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Research Fellowships

We are proud of our diverse community of Research Fellows, who are working in fields ranging from philosophy to oceanography. Explore the profiles of our current Research Fellows on this page.

Research Fellowships are primarily intended to provide opportunities for scholars at an early stage of their academic careers, usually with up to 5 years post-doctoral research, to establish and pursue their research in a supportive academic environment.

All Fellows qualify for an allowance of free meals. Limited accommodation is available on a charged rental basis for single persons, couples and families in the College. Research Fellows have no college teaching duties. They are, however, members of the College Governing Body, and may serve on other College committees. Research Fellows are required to live in Cambridge during Full Term but leave may be granted to work away if necessary.

Current opportunities:

Clare Hall Research Fellowship Competition in the Sciences

For Fellowships from October 2026

Clare Hall is a graduate College, founded in 1966, with about twenty each of Official Fellows and Research Fellows, fifteen Professorial Fellows, forty Visiting Fellows, and two hundred and fifty postgraduate students. The President, Professorial Fellows, Official Fellows and Research Fellows comprise the Governing Body.  Members and their families are welcome participants in the social life of the College, which is informal, international and family-friendly.  There is some accommodation available on a charged rental basis for single persons, couples and families in the College.  All Fellows qualify for an allowance of free meals.

The College proposes to elect up to four NON-STIPENDIARY Research Fellows in the Sciences for a period of three years, tenable from 1st October 2026.

Research Fellowships are primarily intended to provide opportunities for scholars at an early stage of their academic careers, usually with up to 5 years post-doctoral research in any area of the Sciences, to establish and pursue their research in a supportive academic environment.

During their tenure, Research Fellows have no college teaching duties other than to pursue their research. They are, however, members of the College Governing Body, and may serve on other College committees.  Successful candidates are expected to be graduate students who have recently completed or who are about to complete their PhD, or those with some initial post-doctoral experience.  (As a minimum, the thesis must be submitted by the closing date for applications.)  There is no restriction on age, sex or previous standing, except that candidates may not already have held a Research Fellowship at a college of either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, and some preference may be given to candidates who are at a relatively early stage of their research career.  Research Fellows are required to live in Cambridge during Full Term but leave may be granted to work away if necessary.

Non-stipendiary Research Fellows will be expected to demonstrate that they have adequate financial support from other sources, usually a post-doctoral position in the University or affiliated research Institutes.  Small grants for research expenses may be made available on application to the Bursar.  Accommodation, if available, will be on a charged rental basis, but there is an allowance of free meals.

Applications will be examined by experts in the fields concerned and by the Fellowship Committee. The final choice, however, will be made by the Governing Body, and the research proposal should therefore be written so as to convey to the non-specialist something of the interest and importance of the topic.  Candidates will be asked to submit written work for consideration, and the final round of candidates will be called for interview.

Applications must include the following documents in PDF and must be made online using the following link: https://app.casc.cam.ac.uk/fas_live/clhscience/

The closing date for receipt of applications is 2nd November 2025 and for references is 9th November 2025. Interviews are to be held during the period of the 20th-26th January 2026, with decisions communicated by the mid-February.

Whilst the Research Fellowships will commence in October 2026, successful candidates already based in Cambridge in post-doctoral positions will be invited to engage with the life of the college as Research Fellows Elect for the remainder of the 2025-6 academic year.

The College will NOT solicit references. It is therefore applicants’ responsibility to insert the email address of referees allowing adequate time for their response before their deadline of 9th November.  The referees will be contacted automatically by the on-line Fellowship Application System, CASC once the application is submitted by the candidate. The College is unable to pay expenses incurred in attending interviews.

Enquiries:  fellowship@clarehall.cam.ac.uk

Clare Hall is an equal opportunities employer.

Clare Hall Research Fellowship Competition in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

For Fellowships from October 2026

Clare Hall is a graduate College, founded in 1966, with about twenty each of Official Fellows and Research Fellows, fifteen Professorial Fellows, forty Visiting Fellows, and two hundred and fifty postgraduate students. The President, Professorial Fellows, Official Fellows and Research Fellows comprise the Governing Body.  Members and their families are welcome participants in the social life of the College, which is informal, international and family-friendly.  There is some accommodation available on a charged rental basis for single persons, couples and families in the College.  All Fellows qualify for an allowance of free meals.

The College proposes to elect up to four NON-STIPENDIARY Research Fellows in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for a period of three years, tenable from 1st October 2026.

Research Fellowships are primarily intended to provide opportunities for scholars at an early stage of their academic careers, usually with up to 5 years post-doctoral research in any area of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, to establish and pursue their research in a supportive academic environment.

During their tenure, Research Fellows have no college teaching duties other than to pursue their research. They are, however, members of the College Governing Body, and may serve on other College committees.  Successful candidates are expected to be graduate students who have recently completed or who are about to complete their PhD, or those with some initial post-doctoral experience.  (As a minimum, the thesis must be submitted by the closing date for applications.) There is no restriction on age, sex or previous standing, except that candidates may not already have held a Research Fellowship at a college of either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, and some preference will be given to candidates who are at a relatively early stage of their research career. Research Fellows are required to live in Cambridge during Full Term but leave may be granted to work away if necessary.

Non-stipendiary Research Fellows will be expected to demonstrate that they have adequate financial support from other sources, usually a post-doctoral position in the University or affiliated research Institutes.  Small grants for research expenses may be made available on application to the Bursar.  Accommodation, if available, will be on a charged rental basis, but there is an allowance of free meals.

Applications will be examined by experts in the fields concerned and by the Fellowship Committee. The final choice, however, will be made by the Governing Body, and the research proposal should therefore be written so as to convey to the non-specialist something of the interest and importance of the topic.  Candidates will be asked to submit written work for consideration, and the final round of candidates will be called for interview.

Applications must include the following documents in PDF and must be made online using the following link: https://app.casc.cam.ac.uk/fas_live/clharts/

The closing date for receipt of applications is 2nd November 2025 and for references is 9th November 2025. Interviews are to be held during the period of the 20th-26th January 2026, with decisions communicated by the mid-February.

Whilst the Research Fellowships will commence in October 2026, successful candidates already based in Cambridge in post-doctoral positions will be invited to engage with the life of the college as Research Fellows Elect for the remainder of the 2025-6 academic year.

The College will NOT solicit references. It is therefore applicants’ responsibility to insert the email address of referees allowing adequate time for a response before their deadline of 9th November. The referees will be contacted automatically by the on-line Fellowship Application System, CASC once the application is submitted by the candidate. The College is unable to pay expenses incurred in attending interviews.

Enquiries:  fellowship@clarehall.cam.ac.uk

Clare Hall is an equal opportunities employer.

My time at Clare Hall was perfect. The College has not only been my home away from home for three years, but it has also been a supportive network that believed in, and supported, my work and personal discovery. For this experience I am forever grateful.
Dr Keri Wong
Betty Behrens Research Fellow
The vibrancy of the intellectual life in college and in Cambridge in general is of course exceptional. I look back at the year I lived at West Court fondly. Not to mention, a group of us, then Research Fellows, still see each other regularly, having formed strong friendships.
Dr Marianne Hem Eriksen
Non-stipendiary Research Fellow

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