StudyDesk Scholarships
About the programme
The British Academy Elevate Programme is the Academy’s flagship development offer for early-career researchers in SHAPE — the Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy. The Leadership Stream is its leadership-development strand: a structured programme that builds the skills, networks and confidence researchers need to lead in academic and public life, from running research teams and influencing policy to shaping the future of their disciplines.
Elevate runs as a three-year pilot backed by a £5 million investment from Wellcome, and participation is free of charge — participants do not pay to take part. Each year a selective cohort of 62 participants is drawn from members of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) and Wellcome-funded researchers, and the programme is designed to work across early, mid and late early-career stages. Delivery mixes roughly ten in-person sessions of one to two days at locations across the UK (for UK-based participants, who are expected to travel) with online provision for those based outside the UK.
Eligibility
- Be an early-career researcher in a SHAPE discipline — Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy.
- Be a member of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) or a Wellcome-funded researcher.
- Fit anywhere in the early, mid or late early-career stage — the programme adapts to the stage you are at.
- If based in the UK, be ready to attend about ten in-person sessions of one to two days each in different UK locations.
- If based outside the UK, join via the online delivery route.
Benefits
- Free of charge — all courses are free; you do not pay to participate.
- A structured leadership-development journey designed for SHAPE researchers, spanning early, mid and late early-career stages.
- A national cohort of 62 peers — a built-in network across the humanities and social sciences.
- In-person sessions across the UK (for UK-based participants) with online delivery for those based elsewhere.
- Post-programme support: within nine months of completing, you organise a Network event funded by the British Academy and mentor the next cohort — leadership practice, not just leadership theory.
Documents required
- The official notification does not publish a document list — application requirements sit inside the official Elevate application material, so read the “How to apply” section of the Leadership Stream page before starting.
- Expect the application to establish your ECR status, SHAPE discipline, and ECRN membership or Wellcome funding — have your researcher profile and career details ready.
How to apply
- Check your route inConfirm you are an early-career researcher in a SHAPE discipline and that you are a member of the British Academy ECR Network or a Wellcome-funded researcher.
- Decide your delivery modeUK-based participants attend roughly ten in-person sessions around the country; those based outside the UK join online. Be sure you can commit to the format for your location.
- Open the official Leadership Stream pageThe key-information page on the British Academy website carries the “How to apply” section and the application route for the March–June 2027 cohort.
- Submit by 28 October 2026The application window runs 1 September to 28 October 2026. No closing time of day is published — do not leave it to the final evening.
- Plan for the post-programme yearIf selected, you will organise a Network event (British Academy-funded) and mentor the next cohort within nine months of completing the programme — build that into your plans.
FAQs
No. Elevate is a funded professional-development programme, not a grant or prize. Participation is free of charge — the funding (a £5 million Wellcome investment in the three-year pilot) goes into running the programme, not into payments to participants.
Early-career researchers in SHAPE disciplines — Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy — who are members of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network or Wellcome-funded researchers. The programme works across early, mid and late early-career stages.
Yes. UK-based participants attend about ten in-person sessions around the country, but online delivery is available specifically for participants based outside the UK.
Within nine months of completing, participants organise an event for the Network — funded by the British Academy — and mentor the next cohort. It is a built-in leadership exercise, not optional extras.
The “2027” cohort runs from March to June 2027. Applications for it are made in autumn 2026, closing 28 October 2026.
Verified 24 Oct 2026: thebritishacademy.ac.uk/early-career-researcher-network/british-academy-elevate-programme/leadership-stream-key-information/ (official) — applications 1 Sep–28 Oct 2026, March–June 2027 cohort, 62 participants/year, free of charge, Wellcome three-year pilot; thebritishacademy.ac.uk/early-career-researcher-network/british-academy-elevate-programme/ (official) — “all courses are free of charge / you will not need to pay to participate”; British Academy LinkedIn (official) — “Application window open until 28 October”, ECRN members apply directly; bafa.ac.uk/about/ecr-support.html — window dates; official Wellcome-investment news release — £5m pilot. Closing time of day and document list not published in the official notification.
