Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships

The next round of the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship scheme is due to open on 1 January 2027 with a deadline of 18 February 2027. The Faculty of Music at the University of Oxford is inviting expressions of interest from candidates who might wish to be based in the Faculty of Music. Selected candidates will then be put forward for a selection process within the Humanities Division.

The deadline for expressions of interest is noon on 25 November 2026.

Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships provide an opportunity to undertake a significant piece of publishable research for those who are at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, but with a proven record of research.  Awards are for three years.

The BA International Fellowships are two-year Fellowships. However, the eligibility requirements are complex and you are advised to read the guidance on the Leverhulme website carefully. The eligibility requirements include:

• Candidates must have submitted their doctoral thesis for viva not more than four years prior to the application closing date unless they have since had a career break, or will have submitted it by the scheme deadline (usually in February each year).
• Candidates must not yet have held a full-time permanent academic post.
• Candidates must either hold a degree (any degree) from a UK University at the time of taking up the fellowship, or at the time of the application deadline have been in continuous UK academic employment for more than 4 months.
• Candidates who have held or currently hold postoc positions to pursue their own research totalling 3 or more years are not eligible to apply.

Applicants should ensure that they meet all the eligibility requirements, which are explained in the scheme details on the Leverhulme website.

We are keen to encourage prospective Early Career Fellows from outside Oxford to consider applying through the Humanities Division.  Applicants currently at Oxford University who have not already moved institutions in the course of their academic career (e.g. between their undergraduate and postgraduation studies) should, however, nominate a new host university, unless they can demonstrate clear evidence of the academic and/or personal reasons for remaining at Oxford, such as access to specialist materials, or family commitments.

Submitting an Expression of Interest

You should contact a permanent postholder in the Music Faculty (please apply the correct filter) to ask if they are willing to support an application and be willing to act as a supervisor for your Fellowship.  All expressions of interest must have the agreement and confirmed support from an Oxford supervisor in the Faculty where you wish to be based.  If you want your Expression of Interest to be considered by more than one Faculty, you must have the agreement and confirmed support from a supervisor in each Faculty.

To submit an expression of interest you should submit:

• A completed Expression of Interest form which can be downloaded at the link below.
• A Statement of Proposed Research (maximum two pages of minimum Ariel 11pt, single-spaced with 2cm margins). This should include aims, objectives, methodology and outcome (e.g. publication plans). The methodology should be clear and explicit, comprehensible to a non-expert. Include bibliographic references in full, including page numbers where relevant.
• A CV of maximum two pages, including education, thesis title and examiners, any awards, and publications.
• You should also ask your proposed mentor to send the completed form below directly to the relevant email address listed below by noon on 25 November 2026.

Your expression of interest documentation should be emailed to the Music Faculty: research@music.ox.ac.uk by noon on 25 November 2026.