Visiting researchers

About the programme

The Visiting Scholar Programme offers a stimulating research environment for legal, socio-legal and criminology scholars to conduct research of the highest quality and contribute to the research life of Edinburgh Law School.

Applications are welcome from scholars in any field of legal, sociolegal and criminology studies, and at any career stage. Edinburgh Law School is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive research environment. We therefore encourage applications from women, black and Asian researchers and researchers from other groups who are under-represented within our academic community.

Information about our areas of research can be found on the Edinburgh Law School research areas web pages. Visiting Scholars can conduct a range of activities during their stay at the School; this might include collaborating with members of staff on research projects, establishing academic networks with our staff and exploring opportunities for future projects.

Guidance

Academics, scholars and researchers may apply to visit Edinburgh Law School as a Visiting Scholar for periods from one month to three months. Visiting Scholars benefit from access to library resources (including e-resources), IT facilities, and research seminars and training activities.

Those seeking to visit the School of Law for one month or less, or who wish to use the Library only, should apply directly to the Library as a Member of the Public.

All Visiting Scholars are expected to abide by the School’s procedures, especially concerning ethical research conduct, copyright and the appropriate use of Law School facilities; and to contribute to the research culture and life of the School as well as any research group or centre to which they are attached during the visiting period. Examples of positive contributions that past Visiting Scholars have offered include: research seminars and blogs; PhD and/or PGT masterclasses; ECR research training activities; and knowledge exchange work.

Visiting Scholar Programme fees

The fee structure for the visiting programme is £150 per calendar month, which is used as a contribution to cover the administrative overheads of the visit. No fee will be charged for approved visitors from the Least Developed Countries, Other Low Income Countries and Lower Middle Income Countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients.

How to apply

Applications are welcome at any time and should be made via the Visiting Scholar Programme application form (Word) and submitted at least two months before the proposed visit. Overseas visitors will need to ensure that appropriate visa arrangements are in place if required.

In order to apply as a Visiting Scholar, you must have the support of an internal sponsor at Edinburgh Law School (completion of that section of the application form is mandatory). Your academic sponsor will be your main point of contact for planning your visit and act as your research mentor throughout your time with us.

Edinburgh Law School offers a visiting fellowship named in honour of Professor Sir Neil MacCormick (1941–2009), Regius Professor of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations at the University of Edinburgh from 1972 to 2008.

The MacCormick Fellowship scheme aims to attract outstanding researchers, from across the UK and internationally, to develop links with the School. Applications are welcome in any field of legal, sociolegal and criminology studies that may contribute to the School’s research.

The MacCormick Fellowship is for excellent early or mid-career scholars who will normally be within ten years of the award of their doctorate, or have equivalent research experience, and with an outstanding profile and project. The School will make due allowance for applicants who have had career breaks. We particularly encourage applications from women, researchers from low-income countries, and those from historically and/or structurally disadvantaged groups who are under-represented within our academic community.

MacCormick Fellowships are available for a period of between one to three months, at least some part of which should fall within one of the two academic semesters (September to December, or January to May).

Successful applicants can be awarded up to £6000 towards travel and accommodation costs for their visit. The precise level of award will vary depending on where the visitor is travelling from and the duration of the visit.

Fellows are expected to contribute to the research culture and life of the School and will give a seminar during their visit as part of the School Staff Seminar series. Examples of other positive contributions that MacCormick Fellows may offer include research blogs; PhD and/or PGT masterclasses; research training for early career and project researchers etc. Fellows are also required to comply with the School’s procedures, especially concerning ethical research conduct and copyright.

Fellows will be provided with shared office space, access to library resources, IT facilities and research and training seminars.

To be considered applicants should submit an application form and a 2-page CV to law.research@ed.ac.uk.

Download the application form

There are two deadlines each year – 15th October and 15th February. We allocate fellowships in advance and ask that applicants propose dates for visits taking place in the forthcoming academic year. Applicants must have the support of an academic sponsor from Edinburgh Law School before applying.

This is a competitive scheme and decisions will be made taking account of the applicant’s academic profile; quality of research proposal; suitability of Edinburgh Law School as the place to undertake the research; and potential contribution of the applicant to the academic life of the School. We expect to support approximately four Fellowships each year.

Edinburgh Law School welcomes applications from PhD scholars of other universities to visit the Law School for periods of between one month and a year.

Learn more about Edinburgh Law School's visiting student programme