British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships 2025 at the University of Edinburgh
The British Council celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2024. We are delighted to announce a research partnership between the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh and the British Council.
We are awarding two 12-month Fellowships starting in January 2026 – open to postdoctoral researchers based in any ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates.
Fellows will spend the first ten months of their Fellowships at IASH, followed by up to two months based in their home countries focused on knowledge exchange and dissemination in collaboration with the British Council.
The Fellowship provides a bursary of £2,500 per month and travel expenses as well as desk space, library access and academic mentoring as part of the vibrant scholarly community of visiting fellows at IASH.
Fellows will also be expected to engage closely with the British Council throughout their Fellowships (including visits to UK offices), with the option to spend time in a British Council office in their home country as part of the knowledge exchange component of the Fellowship.
Research and Focus Areas
- Arts and culture
- Education
- English
- International Relations
- Soft Power
- International Development
- Peace building
- Cultural relations
- Cultural diplomacy
Summary of the British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships 2025
- Type: Fellowship
- Location: University of Edinburgh, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, UK
- Duration: 12 Months (10 months at IASH and 2 months at their home countries)
- Start Date: January 2026
- Eligible Countries: All
- Fellowship Perks: £2,500 Monthly stipend, Travel expenses, Desk space and library access, Academic mentoring,
- Deadline: 28th July, 2025
Requirements for the British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships 2025
- Must be from an eligible country.
- Must have been awarded a doctorate at the time of application.
- Normally, within the last seven years of completing their doctorate (graduated between 2018 and 2025).
- Earlier graduates may be eligible if they have taken significant career breaks.
- If not yet graduated, applicants must provide evidence that their viva examination has been successfully completed and all necessary thesis corrections have been made.
- Should not have held a permanent position at a university.
- Should not have held the same Fellowship previously.
- Those who have held temporary, recurring, and/or short-term appointments are eligible.
- Career breaks such as parental leave will not count towards the seven-year limit (brief details of the break are required).
The Program Covers:
- Travel Expenses
- 2500 British Pounds/Month
- Library Access
- Desk Space
- Weekly Fellows’ Lunch
- Visits to the British Council Office
Eligible Countries for the British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships 2025
Applicants must be from an ODA-recipient country. See the full list of eligible countries below;
- Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt,
- Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia,
- Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,
- Tunisia, Türkiye, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Required Documents
- Application form
- CV
- Research proposal
- Cover letter
- Confidential references (minimum two, maximum three)
Deadline: 28th July, 2025
