellowship with York, you must not have been based in the UK for more than 12 months of the three years preceding the call deadline (10 September 2025)
  • Global Fellowships are based on a secondment to a third country and a mandatory 12 month return period to a European host. Global Fellowships are 12 to 24 months for the outgoing phase, plus 12 months for the return phase in Europe. To apply for a fellowship with York, you must be an EU / Associated country national or have been resident in the UK for five years or more. You must not have spent more than 12 months of the three years preceding the call deadline (10 September 2025) in the third country.

Who can apply?

Applicants must hold a PhD and have a maximum of eight years experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD. Applicants can only resubmit an unsuccessful application if it received a score above 70% the previous year.

How to apply

In order to be considered, please submit the following documents to Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk by 16 July 2025.

  • A copy of your CV (following the Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship guidelines) 
  • A two page outline of the proposed research project 
  • Up to one page on your proposed mentor, your reasons for this choice and the wider fit between your project and the Department

It is strongly recommended that you contact your proposed mentor well in advance of applying, as this is a complex application which you will need to develop with the support of your mentor. If you have any questions regarding the process please contact Professor Mary Fairclough, Director of Research, at mary.fairclough@york.ac.uk.