UK University of Cambridge Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships 2026
The Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge has announced the call for applications for the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships 2026 in History. This prestigious opportunity aims to support outstanding early-career researchers in developing independent research projects and advancing their academic careers.
Application Deadline:
Thursday, 13 October 2025, 12:00 PM (noon)
About the Fellowship
The Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship is designed for promising researchers who have recently completed their PhD and are looking to establish themselves in academia. In this round, the Faculty of History will nominate shortlisted candidates to the Isaac Newton Trust for match funding, as required by the Leverhulme Trust.
The scheme is highly competitive, with selection taking place at three levels:
Internal Faculty competition
University-level selection for Isaac Newton Trust match funding
National competition run by the Leverhulme Trust
Degree Level
Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs
Available Subjects
Applications are welcome from all areas of history. Candidates should first contact a suitable academic host within the Faculty’s staff. Those unsure about whom to approach can seek guidance from the Faculty’s Research Director, Prof. David Maxwell (djm223@cam.ac.uk).
Benefits
The Isaac Newton Trust provides 50% of salary costs for Years 1–3, plus underwrites any shortfall.
Matching funding from the Isaac Newton Trust is a requirement before applying to the Leverhulme Trust.
Eligible Nationalities
Open to applicants of all nationalities
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, applicants must:
Not have held a full-time permanent academic post in a UK institution
Have submitted their PhD between 19 February 2022 and 19 February 2026 (with allowances for career breaks)
Hold a UK degree or have held a UK academic position for at least 4 months before 20 October 2024
Application Procedure
Applicants must submit the following by 13 October 2025 (noon) to researchgrants@hist.cam.ac.uk:
Completed Application Cover Sheet
CV (maximum 2 A4 pages)
List of publications (1 page max)
Statement of current research (max 250 words)
Detailed research proposal (max 2 A4 pages) — Word or PDF format only
References:
Two letters of reference (one from outside Cambridge) sent directly to researchgrants@hist.cam.ac.uk by the deadline
A third reference will be required at the national stage of the competition
Shortlisted candidates who secure Isaac Newton Trust funding will then prepare their national application to the Leverhulme Trust in February 2026.
