BIPS Research Fellowship

About the Research Fellowship

The BIPS Research Fellowship is £20,000 for a one-year project.

The BIPS Research Fellowship Grant is a postdoctoral grant designed to provide an opportunity to pursue a larger research project than the Research and Research Assistant Grants allow. The research can be associated with any area of Iranian and Persianate Studies, broadly understood.

BIPS invites applications for this scheme once a year.

Applications are now open. Deadline to submit applications: 23 January 2026, 5PM

Eligibility

While BIPS strongly encourages Early Career Researchers (ECRs, within 10 years of completing their PhD) to apply, the Fellowship is open to all applicants. More established scholars are encouraged to incorporate PhD students and/or ECRs into their application as a Research Assistant, for example.

Applicants MUST be associated with a UK Higher Education institution (HEI) or Museum.

Applicants MUST provide a letter from their UK host institution confirming that they are willing to receive funds on behalf of the applicant.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive research environment and encourage applications from scholars of all backgrounds.

Supporting Documents

The application MUST include the following:

• Details of research project
• Clear research outputs, such as peer-reviewed articles, monograph, and/or edited volume
• Dissemination plans including on BIPS platforms, such as grant holders’ workshop and webinar series
• Detailed account of expected costs associated with research assistants (in line with host institution), dissemination (not including BIPS grant holders’ workshop), workshops, field work, and subsistence while on field work, and visiting scholar fee if relevant
• CVs of Research Assistants and anyone who is to be funded by the grant
• Workshop plans must include indicative participant list, and precise dates agreed (if awarded) in conjunction with BIPS
• Two academic references from two referees provided on the headed paper of the referees’ home institution or within an email which clearly indicates the position and institution of the referee. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their referees submit their references directly. An application without appropriate references will not be considered.

Use of Award

The grant can be used for the following activities.

1. Research assistant(s) – full details of the institution’s policy and contractual arrangements need to be provided.
2. Field work, but BIPS cannot support any travel to any country that is not recommended by FCDO guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
3. Visiting scholar fee. If the applicant is planning to join an institution as a ‘Visiting Scholar’ and use part of the award for the Visting Scholar fees, the application must be accompanied with a letter from the proposed mentor at the same institution. It is entirely the applicant’s responsibility to arrange this. BIPS does not have a list of appropriate institutions.
4. Visa and travel costs. BIPS cannot help with sorting out visas for travel to the UK. BIPS is able to provide, however, a formal letter such as one stating the applicant is coming to the UK for the BIPS Research Fellowship.
5. Fees to attend conferences and workshops to disseminate the research.
6. Subsistence during field work.
7. Publication fees such as costs associated with colour images and creating an index.

BIPS are open to additional activities but reserve the right to reject. Any travel associated with field work must have a risk assessment that is completed in association with the host institution and be provided with reporting requirements.

Process

All grant applications are considered by the Research Committee. The Research Committee’s recommendations are reviewed and ratified by the BIPS Council. This process can take up to a month after each application deadline.

All applications must include detailed estimated costs and realistic budgets.

All funds are paid directly to the applicant’s HEI.

Fellowship holders must provide a financial report to BIPS which may be used in its Annual Review and a narrative report which can be published on our website. BIPS also aims to invite all recent fellowship recipients to give a workshop presentation about their BIPS-funded research.

 To apply please download the form using the button below.

Applicants should read the Terms and Conditions and Terms of Reference before submitting their application.

The application form and relevant supporting documents should be emailed by the deadline to the General Manager (email).

For enquiries, please contact Dr Shabnam Holliday, Research Director, British Institute of Persian Studies (shabnam.holliday@plymouth.ac.uk)