Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship: 2026 scheme

King's College London

King’s College London welcomes expressions of interest from exceptional applicants who wish to apply for a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship with King’s College London as their host organisation.

The deadline for receipt of expressions of interest is 5pm on Thursday the 2nd October 2025; see details below.

About the scheme

The Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship scheme is open to candidates who hold either a degree from a UK higher education institution, or a non-permanent role at a UK HEI. It typically provides a three-year fellowship in any area supported by the Trust, including the Fellow's salary and up to £6k per annum in research costs. Candidates are strongly advised to refer to Leverhulme guidance on the eligible scope of projects which can be found here.

All candidates must have submitted their doctoral thesis for viva voce examination not more than four years prior to the Leverhulme ECF application final closing date (anticipated to be 19th February 2026). Candidates are strongly advised to consult the Early Career Fellowships Guidance for Applicants 2026 for more information about career break and COVID disruption eligibility.

Applicants are encouraged to consider how and why their proposed programme necessitates a Leverhulme ECF rather than a project grant or alternative postdoctoral fellowship; and why King’s College London is an appropriate host for them and their research project.

We welcome EOIs to the following Faculties and disciplinary areas:

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy: We welcome applications from across the disciplinary areas represented in King's, primarily social sciences, but potentially linking beyond.

The Dickson Poon School of Law: We welcome applications in the following areas of legal research: Digital Law, Climate Law & Governance, Healthcare Ethics and Law; and Private Law.

King’s Business School: We welcome applications in research including contributions to our Knowledge Frontiers: Developing a modern workplace, Sustainable & responsible business, Improving health & public services organisation, Strengthening economic & financial systems as well as our overarching themes AI, Digitalisation, Big data and Automation.

King's expects all applicants to have established a relationship with a proposed mentor and be able to articulate the benefits of undertaking the Fellowship in King's compared to another institution; EOIs which remain speculative on either point will not be supported.

Expressions of interest

The significant support of the host institution is a critical component of these fellowships. As such, King’s has an internal process for identifying potential applicants to this scheme. Those interested in applying for a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship at King’s College London should email susanna.cornick-willis@kcl.ac.uk with the following details, in one pdf saved with your surname in the file name:

• Your full name
• Your current research status and affiliation
• Expected host department
• Confirmation that you have contacted & agreed in-principle support from a suitable mentor within your expected host department
• A CV (2pp max)
• A Case for Support describing the proposed area of interest, ensuring it reflects the areas set out above; the proposed research project; an outline workplan; and reasons for choosing King’s as your host institution, including areas of research and individuals whose work complements your proposed project (2-4pp)
• Confirmation of your eligibility, reflecting the Leverhulme’s eligibility criteria

To apply please click on the ‘Apply’ button above. Applications must be received by 5pm on the 2nd October 2025 at the latest.

If you have any queries about the process please email susanna.cornick-willis@kcl.ac.uk; note that we welcome conversations about the detail of the research areas set out above as you develop an EOI. After assessment by King’s, selected candidates will be invited to develop a full application with King’s as their host institution; with submission to the Leverhulme Trust in early 2026.

Please note that if your disciplinary area is not set out above, King’s is not inviting EOIs in that area this year. If you need any guidance about the expectations for applicants or for mentors please see the Leverhulme guidance at this link https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/early-career-fellowships or contact King’s as above.