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Major Research Fellowships

For well-established, distinguished researchers in the humanities and social sciences to complete a piece of original research

Fellowships are particularly aimed at those who are or have been prevented by routine duties from completing a programme of original research.

Value

Replacement salary costs for the duration of the Fellowship.

Duration

The duration of a Fellowship is for two or three years, to start at the beginning of the academic year following receipt of the offer letter.

Before beginning your application, please read the information below.

Eligibility

Applicants must be employed at an eligible UK university (i.e. with research degree awarding powers).

They should be able to demonstrate scholarship at the highest level, but they need not already be of professorial standing.

Candidates should state explicitly what the proposed outcomes of their research will be.

What the Trust offers

The Fellowships fund 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.

A Major Research Fellow may also request research expenses up to an annual maximum of £6,000. If such funds are required they must be requested as part of the application procedure.

Please ensure that applications do not include any ineligible costs.

How to apply

To make an application, please access the Leverhulme Trust Grants Management System. The recommended browser to use is Google Chrome.

When completing the online application form, please refer to the Application Help Notes.

Referees

Please note that you will be required to select three referees able to comment on your research record and standing and on the merit of the proposed research project. 

Referees must not be from your own institution and will be required to send in their comments in the month following your application.

Closing date and decision date

The closing date falls in May each year and the Trust will report results to applicants by the end of December in the same year.

Feedback on applications

Unfortunately, due to the large number of applications for this scheme, it is not possible to provide feedback to individual applicants regarding unsuccessful applications.

Current grant holders

Funded projects
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