Deadline: 5 p.m. on 27 May 2026
The Understanding Society Fellowship Programme enables researchers to take time out to focus on research projects based on the Study’s data. Funding is available for 12-month Fellowships to undertake a project based on Understanding Society data, with additional resource for follow up dissemination and impact generation activities. Practical support will also be available from the Study team, for example, to advise on data and analysis plans and communication and impact strategies. Each fellowship call has a specific theme; previous rounds have included a focus on our biomarker and genetics data, methodological research on representativeness and mixed modes, the creation and analysis of event histories, research focusing on family dynamics, the use of linked administrative data, and policy focused projects. Details of fellowships awarded in previous rounds can be found here.
The May 2026 (for an October 2026 start) call welcomes applications under three themes, each of which aim to demonstrate innovative and novel aspects of Understanding Society data. We will announce the topics of our next call in Autumn 2026.
In this round of funding we are seeking applications on these themes:
1. Public engagement
Engaging the public in research is an increasing priority for research funders in the UK. According to UK Research and Innovation, what distinguishes public engagement from simple public communication is its two-way nature—emphasising interaction, active listening, and genuine dialogue with the public. Activities that fall under this heading might include:
- public events and festivals of science and research, when there is two-way engagement
- patient and public involvement and engagement
- public dialogue
- co-production of new research between local communities and universities
We are looking for applications that propose innovative and relevant research that involve one or more of the public engagement activities listed above.
As this is a new theme for fellowships, early discussion of an idea with the Study team is welcomed. Initial enquiries should be directed to Cheryl Pasfield, consult@understandingsociety.ac.uk, who will coordinate queries and, where appropriate, seek input from relevant team members to help determine whether a plan is in scope.
Successful applications must include:
- appropriate methods to engage the public with a clear purpose
- an active, two-way feedback loop of listening and responding, ensuring the engagement is mutually beneficial and is accountable to the public involved (e.g., “you said, we did”)
- transparency in how public feedback will be informing your project
Defining “the public” and choosing the right approach
The nature of your public engagement activity will define the type of public you choose to engage with. For example, engagement with the general public to gauge general perceptions or attitudes towards a type of data use could be done via a public dialogue or a two-way activity at a science festival. On the other hand, understanding the needs of a specific demographic might be more suited to working with someone with lived experience, and/or an advisory group of intermediaries who can represent that demographic’s needs (e.g., non-for-profit organisations and charities).
Another approach could be to include a member of the public as an equal partner on your project team; this can include a public contributor with relevant lived experience or a representative from a relevant non-for-profit organisation.
2. Environment, climate change, energy use
Understanding Society offers an increasingly rich resource for examining how attitudes toward the environment and climate change have evolved, and how these attitudes may influence related behaviours—such as energy consumption—within a shifting economic, technological, and geopolitical landscape. A host of new data on these topics has been recently released or is due to be released imminently. These include attitudinal, behavioural, administrative, and smart data. Further details on these data can be found in this document.
We are seeking applications that make use of these data, including linking them to other relevant information via geographical linkage – see https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/linked-data/geographical-identifiers/, including the Download the list of open data sources resource.
3. Exploiting the unique value of the Study
As a research resource, Understanding Study is unique. It is a large-scale, nationally representative, multi-topic longitudinal household survey, collecting data from and on its participants annually. The Study benefits from a large sample size, allowing researchers to examine the lives of important population sub-groups over time, with an Ethnic Minority Boost sample and Immigrant and Ethnic Minority Boost sample increasing the numbers of different ethnic minority and immigrant groups. Data are collected on the whole household, providing the context for individual experiences but also allowing relations between generations, couples and siblings to be explored.
Our participants have also contributed biomarker and genetic data. This health and genetic information enables researchers to investigate the links between social and economic circumstances and health.
Taken together, this makes Understanding Society a unique resource. Fellowship applications on any topic that can demonstrate that they will make use of at least one of the key features of the Study just listed – or, ideally, a combination of them – are welcomed. There should be a justification provided as to why your proposed research could not be conducted using any other resource.
Requirements of a fellowship
For all projects the following outputs are required:
- at six months, delivery of a clearly-specified set of outputs that indicate that the fellowship is progressing on track – these may be drafts of code/analysis/papers, or be in the form of a short report of activity with a clear plan for the second six months of the fellowship
and at the end of the fellowship:
- the syntax you have written for your project which, if appropriate and acknowledging your authorship, would be shared on the Study website and/or used to create new datafiles for the Study
- a report which summarises your methodological approach
- an Understanding Society blog or podcast summarising your findings
Additionally, of course, we expect that you will submit your research to peer review journals and present it at relevant conferences.
Where the theme is appropriate, we particularly welcome projects that also aim to actively promote policy learning, with additional funding potentially available for such activities, including beyond the end date of the fellowship. Fellowships that wish to pursue policy engagement for their project will be supported by the Understanding Society Policy and Partnerships Unit to engage with policy makers, including Understanding Society‘s co-funder group, and work with them to disseminate findings and generate impact.
Fellows will be required to attend three meetings with other fellows and Understanding Society team members during their fellowship: a kick-off meeting to meet other fellows in this cohort and to present their plans; a second meeting to share progress updates and receive feedback and support; and a final public workshop at which they will present their findings.
Communication and impact plans will be reviewed and discussed with each fellow at the first fellowship network meeting. To facilitate knowledge sharing among fellows, fellowships under this call should begin in or around October 2026.
Selection Criteria and Eligibility
Applications will be assessed on the basis of their scientific merit and potential to demonstrate the usefulness of the Study as a research resource and/or generate policy impact. There is no set number of applications that will be approved per call – assessment will be made against the criteria listed above and below (see ‘Assessing applications’) rather than a comparison of applications received in any one round.
Any researcher based in a higher education institution, a research/policy institute, or third sector organisation is eligible to apply (except the University of Essex), but people can only have an Understanding Society Fellowship once, so previously successful applicants should not apply. We welcome applications from researchers at any career stage. Early career researchers (ECRs, < three years post PhD) should identify a mentor in their own institution. Applicants from third sector organisations should identify a collaborator based in an academic institution, who is able to support their project.
Funding will be provided for the fellow’s salary, including NI and pension costs for up to 12 months (full- or part time). Where an applicant is from a third sector organisation, we will cover £5,000 of the academic collaborator’s salary which should cover, at a minimum, meeting the fellow three times during the fellowship, commenting on code produced and data analyses, and providing feedback on a draft paper.
The planned project must be achievable in the timescale of the project, and the application should demonstrate this. As noted above, we would be happy to discuss additional funding/time after the completion of the main fellowship to promote policy impact or create a well-documented shareable data file or user guide.
How do I apply?
People wishing to be considered for a fellowship under this call should apply using the application form by 5pm on 27 May 2026. A signed statement of support from your Head of Department (or equivalent) must be included. Please see the guidelines below and also the separate list of FAQs if you have any questions about the application process.
Download the application form.
The timeline for this Fellowship call is set out below.
| Advert | 16 April 2026 |
| Closing date (6 weeks) | 27 May 2026 |
| Notify if shortlisted (or not) | Mid-June 2026 |
| Interviews (if required) | Late-June 2026 |
| Notify if successful (or not) | Late-June 2026 |
| Expected start | October 2026 |
| Kick-off Fellowship meeting | October 2026 |
| Outputs/deliverables at 6 months | March/April 2027 |
| Work-in-progress workshop | Spring 2027 |
| Finalised outputs/deliverables; end of project event | October/November 2027 |
Application guidelines
Details of all researchers involved in the project should be provided. This must include the applicant for the Fellowship. If you are an early career researcher (<three years post PhD) a mentor from your host institution should also be included on the project and they should write a supporting statement. Note that the mentor will not be funded as part of the Fellowship. If you are from a third sector organisation, an academic collaborator should be included on the project and they should write a supporting statement. The academic collaborator will have £5,000 of their salary covered.
- Provide a short title for the project. A list of fellows, their project titles and, in time, outputs will be added to the Study website.
- Provide an executive summary of no more than 250 words. This should give an overview of the proposed project, including how it will contribute to informing policy and to social science research.
- Outline (max 250 words) how your fellowship will add value to Understanding Society (value added data, methodological understanding, policy engagement, highlighting unique features of the Study, etc.).
- Provide a brief summary of your own expertise in relation to delivering the project and any support you may need from your host institution or the Understanding Society team.
- Outline your project plan. You should have a clearly specified research question, methods, analysis and impact and dissemination plans (max two sides). You should be clear about the data that you will use, including the size of the analysis sample and whether it is sufficiently powered.
- Detail your plans for dissemination, knowledge exchange and for generating impact. You should indicate who your main audiences will be and what activities you will undertake in order to disseminate your findings to them. Any specific costs associated with these activities should be identified, except open access publication, which should be covered by your own institution.
- Provide an estimate of costs produced by your host HEI finance office. These should include the fellowship salary, NI and pension contribution. Staff costs are funded at 100% but we cannot cover indirects. The fellowships fund your own salary costs if you have a research-only contract. For those on research and teaching contracts, the fellowship funds the salary costs (normally starting at the most junior point of the lecturer scale at the institution concerned) of an individual to undertake the normal duties of the applicant for the duration of the fellowship. Other costs necessary to complete your fellowship for example, travel, training, conference attendance and knowledge exchange activities should be clearly articulated and justified in the proposal. The fellowship can last up to 12 months, full or part time.
- Provide a supporting statement from your host organisation. This should be from a senior member of staff. This statement should outline the organisation’s commitment to the project, detailing the resources that will be provided and the support that will be given to fellows.
- Attach a two-page CV.
Dissemination and knowledge exchange activities, or additional work to create shareable well-documented datasets, can be funded for up to 12 months after the completion of your fellowship. These should be discussed with us in advance of completing your application and separately identified in the application form.
The maximum budget per fellowship is £70,000 for staff and dissemination related-costs.
Assessing applications
External peer reviews of the fellowship applications will be undertaken, and shortlisted applicants will be invited to discuss their proposals with the team. The criteria against which applications will be judged are:
- Does the fellowship project have clear aims?
- Does the application clearly demonstrate the scientific benefits of the proposal?
- Is the proposed analysis feasible (e.g., is it sufficiently powered)?
- Are the proposed research methods appropriate to achieve the aims of the fellowship proposal?
- Does the project demonstrate the value of the Understanding Society resource?
- Does the project have an appropriate dissemination and knowledge exchange plan?
- Are the milestones and overall project goals realistic and achievable in the time-frame?
- Are the costs justified? Does the project represent value for money?
- For early career researchers and applicants from third sector organisations, is there sufficient support in place for the fellow?
Please send your completed form together with a two-page CV to Cheryl Pasfield consult@understandingsociety.ac.uk by 5pm on 27 May 2026.