The Leverhulme Trust is one of the UK’s most generous independent research funders, and its Early Career Fellowship scheme remains the most competitive non-departmental fellowship available to postdoctoral researchers in British higher education. With approximately 145 fellowships on offer for 2027, the scheme provides three years of independent research time at a UK university, but the race to the funder’s February deadline begins months earlier inside each institution.
About the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships
Established by the Leverhulme Trust and open across nearly every discipline, the scheme funds early-career researchers who have a proven publication record but have not yet held a full-time permanent academic post. What makes the 2027 round particularly competitive to navigate is the mandatory internal shortlisting process that most UK universities run before the Leverhulme portal even opens. Universities including Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick, York, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, and Exeter each run their own expressions of interest processes in autumn 2026, selecting a small number of candidates to support before the formal Leverhulme submission window opens on January 1, 2027.
Funding Size
- Fellowship salary: competitive, typically in the range of £35,000 to £46,000 per year depending on host institution
- Research expenses: £6,000 per year for three years
- Duration: three years
- Approximately 145 fellowships awarded per cohort
Who Can Apply
- Researchers who hold a doctorate, or who will submit their doctoral thesis for viva voce examination by the Leverhulme deadline
- Applicants must have submitted their thesis no more than four years before the application closing date
- Career breaks for maternity, paternity, illness, or caring responsibilities may extend the four-year window
- Applicants with disabilities may also request an extension of the eligibility window via the application form
Geographic Eligibility
- United Kingdom only as the host institution
- Researchers of any nationality may apply provided eligibility criteria are met
Sector or Thematic Focus
- All academic disciplines except disease studies and clinical medical research
- Arts, humanities, social sciences, law, natural sciences, and engineering all eligible
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Application Process
The majority of UK universities require candidates to submit an internal expression of interest before the Leverhulme portal opens. Internal deadlines across institutions fall between October and December 2026. A typical EOI package includes a two-page CV with publications list, an outline research proposal of two to four pages, and an eligibility statement. Each university selects a small number of candidates to support before the formal application to the Leverhulme Trust opens on January 1, 2027. Candidates must identify a host department and a named mentor within their target institution before making contact.
Required Materials
Internal EOI stage (varies by institution):
- CV of up to two to four pages, including doctoral submission date and publications
- Outline research proposal covering aims, methodology, and significance
- Eligibility statement confirming compliance with Leverhulme criteria
- Cover letter where required, naming proposed mentor and rationale for the host department
Full Leverhulme application stage:
- Full research proposal with objectives, methodology, and research plan
- Publications list
- Referee letters
- Budget aligned to the £6,000 per year research expenses allowance
Key Dates
- Internal EOI deadlines: October to December 2026, varying by institution
- Leverhulme application portal opens: January 1, 2027
- Leverhulme submission deadline: 18 February 2027, 4:00 p.m.
- Fellowship start: between September 1, 2027 and May 1, 2028
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Selection Notes
- Candidates should identify and contact a potential host department mentor well before the internal EOI deadline; many departments will not review EOIs from candidates who have not made prior contact
- The scheme is highly competitive; a strong publications record relative to career stage is the primary differentiator at both internal and Leverhulme review stages
- Late EOIs are not considered at any institution; candidates should confirm internal deadlines directly with their target department