Post Doctoral Fellowships
updated January 2023
Introduction
Details of some of the major schemes for postdoctoral research funding are given below. All potential applicants should check the funders’ guidelines and eligibility criteria before contacting a potential mentor in the Faculty or the Research Facilitator. The schemes below award a full-time salary or stipend for a two or three year period. Alternative post-doctoral positions may arise, normally funded by research project grants held by members of the Faculty. These will be advertised on the Faculty vacancies page, on the University's vacancies pages and on www.jobs.ac.uk
Many of these funding schemes are open to researchers who are currently outside Oxford or the UK, but who would like to come to Oxford for the period of the fellowship. In all cases the application to the research funder must be approved by the Law Faculty and the University of Oxford, and so if interested in one of these schemes, please read the information below or contact the Law Faculty Research Facilitator, Karen Eveleigh.
Please note that faculty members may receive lots of requests for supervision and may not be able to respond immediately so potential applicants should always allow plenty of time to discuss research proposals.
British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowship
This scheme provides full funding for a three year full-time fellowship. Applicants must be within three years of the award of their doctorate and they must be a UK or EEA national, or have completed a doctorate at a UK university, or have a strong prior association with the UK academic community. The primary emphasis is on completion of a significant piece of publishable research.
Read more on the Faculty pages about the British Academy Post Doctoral Fellowship including the Faculty processes and internal deadlines, or go directly to the British Academy funding guidelines.
Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship
This scheme provides funding for a full time three-year fellowship for early career researchers (not more than 5 years from their PhD date) with a proven track record of research. The Trust pays for 50% of the fellow’s costs and the balance is paid by the host institution. It is therefore likely that the Law Faculty will support a limited number of these applications each year. Applicants must either hold a degree from a UK higher education institution or hold a fixed term academic position in the UK.
Read more on the Faculty pages about the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship including the Faculty process and internal deadlines, or go directly to the Leverhulme Trust funding guidelines.
ESRC Post Doctoral Fellowships
The ESRC offers 12-month fellowships for those who have completed a PhD within the last 12 months. The funding is administered through the Doctoral Training Partnerships. Oxford is part of the Grand Union DTP.
Read more on the ESRC website about this scheme. For Faculty process and internal deadlines, please see the Faculty page for this opportunity.
British Academy International Fellowship
This fellowship scheme accepts applications from post-doctoral researchers across all disciplines of physical, natural and social sciences, and the humanities from around the world. Applicants should be working outside the UK and should not hold UK citizenship at the time of application.
Reard more on the Faculty pages about the British Academy International Fellowship. For more information read the British Academy International Fellowship guidelines.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
Supports international post-doctoral scholars to come to Europe or move within Europe in order to undertake research and innovation for 12-24 months. Oxford and other UK institutions can currently continue to support applications to this scheme. Please see our Faculty page for more details and for internal deadlines.