Applications should be made before the deadline of 18 October 2024 for visits in the academic year 2025-26 (between 1 August 2025 – 31 July 2026). Applications can only be made through a University of Surrey academic, who acts as the host for the visit. Fellows may only be awarded one IAS Fellowship and previously successful applicants should not re-apply.

Fellows receive an allowance of up to £5000 to fund travel to and subsistence at the University (but not salary). Fellows’ visits to the University may either be for one extended period, or several shorter periods, depending on the Fellow’s other commitments and the nature of the research collaboration.

It is expected that the Fellowship will result in some specific outcome or outcomes, such as a paper jointly authored with the host, a collaborative research proposal, establishing a research network, or a jointly organised activity such as a workshop or concert. Fellows are also expected to contribute to University life, for example with a seminar, lecture, meetings with doctoral students etc.

There is no restriction on the discipline of the Fellow or the topic of the Fellowship, other than that the Fellow must work closely with one or more Surrey academics.

The Fellowship scheme is funded by the University of Surrey. We thank Santander for supporting the scheme in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The Institute’s Coordinator, Mirela Dumić (m.dumic@surrey.ac.uk) and its Director, Nigel Gilbert (n.gilbert@surrey.ac.uk), may be consulted about the procedure for making bids.

Apply Now

Applications should be submitted by the deadline (23:59 on 18 October ) using the application form.

Apply Now

Types of Fellowship

Fellowship for external academics

Who should apply:

  • Applicants for Fellowships must be supported by a member of the academic staff of the University of Surrey
  • Applicants should normally be based and employed outside the UK in an academic institution or a government funded research institute.
  • Applicants should not have spent significant periods working or visiting in the UK in the recent past.
  • Applicants should have a doctorate or equivalent professional experience and an excellent and established track record in research given the stage in their career. The scheme does not support those studying for a PhD.
  • Applicants of all nationalities are welcome. Fellowships may be used to pay for visas, but the Institute is not able to arrange visa applications.

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

  • The expected contribution to scholarship at the University of Surrey
  • The fit of the applicant’s proposed work to research at Surrey
  • The quality of the proposal, including its degree of innovation, its feasibility, and the likelihood of obtaining high impact outputs
  • The expected benefit to the applicant’s career
  • The likelihood of forging links between the applicant’s institution and the University of Surrey.

Fellowship for public servants

Who should apply:

  • Applicants for Fellowships must be supported by a member of the academic staff of the University of Surrey
  • Applicants should normally be based and employed in the public sector, either in the UK or abroad
  • Applicants should have relevant professional experience and an excellent and established track record in their field
  • Applicants of all nationalities are welcome. Fellowships may be used to pay for visas, but the Institute is not able to arrange visa applications.

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

  • The expected impact of the applicant’s activities during the Fellowship on public policy
  • The potential for interaction between University staff, the applicant, and government
  • The opportunities for contributing the University’s expertise to issues of public policy
  • The expected benefit to the applicant’s career
  • The value for the applicant of spending time to think in an intellectually stimulating environment, away from day to day pressures.

Fellowship for entrepreneurs

Who should apply:

  • Applicants for Fellowships must be supported by a member of the academic staff of the University of Surrey
  • Applicants should have relevant professional experience and an excellent and established track record in their field
  • Applicants of all nationalities are welcome. Fellowships may be used to pay for visas, but the Institute is not able to arrange visa applications.

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

  • The expected impact of the applicant’s activities during the Fellowship on the exchange of ideas relating to entrepreneurial activity, enterprise and/or innovation
  • The potential for interaction between University staff, the applicant, and the wider business community
  • The opportunities for contributing to the University’s expertise on issues of entrepreneurship, enterprise and innovation
  • The expected benefit to the applicant’s career
  • The value for the applicant of spending time to think in an intellectually stimulating environment, away from day to day pressures.

Fellowship for artists in residence

Who should apply:

  • Applicants for Fellowships must be supported by a member of the academic staff of the University of Surrey
  • Applicants should have relevant professional experience and an excellent and established track record in their field
  • Applicants of all nationalities are welcome. Fellowships may be used to pay for visas, but the Institute is not able to arrange visa applications.
  • The Fellowship grant may include an honorarium for self-employed artists as a contribution to their living expenses.

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

  • The expected enhancement and diversifying of arts and humanities research at the University of Surrey
  • The fit of the artist in residence’s creative activity with existing research and new research initiatives at Surrey
  • The quality, relevance, feasibility, innovation, and potential impact and outputs of the proposed programme of activities (this may include an internal event)
  • The expected benefit to the applicant’s career
  • The potential for generating national and international affiliations and more permanent links between the University of Surrey and the artist’s institution or organisation.

How to apply and assessment

  • Applications can only be submitted by an academic member of the University of Surrey (the ‘host’). They should be submitted by the deadline (midnight on 18 October 2024) using the application form. The application form requests details of the applicant for a Fellowship, the host, the work to be done during the Fellowship and the support requested.
  • A host may only submit one application to the annual Fellowship competition round. However, there is no bar to a host also being an applicant to the Workshop scheme.
  • All applications are considered at a meeting of the IAS Advisory Board which ranks the applications in order of merit using the specified criteria and their own judgement
  • The highest ranked applications are awarded Fellowships. Applicants and hosts will be notified of the outcome in  December 2024.
  • Applications submitted by the deadline are checked for eligibility and completeness by the IAS coordinator. The Fellows’s and the host’s Heads of Department are contacted to confirm that the applicant’s institution supports the Fellowship and the host’s Department can accommodate the Fellow.
  • For budgeting, please check relevant sections in the Handbook for Fellows
  • Regrettably, due to the number of applications we receive, the Board is not able to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

During and after the Fellowship

  • Fellows are required to provide a brief report to the IAS coordinator at the start of their first visit to confirm that the Fellowship has begun and that it conforms to what is stated in the proposal.
  • Fellows are required to submit a report of 500 – 1000 words within one month of the end of the Fellowship describing the achievements enabled by the award and their plans to build on those achievements.
  • Fellows are also required to submit a short report twelve months after the Fellowship ends describing longer term impacts and additional activities resulting from the Fellowship.

ATAS certificate (Academic Technology Approval Scheme)

Please check if you need an ATAS certificate for your research activity in the UK. You should not buy your travel tickets until the ATAS certificate has been granted.  If you need a certificate, you should ask your host to tell you the CAH3 code you should use for your ATAS application.

Fellowship Handbook

  • A handbook containing useful further information can be found here.