Please note that the external scheme does not officially open until 1st January 2026, but due to the winter closed period SAME will be running a departmental Expression of Interest round which will close on Thursday 27th November 2025.
This scheme enables early career researchers to undertake a significant piece of publishable work. It offers partial funding for the salary costs of a three-year academic research position (with the remainder to be funded by the host institution), and limited funding for research expenses. Approximately 145 Fellowships will be available by the Trust in 2026.
Applicants must have a track record of research, but should not have held an established academic appointment in the UK. The expectation is that Fellows should undertake a significant piece of publishable work during their tenure, and that the Fellowships should lead to a more permanent academic position (at Oxford or another university).
Due to the requirement for matched funding, the School can support a very limited number of exceptional candidates for this call. We will therefore be running a departmental selection process.
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Candidates wishing to apply to the department’s gathered field must first ensure that they meet the LT eligibility requirements for this scheme (detailed here). They must then submit the following to the Research Support Team by 10am on Thursday 27th November 2025:
- A statement of proposed research. This should include aims, objectives, methodology and outcomes (e.g. publication plans). It should enable reviewers to form an estimate of the scope an importance of your proposal. This statement and the bibliographic references may not exceed two sides of A4. You must use Arial font size 11, margins no smaller than 2cm and line spacing no smaller than a single line. Applications with detailed statements that do not met these specifications will be returned
- A CV (maximum 2 pages). Your CV must clearly demonstrate your eligibility for the fellowship, including your actual or predicted viva date and details of current funding/employment contracts. [Please note specific eligibility for this scheme is detailed here]
- A statement of support from the proposed SAME mentor (500 words maximum). This must be an existing member School staff.
Selection will be made by a panel, on the basis of the following criteria:
- Potential for research excellence
- Viability and quality of project in conceptual and practical terms
- Closeness of fit with departmental research priorities and benefits to department of hosting project/Fellow
- Significance of project
- Potential to lead to permanent academic employment for Fellow
It may also be helpful to note the Leverhulme Trust’s general feedback on unsuccessful applications (see the last heading on the call page) and making sure you have considered these points whilst writing your statement of research.
Candidates will be informed of the outcome of departmental selection as early as possible in the week commencing 15th December 2025.
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Any queries should be directed to the SAME Research Support Team via research@anthro.ox.ac.uk.
