School of Government Visiting Fellowship Scheme

The School of Government welcomes Visiting Fellows as part of our vibrant academic community.

We are keen to encourage applications from established scholars, early career researchers, and non-academic professionals whose research interests align with those of our School. Visiting Scholars will be invited to spend between two weeks and one year in the School of Government, and will have an opportunity to play a full and active role in the research life of the School and wider University.

A Visiting Scholar whose application is successful will be granted affiliation to one of the School’s three departments during their time working in Birmingham. The scheme is designed for those scholars who wish to focus on a specific research area, and is not suitable for those who simply want to gain general experience of the UK education system. 

Fees and Benefits

Scholars may visit for between two weeks and one year. Scholars are expected to be fully self-funding.

There will be a bench fee of £2,080 for one-year fellowships to cover the administrative costs to the University associated with the visit. The bench fee for visits shorter than one year will be calculated on a pro-rata basis. There will be no bench fees for visits shorter than one month. We will consider applications from researchers who do not have access to funding (from their own institutions or from research grants) to cover this bench fee. Please briefly explain this on the application form.

The School will offer a hot desk, full access to the University library, some printing facilities and access to events organised by the School. Visiting Fellows will also be given the opportunity to host a seminar within the School and present research findings to staff and students. Towards the end of the visit, Visiting Fellows are expected to write a short report providing feedback on their visit and detailing what has been achieved. 

Accommodation

Responsibility for arranging and funding accommodation will lie with the Visiting Scholar. Please note that on-campus accommodation is very limited, particularly for periods of less than one academic year. The University’s Accommodation Services may be able to provide limited advice on where to find appropriate private accommodation or reasonable bed-and-breakfast hotels. 

Visa Requirements

The University of Birmingham is required to ensure that all our international visitors hold a visa which is appropriate for the purpose of their visit to the UK. If your application is successful, our International Student Advisory Service (ISAS) will carry out an assessment to identify the correct visa for your visit. If necessary, we will issue the correct documentation in support of your visa application; but it is the Visiting Scholar’s responsibility to use this to enter the UK under the advised visa route. No correspondence from the University of Birmingham, other than where specified, should be used in support of a visa application. 

Covid-19

Prospective Visiting Scholars who are not resident in the UK need to consider the current Covid-19 requirements. Expenses incurred by these requirements have to be covered by the Visiting Scholar. 

How to Apply

Before making a formal request, prospective Visiting Scholars should establish contact with a member of academic staff in the School of Government who shares their research interests and expertise. This member of academic will ‘sponsor’ their application and act as a mentor throughout their stay at the University. This will help ensure that the proposed area of research coincides with current research interests and expertise within the School of Government.

Applicants are required to complete an application form in which they must detail their proposed research activities and also provide a 2-page (maximum) CV. We advise that you apply three months in advance if you are from the EU and four months in advance if you are not from the EU. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by the School Research Committee.

Please send the completed Visiting Scholar application form and your CV to the School of Government administration team at govsocattendance@contacts.bham.ac.uk.