The Newton International Fellowship is arguably the most prestigious early-career postdoctoral fellowship available to international researchers wanting to work in the UK. Jointly administered by the Royal Society (for natural sciences) and the British Academy (for humanities and social sciences), it provides two fully funded years at a UK research institution.

Key Benefits:

• Total funding of up to £280,000 over two years (covering salary, research costs, overhead, and visa/relocation expenses)
• Salary range approximately £35,608–£46,049 per annum (Cambridge IoA scale, as an indicator)
• Annual research expenses of up to £8,000
• One-off relocation payment (including support for dependents accompanying the Fellow)
• Fast-track Global Talent Visa route for successful applicants
• Access to alumni networking funding after the fellowship ends
• Approximately 30 fellowships awarded per round, with potential for additional awards

Eligibility for Indian researchers: Open to all non-UK nationals. Applicants must hold a PhD (or have successfully defended their doctoral thesis) by the application deadline, and must have no more than 5 years of active full-time postdoctoral experience (career breaks excluded). Applicants must not have resided or carried out research in the UK for more than 3 months during the 12 months before the deadline.

Who should apply: Indian scientists and researchers in natural sciences (STEM) — or humanities/social sciences researchers applying via the British Academy route — who are in the first 5 years of their postdoctoral career and have a strong research proposal developed with a UK-based sponsor.

Important for 2026: The 2026 round deadline was 11 March 2026. The next round is anticipated around March 2027. Contact info@newtonfellowships.org for eligibility queries.

The British Academy International Fellowships programme is co-run with the Royal Society and supports outstanding early-career researchers in the humanities and social sciences who wish to conduct research at a UK institution for two years.

Key Benefits:

• Two-year fellowship at a UK host institution in humanities or social sciences
• Award offered at 80% Full Economic Cost (FEC) — covering salary, directly allocated and indirect costs
• Alumni funding available post-fellowship for continued networking
• Access to the British Academy’s international research community

Eligibility: Must hold a PhD (or be completing it), be working outside the UK, not hold UK citizenship, be competent in English, and have no more than 5 years of active postdoctoral experience. Must have a clearly defined research proposal agreed with a UK host researcher.

Who should apply: Indian researchers in history, sociology, economics, political science, linguistics, philosophy, cultural studies, and related fields who are in the early stages of their postdoctoral career and have secured a UK mentor willing to host them.

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, funded under the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, are among the largest and most competitive international postdoctoral funding schemes in the world. UK universities remain eligible as host institutions, making this a prime option for Indian researchers who wish to work at institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, or Imperial College London.

Key Benefits:

• Full living allowance (salary) + annual research, training and networking allowance of €8,000
• Mobility allowance if relocating internationally
• Family allowance if applicable
• Open to researchers of any nationality (for European Fellowships hosted at a UK institution)
• Total budget for the 2026 call: €399.05 million
• Fellowship duration of 1–2 years; up to 8 years of research experience post-PhD permitted

Eligibility: Must hold a PhD by the deadline. Maximum 8 years of full-time research experience post-PhD. Must comply with mobility rules: must not have resided or carried out main activity in the country of the host for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the deadline. The 2026 call opens 9 April 2026 with a deadline of 9 September 2026.

Who should apply: Indian postdoctoral researchers in any discipline — from life sciences and engineering to social sciences and humanities — who can identify a supervisor at a UK institution willing to co-develop and host the application.

How to find a UK host: Explore hosting offers on EURAXESS, or contact UK research departments directly. Many UK universities publish expressions of interest calls specifically for MSCA candidates.

The Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships are among the most prestigious postdoctoral fellowships available within the UK. Approximately 145 fellowships are awarded per year across all disciplines. Each award is tenable for 3 years, with a significant salary contribution and annual research expenses.

Key Benefits:

• Year 1: Trust covers 100% of Fellow’s salary up to £56,000
• Years 2–3: Trust covers 50% of salary up to £28,000 per year (host institution covers the balance)
• Up to £6,000 per year in research expenses
• Non-renewable 3-year award tenable at any eligible UK university or HEI
• Approximately 145 fellowships available per round

⚠️ Eligibility note for Indian researchers: This is a competitive scheme primarily designed for researchers building a UK academic career. Applicants must either hold a degree from a UK higher education institution, or hold an active academic position (fixed-term lectureship or fellowship) in the UK for at least 4 months before the closing date. Indian PhD holders based in India who have never held a UK post or UK degree are not directly eligible. However, Indian researchers who completed their PhD at a UK university or who currently hold a UK postdoctoral position are encouraged to apply.

Who should apply: Indian researchers who obtained their PhD at a UK university, or who currently hold a postdoctoral appointment in the UK and are within 4 years of PhD thesis submission.

The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship is a prestigious 3-year award in the humanities and social sciences, funded by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). It starts from Autumn 2027 (for the 2026 application round). The primary emphasis is on completing a significant publishable research project.

Key Benefits:

• Funds 80% of salary costs, directly allocated and indirect costs under Full Economic Cost
• 3-year non-renewable fellowship at a UK university or recognised research institution
• Designed to lead toward a permanent academic post
• Integrated into the scholarly community at the host institution

Eligibility: Applicants must be based at an eligible UK university or research organisation for the duration of the fellowship. This is suitable for Indian researchers who are already in the UK (e.g., on a postdoctoral contract) or who can secure affiliation with a UK host institution. The 2026 submission deadline (UK institutional approval) is 30 September 2026 (17:00 GMT).

Who should apply: Indian researchers currently based at a UK university in humanities or social sciences, within 3 years of their PhD viva, who have a mentor and a significant independent research project to pursue.

The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh offers competitive postdoctoral fellowships for scholars in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The fellowships provide a research visit of 3 to 10 months in Edinburgh, with no teaching obligation.

Key Benefits:

• 3–10 month funded research visit at the University of Edinburgh
• Bursary to contribute toward living expenses (can top up another fellowship such as British Academy)
• No mandatory teaching — full focus on independent research
• Access to Edinburgh’s vibrant international humanities community
• Specialised targeted fellowships available (Gender Studies, Digital Humanities, Islamic Studies, 18th-Century Scottish Studies)
• Open to applicants from within and beyond the University of Edinburgh

Eligibility: Must hold a doctorate at the time of application, normally awarded within the last 3 years (graduates between 2023 and 2026, with flexibility for career breaks). Must not have held a permanent university position or a previous IASH Fellowship.

Who should apply: Indian scholars in arts, humanities, and social sciences who completed their PhD within the last 3 years and wish to pursue 3–10 months of independent research in Edinburgh. Ideal for those who can combine the IASH bursary with other funding sources.

The ICMR-DHR International Fellowship is a Government of India programme administered by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Department of Health Research (DHR). Unlike the other fellowships in this list, this one funds Indian scientists to go abroad — including to the UK — for advanced research in biomedical sciences.

Key Benefits:

• Fully funded (covers salary/stipend, international travel, accommodation, and living expenses)
• Allows Indian biomedical scientists to conduct research at international laboratories, including those in the UK
• No need to independently identify UK fellowship funding — the Government of India supports the placement
• Strong credibility signal for future Indian academic career

Eligibility: Open to Indian nationals only working in biomedical sciences. Applicants should be associated with Indian research institutions and meet ICMR’s academic qualification criteria. The 2025 deadline was 31 January 2026 — monitor the ICMR website for the 2026–27 cycle announcement.

Who should apply: Indian biomedical researchers, medical scientists, and early-career faculty who want to spend time at a world-class UK laboratory without having to independently compete for UK-based funding. Also see our guide on funded research positions for Indian scientists abroad.