IASH-SSPS Research Fellowships

• Research visit at the University of Edinburgh for two to four months
• Support of travel and accommodation costs at between £1,300 and £3,900
• Dedicated office space, University e-mail and library access
• Weekly Fellows’ Lunch to build community
• Collegial work-in-progress seminars series in IASH and SSPS for testing new ideas
• Calendar of engaging events at the Institute and College
• Opportunities to participate in and design funded workshops, colloquia, etc. at the Institute
• Visa sponsorship if required

The School of Social and Political Science is one of the leading schools of social science in the UK. We provide an outstanding educational environment for our students and support the highest-quality research, tackling some of the world's greatest challenges. The School is a large and diverse community of more than 3,000 students and 400 staff. We are engaged in understanding and addressing many of the challenges facing society through our teaching, research and community outreach. We are one of the largest and most successful centres of excellence for social and political science scholarship internationally. Our work addresses issues that impact the daily lives of individuals, communities and societies, including in relation to families, gender, health, politics, poverty, mental health, race, sustainability and technology. 

SSPS website

IASH provides an enviable location in one of the world’s most intellectually inspiring cities, together with a dynamic network of international connections.

Home to the Scottish Enlightenment, Edinburgh has a rich cultural heritage of scholarship and creativity that continues to the present day. In this haven of libraries and archives, galleries and music venues – all set amid iconic architecture – IASH takes the humanities beyond campus to engage the public and work with organisations in a variety of different sectors.

The Institute welcomes visiting researchers from across the world. Since 1970, over 1,500 Fellows have stepped through our doors. Up to 30 researchers are in residence at any one time in our amazing – and eclectic – nineteenth-century building just on the edge of the University’s central campus, boasting views of the Meadows.

From upwards of 65 countries, IASH Fellows form a global alumni community, and many career-long connections begin at the Institute.

Candidates for Fellowships will hold a doctorate or equivalent professional qualification within the social and political sciences. For 2025-26, we especially welcome applications that contribute to our research theme, Making A Nation.

You can find our application form here.

Applications for the 2025-26 round will close on 28 February 2025.

Applications received after that date will not be considered. Successful candidates will be notified by email with a formal letter of confirmation to follow; please ensure that you supply a valid email address so that you can be contacted quickly after decisions are made in April.

• A minimum of two and a maximum of three supporting statements are required.
• One of the supporting statements must be from the member of SSPS staff with whom the applicant wishes to collaborate.
• Applicants should ask their referees to write in confidence directly to the Institute Director at iash@ed.ac.uk by the closing date.
• Referees should comment on the nature and quality of the research proposal, as well as on the qualifications of the applicant.

• Consideration will be given to the academic record and the publications of all applicants and their capacity to disseminate their views among a community of like-minded people.
• Candidates will be expected to have been in communication with the member of SSPS staff with whom they intend to collaborate before applying, and to name the SSPS collaborator/mentor in their application. The collaborator should also provide one of the necessary supporting statements for the Fellowship.
• Fellows are expected to be resident in Edinburgh throughout the tenure of their Fellowship and to play a full part in the activities of IASH and SSPS. The Institute may be able to help with finding suitable accommodation in Edinburgh. These fellowships are usually for a duration of one semester (3-4 months), and not less than 2 months. Applications for less than two months will not be considered.
• No regular teaching is required, but Fellows are expected to become involved in the School and contribute through the provision of a workshop, seminar or online learning resources such as a series of blog posts. Fellows will give at least one seminar at IASH and one seminar / workshop in SSPS on their current research work.
• The Institute is close to the University Library and within easy reach of the National Library of Scotland, the Central City Library, the National Galleries and Museums, the Library of the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland, the library of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and the National Archives of Scotland. Access to both the extensive archival and online resources of all of these collections can be arranged for Fellows as appropriate.
• Only fully completed applications will be considered. It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that all documentation is complete, and that referees submit their reports to the Institute by the closing date.
• The selection of Fellows will be made once a year by an SSPS-IASH Visiting Fellows Committee, comprising a representative from the SSPS School Office or the SSPS Research Directorate, and the Director of IASH.