Stephen Hawking Postdoctoral Fellowship

Eligibility requirements

• Research grants are open to UK higher education institutions, research council institutes, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)-approved independent research organisations, public sector research establishments and NHS bodies with research capacity.
• Read the guidance on institutional eligibility.
• You can apply if you have a PhD or have worked in a relevant field for at least 4 years by the start date of your fellowship. Candidates who are or have been registered for a doctorate at any time may apply only if they are expecting to have completed their doctoral thesis examination by the date of the Hawking Fellowship interview. Candidates must have passed their viva voce examination by the time of commencing the Hawking Fellowship and therefore considered to hold a PhD.
• There are no eligibility rules about how many years of postdoctoral experience you need or whether you are currently in a permanent academic position. This is a postdoctoral level fellowship for applicants who have not already secured significant independent funding or led the development of technical skills. Potential applicants that would consider applying for an Ernest Rutherford Fellowship, EPSRC Open Fellowship or Future Leaders Fellowships would not be at a suitable career stage to apply for this opportunity.
• We encourage applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds and who have taken a non-standard career path after their first degree. We also welcome applications from candidates who want to move back into research after a career break or any other type of break from active research.
• There are no restrictions on nationality.
• We do not permit resubmissions of an identical previously unsuccessful proposal. Unsuccessful applicants may re-submit but are required to demonstrate within their proposal that they have made substantive change or development from the original submission. Changes to the proposals should go beyond addressing issues raised by the reviewers in line with EPSRC’s guidance on preparing re-submissions.
• This opportunity is subject to the EPSRC policy on repeatedly unsuccessful applications.
• For more information, read our fellowship application guide.
• Academic background: Apply for a postdoctoral fellowship focusing on a range of disciplines in the area of theoretical physics with the aim of reflecting Stephen Hawking’s work in bringing science into popular culture.

“Candidates must have passed their viva voce examination by the time of commencing the Hawking Fellowship and therefore considered to hold a PhD.”