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Study in Scotland | University of Edinburgh Heritage Collections Research Fellowships 2026/2027

December 28, 2025 8:25 am

Study in Scotland | University of Edinburgh Heritage Collections Research Fellowships 2026/2027

The University of Edinburgh, a world-renowned research university, has officially launched the application cycle for its prestigious Heritage Collections Research Fellowships for the 2026–2027 academic year. These competitive postdoctoral fellowships, hosted by the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), offer a fully funded opportunity for international scholars to conduct collections-based research in the historic and vibrant city of Edinburgh.

The Fellowship Opportunity

This prestigious program is designed for postdoctoral researchers in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences whose projects engage deeply with the University’s globally significant heritage collections. Fellows will undertake a research residency of three to six months between August 2026 and July 2027. Moreover, the fellowship provides privileged access to rare archival materials, dedicated support, and a dynamic scholarly community, representing an exceptional opportunity for advanced research.

Priority Research Themes for 2026–2027

Applications are welcome across relevant disciplines, but the selection committee particularly encourages proposals aligned with these key themes:

Institutional Histories, Decoloniality, and Colonial Impact: Projects exploring decolonial perspectives, provenance research, and the University’s historical connections to colonialism, including links to specific campus sites.
Sustainability, Environmental Emergencies, and Regeneration: Research utilizing historical collections to inform contemporary debates on climate history, environmental ethics, extraction, and ecological responsibility.
International Connections with a Focus on Africa: Investigations into the collections’ extensive, underexplored material relating to Africa, examining transnational histories and Scotland–Africa intellectual networks.

Fellowship Support & Funding

The fellowship provides a comprehensive support package to allow scholars to focus entirely on their research:

A monthly bursary of £2,000 to cover living costs during the residency.
An international travel allowance of up to £500 (where applicable).
Dedicated office space at IASH and full access to University libraries and the Heritage Collections.
An assigned academic mentor from the University’s academic community.
Integration into a vibrant scholarly network through weekly seminars, Fellows’ lunches, and cultural events.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications are welcomed from postdoctoral researchers worldwide, including independent scholars and university-employed academics.

Applicants must hold a doctorate, normally awarded within the past five years at the time of application.
Then, the proposed research must directly engage with specific University of Edinburgh Heritage Collections.
Afterwards, applicants must demonstrate prior contact or collaboration plans with relevant University researchers.
Also, fellows must actively participate in collection-related activities, such as workshops or public-facing outputs.
Lastly, candidates must not have previously held a fellowship at IASH.

Application Timeline

Application Portal: Now Open.
Final Deadline: 24 April 2026, 17:00 GMT. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Decision Notification: Expected in July 2026.
Fellowship Period: Residencies can begin any time from August 2026 through July 2027.

How to Apply

Interested candidates must submit a complete application through the official portal. Ensure all required documents, including two to three confidential references, are submitted by the deadline.

For full details and to apply, visit the official fellowship page:

Click Here to Apply

This is a premier opportunity to advance groundbreaking research with unique archival resources at one of the UK’s leading universities. Scholars are encouraged to prepare their proposals and initiate contact with relevant collections well ahead of the deadline.