Postdoctoral opportunities
Edinburgh Law School welcomes enquiries from prospective applicants to postdoctoral fellowship schemes.
Postdoctoral and early career researchers are an integral part of the Law School community and play a full and valuable role in the life of the School. The School provides mentorship, training and networking opportunities, an annual research allowance and a collegiate and welcoming environment.
The School has significant experience of supporting early career researchers in developing successful funding applications so we encourage you to contact us early so that we can provide as much support as possible.
Fellowship Schemes
A number of postdoctoral fellowships are available and an overview of the main schemes is provided below. Each fellowship scheme has different aims, eligibility criteria, and application requirements so please read the guidance carefully to ensure you are a suitable fit. If you are interested in a fellowship that is not listed below please contact law.research@ed.ac.uk for guidance.
This scheme aims to attract the most promising early career postdoctoral researchers in the humanities and social sciences to work at a UK research institution for two years. Applicants must hold a doctoral degree with no more than seven years active full-time postdoctoral experience or be in the final stage of their PhD provided that it will be completed (including viva) before the start date of the Fellowship award (or have equivalent research experience). Additionally, applicants must be working outside the UK and not hold UK citizenship at the time of application.
Deadline and application process: the internal deadline for this scheme has now passed. Please contact law.research@ed.ac.uk if you wish to register your interest for the next competition.
This scheme provides funding for 36 months to enable Fellows to pursue an independent research project and publish a significant piece of research. Applicants must be within three years of their PhD viva and should be UK or EEA nationals or have a PhD from a UK university.
Deadline and application process: the internal deadline for this scheme has now passed. Please contact law.research@ed.ac.uk if you wish to register your interest for the next competition.
Funder website: Postdoctoral Fellowships | The British Academy
This scheme aims to support researchers at the start of their careers to become independent researchers through gaining experience of managing and leading research projects and teams. Applicants should be early career researchers who have a proven track record of excellent published research (relative to their career stage).
Deadline and application process: if you are interested in applying for this scheme please email law.research@ed.ac.uk to register your interest and provide a 2 page CV, draft proposal (following the scheme guidance) and a statement explaining why Edinburgh Law School is the best fit to host your project.
Funder website: ESRC responsive mode: new investigator grants round two – UKRI
This fellowship aims to provide career development opportunities for those who are at a relatively early stage of their academic careers but who have a proven track record of excellent research.
Deadline and application process: the Law School has an internal competition in place for this scheme in order to manage demand. If you are interested in applying for this scheme please email law.research@ed.ac.uk to register your interest and provide a 2 page CV, draft proposal (following the scheme guidance) and a statement explaining why Edinburgh Law School is the best fit to host your project. The deadline for this is Monday 10th November 2025.
Funder website: Early Career Fellowships | The Leverhulme Trust
This scheme supports early career researchers moving abroad to work on cutting-edge research projects that will make an original and significant contribution to their research field. Applicants should have a doctoral degree and a maximum of eight years’ experience in research from the date of the doctoral award. UK applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the UK for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.
Deadline and application process: The Edinburgh Law School internal deadline for applications to this scheme has now passed. Please contact law.research@ed.ac.uk if you wish to register your interest for the next competition.
Funder website: Funding - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (europa.eu)