Timeline:
EOI deadline: 16 June 2026, 10:00 BST
Internal selection outcome: late June 2026
Submission to funder: 9 September 2026
Please note that this internal process is being held in advance of the scheme opening in order to manage support capacity. The guidance provided is based on the most recent call (2025–26), and, should there be any substantive changes to the scheme or eligibility criteria, we may need to review internal selections accordingly.
The School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME) invites expressions of interest (EOIs) for an internal selection process for the Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF) scheme.
This scheme supports outstanding early career researchers to build an independent research career through a long-term fellowship and to pursue ambitious, high-quality scientific research within the subject areas supported by the Royal Society.
Scheme overview: The Royal Society URF scheme aims to support researchers to establish an independent research career, pursue innovative and high-quality research programmes and develop as leaders in their field
Duration: up to 8 years (with review at year 4)
Funding: up to £1.87M over the fellowship (the scheme ceiling includes indirects and overheads and we will advise on the budget during application development)
Start date: between October 2026 and January 2027
The fellowship is flexible and may be held on a part-time basis where appropriate.
Research must fall within the Royal Society’s remit of the natural sciences. Applications in social sciences or humanities are not eligible unless there is a clear primary alignment with the natural sciences.
SAME internal selection – EOI stage – deadline 10:00am on 16 June 2026
EOIs should be submitted by email to: research@anthro.ox.ac.uk. For informal enquiries, please contact the same address.
Given the competitive nature of this scheme, SAME will run an internal selection process. We expect to support up to one application to ensure high-quality submissions.
Eligibility (please confirm you meet these criteria in your cover email):
Applicants should:
• have 3–8 years of postdoctoral research experience (with allowances for career breaks) from date of PhD viva voce
• not hold a permanent academic position
• not have held an equivalent independent fellowship
Expression of Interest:
Please submit a Word document (font size 11, Arial) by the deadline. EOIs should consist of the following:
- Subject Area (based on the list provided by the Royal Society)
- Project summary (max. 400 words + 250 words)
(Scientific summary of proposed project + lay-person summary)
- Research proposal (max. 4 A4 pages)
(clear research objectives; description of the experimental method and techniques used, including data analysis if applicable; an indication of milestones/timescales; broad long-term vision and strategy)
- Applicant career summary (max. 2 pages)
(current research; career history; key achievements; list of key publications; funding)
- Data management and data sharing plan (max. 200 words)
- Resources and indicative budget (max. 500 words)
(overview of required non-staff resources; please do not try to cost items at this stage, as we will advise on budget during application development)
- Host organisation fit (max. 300 words)
(including mentor support)
