Information you need to prepare for your application
Before applying, you are expected to research suitable host institutions thoroughly, using available online catalogues and digital archive links, develop a research proposal, and contact the potential host as early as possible to identify any suitable resources you wish to access during the placement and, if available, agree on placement dates. This engagement is designed to help you to refine your proposal and demonstrate the feasibility of your planned research.
For NIHU and the Smithsonian Institution, it is required that you contact the institutions before applying to identify and secure a supervisor, discuss your proposed research and confirm the collections or resources you intend to access.
You will be expected to give details of the specific resources, dates and, if applicable, supervisors for your placement in your application.
If you have any other concerns such as visa support or wellbeing, you may also contact the hosts. Host contact details can be found in the ‘Contact details’ section.
National Institute for the Humanities
For NIHU, you must contact the institution for prior consultation with a potential host for placement at least six weeks before applying.
If you are looking to work with the following collections, you are required to speak and understand Japanese at an advanced level:
- National Institute of Japanese Literature
- National Museum of Japanese History
- International Research Center for Japanese Studies: eligibility is determined by the specific requirements of the chosen research field
For other NIHU institutes, basic conversational Japanese is desirable, though not compulsory.
Resources:
Shanghai Theatre Academy
Please ensure your proposed times at the Shanghai Theatre Academy are between September and December, as placements must fall within academic term times.
See more information around the academy’s departments.
Yale Centre for British Art
The Yale Centre for British Art Archives department provides additional resources related to collecting histories, exhibitions, artists, dealers, and the formation of the Paul Mellon Collection itself. Please note that some material in the archives is restricted. If you have a question about access to particular material held by the archives, you can contact the department at ycba.archives@yale.edu
Resources:
The Huntington Library
For the Huntington Library, whilst curators can confirm collections and resource availability, they will not act as a project supervisor. The library has a residency requirement for placement participant to spend 20 working days per month in the library. A ‘working day’ is defined as any day the library is open for use. Please also note that, as of Spring 2026, the library is undergoing major multi-year renovations. Whilst the library will be open as normal, access to specific collections might be delayed. Please find details of who to contact in the ‘Contact details’ section.
You should clearly state which materials and collections you will use for your project. You must explain why you need to come to the Huntington and why you require the requested length of time. This requirement is particularly important due to the planned closure of certain collections during the forthcoming renovations, and applications that do not identify specific Huntington collections are unlikely to be successful.
Resources:
The Smithsonian Institution
If you wish to apply to the Smithsonian Institution, you must select, approach and confirm a contact, to enquire about a specific collection at the institution in advance of submitting your application. This contact will act as an adviser should the respective application be successful. Please use the Smithsonian opportunities for research and study guide in order to contact an appropriate Smithsonian academic or staff member. Applicants who have not secured an advisor by the time of application will not be considered eligible for placements at the Smithsonian Institution.
Resources:
The Smithsonian has a review process for activities that engage with the US government’s ‘countries of concern’ (USGCOCs). The goal of this added layer of review is to support mission-driven work across all disciplines and Smithsonian units while ensuring appropriate institutional awareness and evaluation of risk regarding engagements with USGCOCs. The countries covered by the Smithsonian guidance, which draws from two US government lists, State Sponsors of Terrorism and the National Science Foundation’s NSPM-33 Definitions, are currently China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Syria. Please note that these countries may change over time as the US government adds or removes countries which the Smithsonian Institution will monitor.
Academic appointments for foreign nationals of USGCOCs are included in this process of institutional review. Therefore, applicants bearing any of these nationalities should be advised to account for, and expect, an additional processing period of a minimum of three weeks in advance of any official fellowship letter being issued, a step which must be completed before the Smithsonian can initiate the visa process.
If your application to the Smithsonian Institution is successful, a Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA) account must be created following your offer acceptance. Colleagues at the Smithsonian will contact you by email with instructions on how to set up your SOLAA account at the appropriate stage.
The Harry Ransom Center
If you are applying to the Harry Ransom Center, the University of Texas (UT) assigns all visiting researchers and fellows an appropriate title in their HR system. If you are successful, you will be designated as a ‘Nonemployee Research Affiliate’ and will be consequently required to complete a Nonemployee Research Affiliate Agreement prior to arrival in Austin. This paperwork is necessary to formalise your appointment and ensure you have access to a variety of on-site resources, ranging from WiFi access on campus networks to the ability to check out materials from UT libraries.
See further information about these procedures.
Resources:
Fragile or off-site materials may need additional time to access, please email reference@hrc.utexas.edu for access queries.
The Library of Congress
Please use the Ask a Librarian Resource to investigate collections at the Library of Congress.
Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre, South Africa
Find the relevant resources for the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre here:
British Institute of Eastern Africa, Kenya
Find the relevant resources for the British Institute of Eastern Africa here:
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
- Confirm you are the project lead.
- Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password.
- Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
- Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
- Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
- Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
When including images, you must:
- provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
- insert each new image on a new line
- use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:
- sentences or paragraphs of text
- tables
- excessive quantities of images
A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
References
References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
- references are easily identifiable by the assessors
- references are formatted as appropriate to your research
- persistent identifiers are used where possible
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.
For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.
Deadline
AHRC must receive your application by 9 March 2027 at 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
AHRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
AHRC will need to share the application and any personal information that it contains with host institutions so that they can participate in the assessment process. By submitting your application on the Funding Service, you agree that UKRI collect, store, process and share the personal data you provide exclusively for the purpose of assessing and managing your application.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email international@ahrc.ukri.org
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
- individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
- declaration of interest
- additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
- conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
- the application is an invited resubmission
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.
Publication of outcomes
AHRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at What AHRC Has Funded.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Summary
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
- opinion-formers
- policymakers
- the public
- the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
- context
- the challenge the project addresses
- aims and objectives
- potential applications and benefits
Your summary must include the name of the International Placement Scheme (IPS) host you aspire to conduct your research at, the collections and dates you have secured with the identified host, and, if applicable, the advisor or supervisor secured.
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
PhD students and early career researchers (ECRs) are eligible to apply under the PL role for this funding opportunity.
Only list one individual as project lead.
Application questions
Discipline classification: primary
Word limit: 5
Please provide the primary research area of your proposal.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
In order for your proposal to be eligible for consideration by AHRC, the choice of your primary discipline must come from one of the AHRC research areas. Please refer to the AHRC funding guide for specific details on the different levels of disciplines.
This information will be used for the purposes of processing your proposal and in the selection of appropriate assessors. The research disciplines are:
Histories, cultures and heritage
- archaeology
- classics
- cultural and Museum Studies
- development Studies
- history
- human geography
- information and communication technologies
- law and legal studies
- library and information studies
- philosophy
- political science and international studies
- theology, divinity and religion
Creative and performing arts
- dance
- design
- drama and theatre studies
- media
- music
- visual arts
Languages and literature
- languages and literature
- linguistics
Discipline classification: secondary
Word limit: 50
Please describe using keywords, the research area of your proposal and, where relevant, the approach, time period or geographical area.
Eligibility to apply for opportunity
Word limit: 200
Provide details about your eligibility status.
If you are a PhD student, please provide the following information:
- the title of your PhD
- the grant reference number for your current AHRC award (beginning UKRI or AH). If that award is part of an institutional block grant or consortia grant, for example, Doctoral Training Partnership, Collaborative Doctoral Award, Collaborative Doctoral Partnership, Doctoral Focal Awards or Doctoral Landscape Awards, we also require that grant reference number. If you are unsure of your grant reference number, you must contact your research organisation
- confirmation that if the application is successful, no additional time will be added to the doctoral award end date
If you are an ECR, please confirm that you will have a contract with an eligible UK research organisation during the placement duration and at the point of application submission. Please also provide information detailing how you self-identify as an ECR and how you meet the eligibility criteria by confirming you either:
- hold a doctorate by the start date of the placement
- can demonstrate equivalent research or innovation experience, training or both
Please explain how you meet any additional host-specific eligibility as described in the ‘Who can apply’ section.
Please give details on the level of engagement with the host institutions regarding availability of relevant collections or resources and, if applicable, suitable supervisors, as per the host requirements.
Purpose
Word limit: 1,000
Why is travel to this host institution necessary, and how will you deliver the proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain why this placement is needed, describing:
- why the host institution’s resources, collections, facilities and expertise are relevant and important to your project, specifically identifying them
- how the placement will strengthen the depth, range, diversity and quality of your research or practice
- the potential for the placement to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area
- why access to the host institution requires international travel and why the work could not be completed online, in the UK, or elsewhere
- why the placement needs to take place at this particular stage of your research
- how your research, methods or expertise will contribute to the host institution and its wider research community
- how you will make the most of the opportunity by clearly identifying the professional skill development and networking opportunities you will access at and beyond the host institution, including wider in-country research, policy or cultural networks
If your research is practice-based, explain how your practice forms an integral part of the research process, not only the outcome, clearly showing the creative or performative aspects of the research.
Explain how you will deliver the proposed work so that it:
- is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
- is feasible, providing a clear timetable of how you will spend your time
- is appropriate for the proposed length of stay to allow sufficient time for access to the requested resources
- uses a clear and transparent methodology
- builds on and advances your previous work
Within this section we expect you to provide:
- a summary of the research or practice-based work you will undertake during the placement indicating how it relates to your current research
- an explanation of why international travel is required, showing how accessing the specific host institution’s resources and expertise is relevant and essential for your project
- an explanation of how your research objectives, methodologies, context or both could offer a unique contribution to your host community
- a description of your proposed methodology and planned activities
- a clear and feasible timetable showing how you will use the placement period and how it aligns with your wider research project
- a rationale for the length of stay requested
- plans for networking and professional development at and beyond the host institution
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Applicant experience
Word limit: 600
Why are you the right individual to successfully deliver the proposed work?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Evidence of how you have the:
- relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to make best use of the benefits presented by this funding opportunity to develop your career
- right balance of skills and aptitude (including language proficiency if relevant) to deliver the proposed work
Within this section we expect you to include:
- a brief summary of your previous research and innovation experience to date (including any AHRC funded grants) showing how they have shaped your skills and aptitude to carry out the proposed work
- if applicable, how you’ve developed the required levels of language skills
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Your supervisor’s or head of department support
Word limit: 400
Provide a statement of support from your supervisor, if applying as a PhD student, or dead of department, if an ECR.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Reviewers will be looking for a strong statement of support.
The statement should include:
- confirmation of your readiness to undertake independent research at an international host, speaking to your capability, research excellence and suitability for an internationally based placement
- why the proposed institution is appropriate for you to conduct your research and validate the feasibility and value of your proposed project
- details of the supervisory arrangements that will be in place whilst you are undertaking your research during this placement
- if applicable, assurance that the time spent on the International Placement Scheme will not result in extra time being required to complete the current research funded by AHRC
You must also include the following details:
- the person’s name and position
- an office address or web link
Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.
Trusted research and innovation (TR&I)
TR&I is the protection of the UK’s intellectual property, sensitive research, people, and infrastructure from potential theft, misuse, and exploitation.
Organisations receiving UKRI funding are obliged to act in line with UK government legislation. They are also expected to undertake appropriate due diligence assessments of organisations involved in research partnerships, collaboration agreements, and commercial contracts.
You will be asked:
- which areas of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act your project relates to
- who you intend to collaborate with and how
- whether your project requires an export control licence
Your answers may affect the T&Cs of your funding agreement if you are successful. We may use your answers to determine that our current T&Cs are sufficient or if additional T&Cs are required.
