Philip Leverhulme Prize
Notify Faculty of intention to apply by: 28 January 2026
Faculty Internal Selection Submission by: 9 February 2026
Funder Deadline: 14 May 2026
The Philip Leverhulme Prize is open to Legal Scholars every three years.
The prize is for £100,000 to be used over two or three years, for research expenses, research assistance or for teaching replacement.
Read the scheme guidance on the Leverhulme Trust website.
The Leverhulme Trust has clear guidelines on its approach to grant-making. Members of the Faculty have been awarded quite a few grants by the Leverhulme Trust over the last few years, however we have only been awarded two Philip Leverhulme Prizes.
Each institution is limited to 3 nominations/applications in any prize subject. The Faculty will require a round of internal selection in order to identify 3 candidates to be put forward. These candidates will then be submitted to the Social Science Divisional Office, who will assess the candidates Law puts forward alongside submissions for the Law prize from other departments. We expect a decision by the SSD on the final 3 candidates to be put forward by the end of March 2026.
For the Faculty deadline, applicants should submit an outline application in the format requested by the Social Sciences Division:
Please describe the following:
- Your significant research achievements to date (400 words).
- Your future research plans (400 words).
- How you would anticipate using the prize funds if awarded and what the award of the prize funds would enable you to achieve that your current funding does not allow (400 words).
Please also provide:
- Max 2 page CV (e.g. with academic appointments, details of awards, grants and prizes, teaching, academic or professional activities, invited presentation etc).
- Max 2 page publication list, identifying the four most significant.
- 250-word abstract for each of the four most significant publications. These abstracts should mention how the publication contributes to the candidate’s discipline.
2023 Divisional guidelines on applying for internal selection (awaiting update).
Faculty deadline for notification of intention to apply: 28th March 2026
Faculty deadline for draft for internal selection: 9th February 2026
Social Sciences deadline for internal selection: TBC (Expected early March 2026)
Research Services deadline: 7th May 2026
Funder deadline: 14th May 2026