There is no set number of applications that will be approved per call – assessment will be made against the criteria listed in the call (see ‘Assessing applications’) rather than a comparison of applications received in any one round.
The fellowship is funded by the University of Essex, with funding ultimately provided by the ESRC/UKRI. The fellowship contract is established between the University of Essex and the fellow’s institution. Payments are made quarterly to your institution by the University of Essex.
Yes, applications are welcome from individuals based anywhere in the world. In-person induction and progress meetings can be attended remotely if necessary.
Yes, you may apply if there is a strong expectation that you will have passed your PhD viva before the fellowship begins.
The more accurate the better! However, you may suggest small revisions – and we may negotiate revisions – at the point of awarding a contract.
Yes. We may wish to discuss/negotiate these at the point of awarding a contract.
No, open access publication costs are covered by your host university through the UKRI budget. These costs should not be included in your application.
Fellowships are designed as a development opportunity for the fellow. Although, fellowships can be undertaken part-time, salary costs for additional resources, such as a Research Assistant, cannot be included in your application.
This should make clear that your application has institutional backing, what support will be offered to you, and be signed.
Yes, if they are planned as part of the 12-month fellowship. Include dissemination costs under the “Other Costs” section and provide a detailed breakdown in the justification section, such as conferences you plan to attend.
If salary costs are required (e.g., for working on shareable datasets), include them under Section 7 (Dissemination), along with a breakdown of other dissemination costs. These costs should not be part of the 12-month fellowship budget (Item 9). Post-fellowship costs will be discussed with you if your application is successful.
No, the fellowship can last up to 12 months, but shorter durations are possible. Dissemination of outputs can continue beyond the fellowship period, supported by separate funding.
Yes – many successful fellowships have been awarded on a part-time basis. But note that we do not fund fellowships for a period longer than 12 months. A key part of the fellowships programme is that fellows work on projects relating to a common theme, network together and offer feedback on each other’s work. Our aim, therefore, is for fellows to work in parallel and all to complete within 12 months.
Yes, some flexibility is available, but the start date must be within three months of the stated start date. This is because an important component of the fellowship is working alongside and with a cohort of other fellows undertaking research that falls under a common topic/theme. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.