British Council Women in STEM Fellowship (South Asia)

The Early Career Academic Fellowship will support a recent PhD (or equivalent) graduates from South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka) to undertake a visiting research placement for 6 to 12 months at Imperial.

Fellows will have a supervisor/mentor in the department/institute as well as access to Imperial’s academic and professional support provided to all early career academics.

Placements can be 6 to 12 months and can begin from 1 September 2023, in agreement with the host department/institute.

The Fellowship will provide:

• A monthly stipend of £2,250
• IELTS exams fees
• Return economy class travel
• Research related expenses
• Visa, insurance and NHS surcharge

For those with dependents, additional funding will be available.

To be eligible for the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM – Early Academic Fellowship Programme, you must:

• Be a woman, or identify as a woman.
• Be a passport holder and permanent resident of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.
• Have a Letter of Support from an academic supervisor at Imperial . The letter of support should detail the training and support available to the fellow as well as scientific fit with the hosting research group. The supervisor should ensure that the Letter of Support is signed by the Head of Department. 
• Have recently completed a research or terminal academic qualification (PhD or equivalent) and not be in an established academic post with a research-related role or function.
• Have not previously studied at degree level or higher in the UK or lived recently in the UK.
• Demonstrate case for financial support.
• Meet the English language requirement of Imperial College London.

You are also required to show in your application form that:

• You can demonstrate a plan and passion to engage other women and girls in STEM from your home country
• You have a plan for the research activities to be undertaken during your placement, and their relationship to your PhD or previous work, to show this will contribute to your career development
• You are willing to demonstrate future contribution to capacity-building and socio-economic advancement through the benefits acheived after completing the Fellowship and returning to your home country
• You agree that your personal data being shared with the British Council as a condition of applying for the bursary

If you are awarded a fellowship, you agree to maintain contact with the British Council and act as an ambassador for the UK and engage with activities as part of a British Council Women in STEM alumnus during and after your study in the UK. Any involvement in these activities during your study in the UK will take up no more than five hours per term.

You are not eligible for a British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM if you:

• Hold dual British citizenship
• Are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of Her Majesty’s Government (including British Embassies/High Commissions; the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Department for International Trade; the Ministry of Defence; and the Home Office)
• Are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM – eligible countries

(*) Relatives are defined as parents or step-parents, siblings or step-siblings, children or step-children, spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner (where the couple have been in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years).

• Are currently in receipt of financial support or funding towards your study programme in the UK from any other source
• Have previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK Government-funded scholarship or a UK institutional scholarship/financial bursary.

Applications are now open and can be completed online here until Wednesday 31 May. 

In order to complete the application, applicants will need to provide:

1. Details on background to show how the eligibility criteria are met.
2. A two-page academic CV
3. A case for support for the fellowship (up to four sides), including:
   1. Description of recent dissertation work and any planned research outputs
   2. Scientific case for the fellowship (no more than two sides)
   3. Specific training, in research techniques or methods, that the fellowship will enable
   4. Motivation for applying and plans for a future career in STEM.
4. A letter of recommendation from PhD institution, preferably from PhD supervisor or advisor, addressing your skills and suitability for the placement.
5. A letter of support from the hosting supervisor at Imperial in the proposed host department/institute detailing the training and support that will be provided and the scientific fit with your work. 

Finding a host supervisor

Potential applicants should browse the College’s webpages to review the potential host department/institutes and determine if they have the suitable academic experience and background to undertake a fellowship. 

A list of all Departments and Institutes, and links to their webpages, can be found here. 

Applicants should then either contact the departmental contact point listed on the webpage or a potential hosting supervisor directly to discuss their suitability for the placement, activities that could be undertaken, and possibility of receiving a letter of support.

For academic matters, including finding a supervisor, please contact departments/institutes directly via the contact points listed on the the department/institute's webpages. A full list of departments and institutes can be found here.

For any concerns about the application process or other technical issues, please contact:

international.relations@imperial.ac.uk
International Relations Office
Imperial College London
Faculty Building Level 2
South Kensington Campus
London
SW7 2AZ