ESRC Grand Union DTP Postdoctoral Fellowships: 2025 entry
ESRC has announced the latest call for applications to its Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF) scheme, aimed at providing a career development opportunity for those in the immediately postdoctoral stage of their career. These Fellowships last up to one year full time (or two years part-time), to support Fellows in consolidating their PhD (for example through producing publications, building networks or developing funding proposals.) Fellowships must start on 1 October 2025.
Fellows should not undertake major new research during a grant. However, limited additional research (up to 25% of the programme of work) directly linked to the PhD can be undertaken.
To be eligible applicants must:
- Have been awarded a PhD (from any UK institution) or have passed their viva voce with minor amendments by the application deadline of 25 March 2025, and have been awarded their PhD by the fellowship start date of 1 October 2025.
- Have no more than 12 months (full-time equivalent) of active postdoctoral experience. This is measured from the applicant’s viva voce pass date to the application deadline of 25 March 2025.
DPIR Expression of Interest Process
Applicants are asked to submit the following by email to the Research Facilitation Team by noon on 20 January 2025:
- Expression of Interest Application Form
- Equal Opportunities Monitoring form
- CV (2x sides of A4, font size 11)
- Case for Support (6 sides of A4 maximum, font size 11)
- Short (150-200 words) mentor's statement (applicants must contact their prospective mentor - who must be a member of DPIR Faculty - to arrange this in advance). The mentor should confirm they would be happy to mentor, and that the research and applicant are a good fit for the department.
Applicants will receive confirmation from DPIR by 21 February 2025 if they are invited to full submission stage. DPIR is only allowed to take one application forward from EoI stage.
DPIR will then submit the full application to the funder by 25 March 2025.
The Grand Union Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) will peer review the proposals and make funding decisions on behalf of the ESRC by end of June 2025.
Further information, together with guidelines and forms, can be found on the Grand Union DTP website.