This page provides a sample of some of the types of available research funding in the UK in the arts and humanities.
This includes research in history and archaeology, visual arts and media, language and linguistics, librarian and information studies, music and performance and philosophy, law and religious studies.
The AHRC is the research council responsible for supporting high-quality research in arts and humanities for the cultural, creative and economic life of the UK. The AHRC funds international programmes through, Research Networks and Workshops that encourage discussion and development of ideas by researchers across disciplines. It allows researchers to build up networks with their international counterparts. They have agreements with the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the German Research Council (DFG) enabling collaboration between UK and US, or UK and German, researchers respectively for Research Grants.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. The Darwin Awards offer small grants to allow individuals working in the sciences, humanities, arts and media, the opportunity to pursue a stand-alone piece of fieldwork/research outside the UK.
The BA is the national academy for the humanities and the social sciences and is responsible for the promotion of historical, philosophical and philological studies in the UK. It’s research grants schemes, promotes relations between researchers in the UK and overseas. Development Awards (BARDAs) support work in any country. Small Research Grants support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. Applications from international groups of scholars are welcome. The BA has a number of special schemes with partner institutions to support bilateral projects with particular countries or regions. See their Country List for full details
The fellowships will be run by the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Royal Society to cover the broad range of natural and social science, engineering and the humanities. The fellowships aim to attract the worlds best post-doctoral researchers to Britain for a period of one to two years.
The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation is a UK charity. The Foundation’s purpose is to support closer links between Britain and Japan. Small grants promote and support interaction between the two countries. Awards are available for collaborative projects. Joint project grants support travel, subsistence and research for collaborative projects. Special project grants support new initiatives that may fall outside of the criteria for their Small Grants and Awards programmes.
The ESF is an association of national science-funding organisations that aim to promote quality science at a European level. Their EUROCORES scheme enables researchers in different EU countries to develop collaboration. Their Exploratory Workshops enable scientists to examine scientific issues, and lead to long-term collaboration. Research Conferences enable scientists and young researchers to meet for discussions and are open to scientists worldwide.
The IHR is an important resource and meeting place for researchers from all over the world. Their IHR Fellowship is open to candidates without regard to nationality. Economic History Society Fellowships for postdoctoral candidates who have recently completed a doctoral degree in economic/social history and are UK citizens or have a degree from an UK university. Past and Present Fellowships are open to applicants of any nationality, and their PhD (or equivalent) may have been awarded in any country.
The Trust makes awards for the support of research and education. The Trust emphasises individuals and encompasses all subject areas. Their International Networks enable a Principal Investigator to lead a research programme to stimulate an international exchange of ideas between UK universities and overseas institutions. Visiting Professorships enable distinguished academics based overseas to spend time at a UK university.
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