Apply for a University Research Fellowship

The University Research Fellowships scheme to support and develop research leadership in the arts, humanities and social sciences is open for new applications.

The University Committee for Research & Innovation is supporting up to five University Research Fellowships, providing £10,000 to successful applicants to cover teaching replacement costs and research expenses.

Who is eligible?

University Research Fellowships support researchers in the arts, humanities, and social sciences across the four University research themes: Agriculture, Food and Health; Environment; Heritage and Creativity; and Prosperity and Resilience.

In response to feedback received through the Research Culture Survey (2023), there are two types of Fellowship this year:

• Route A Fellowships (Innovation) will support the development of Mid-Career research leaders, and projects will show a demonstrable step-change in terms of significance and ambition. Successful applicants will be supported to develop research leadership through mentoring and training, where appropriate. Eligibility criteria for these Mid-Career Fellowships are set out in the guidance [link to guidance document].
• Route B Fellowships are open to researchers at all career stages in the arts, humanities, and social sciences to complete monographs (or other long-form outputs) intended for submission to REF 2029 as double-weighted outputs. This funding call aims to support both career development for individual researchers and division planning for the next REF exercise. Eligibility criteria for these Fellowships are set out in the guidance [link to guidance document].

If you hold an active internal University Fellowship or Research Endowment Trust Fund (RETF) Open Call award, you will not be eligible to apply until any current awards are successfully completed.

What will I receive?

Successful applicants will get £10,000 in funding and be supported to develop research leadership through mentoring and training, where appropriate. Fellowships will be for the duration of one year. They can be taken by part-time staff on a fractional basis over two years.

How to apply

The deadline for submission of applications to researchdeansoffice@reading.ac.uk is Thursday 4 April 2024. Application is by form only. The application process if different depending on whether you are applying for a Route A or Route B Fellowship.

The full criteria and application forms can be found here: 

Route A Fellowships – Innovation (Mid-Career Researchers)

Applicants for Route A should submit directly to the Research Deans Office by 4 April 2024.

Route B Fellowships – Monograph Completion (all career stages)

Applicants for Route B should submit to their RDL, who will subsequently select ONE application per division for submission to the Research Deans Office by 4 April 2024. In exercising judgment, RDLs are asked to be mindful of equality, diversity and inclusion considerations and the need to support a positive research culture.