Commonwealth Rutherford Fellowships for Researchers from Commonwealth Countries 2018 – UK

Commonwealth Rutherford Fellowships are for highly skilled researchers from other Commonwealth countries to spend one or two years at an eligible UK university or higher education institution conducting postdoctoral research.

Application Deadline: 11th December 2017

Eligible Countries: Commonwealth Countries

To Be Taken At (Country): UK

About the Award: The Commonwealth Rutherford Fellowships are funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) through the Rutherford Fund, with the aim of attracting global talent and supporting the UK’s research base. Up to 50 fellowships are available.

Purpose: To support world-class research and innovation, and to contribute to the UK’s research base by attracting high-calibre international candidates and encouraging links and collaboration

Intended beneficiaries: Highly skilled and highly motivated PhD graduates whose proposed research topic is innovative, timely, and likely to lead to wider impact beyond the academic community and build research collaboration between the UK and other Commonwealth countries

In your application, you are expected to identify one institution that you think is the most appropriate to host your fellowship, and to explain your reasons. You must also provide evidence of agreement to host your fellowship from an academic at your chosen institution.

Type: Research, Postdoctoral

Eligibility: To apply for these fellowships, you must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by a Commonwealth country other than the United Kingdom, or be a British Protected Person
• Be permanently resident in a Commonwealth country other than the UK, and not based in the UK at the time of application
• Be available to start your fellowship in the UK before 31 March 2018
• Have been awarded your PhD no more than ten years prior to 1 November 2017
• Not have previously held a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship awarded by the CSC

Selection Criteria: Your application will be considered by the CSC’s selection committee in competition with other candidates and according to the following selection criteria:

• Personal and academic background
• Quality of the proposal
• Impact potential

Number of Awards: Up to 50

Value of Award: Each fellowship provides:
 Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the cost of journeys
made before your award is finally confirmed will not usually be reimbursed)
 Research support grant of £2,500 per annum
 Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,627 per month, or £2,019 per month for those at universities in the
London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2017-2018 levels)
 Study travel grant of £1,000 per award towards the costs of approved travel within the UK or overseas

Duration of Program: You may apply for support for postdoctoral research for one or two years.

How to Apply: You must make your application directly to the CSC using the Electronic Application System (EAS).

It is important to go through the Application requirements and process on the Program Webpage (see Link below) before applying.

Visit the Program Webpage for Details

Award Providers: UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)