ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 Entry

The UCL, Bloomsbury and East London DTP invites applications for five postdoctoral fellowships (PDFs) to be based within departments at the six partner institutions of the UBEL DTP.

What’s on offer

The UCL, Bloomsbury and East London DTP invites applications for five postdoctoral fellowships (PDFs) to be based within departments at the six  partner institutions of the UBEL DTP.

The grants provide funding for up to nine months full-time, or up to 18 months part-time to give fellows time to prepare for a successful career in research either within or beyond academia. 

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Application Guidance

Please refer to the ESRC Call specification and FAQs on the right hand side and contact UBEL DTP if you have any further queries: ubel-dtp@ucl.ac.uk

You will need to apply via the SurveyMonkey link above, creating an account if you do not already have one.

Application timeline for 2026 Entry

DTP Postdoctoral Fellowship Call opens on SurveyMonkey

1 April 2026 12:00 

Stage 1 – Pre-registration Deadline for applicants at UBEL DTP 

18 May 2026 23:59 

Stage 2 – Full application Deadline to DTPs (agreed with ESRC) 

1 June 2026 23:59 

Stage 3 – Interviews for shortlisted applicants at UBEL DTP 

19 June 2026  

Stage 4 – Successful candidates submit ESRC application internally 

30 June 2026 

Offer letters issued by ESRC 

Mid-August 2026 

Fellowships start date 

1 October 2026 

Completion of full-time Fellowships 

30 June 2027 

Completion of part-time Fellowships 

31 March 2028 

4 November 2025

Applications open in Survey Monkey Apply

12 January 2026 23:59

Preliminary applications submission deadline

25 March 2026 16:00

Full applications submission deadline

May 2026 

Shortlisted candidates are interviewed

End of June 2026
July 2026

UBEL confirms nominated candidates

Nominated candidates submitted for ESRC approval 

1 October 2026

Fellowships commence