British Academy- CIFAR Global Scholars
This program offers exceptional junior faculty the opportunity to develop and lead high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary research, expand their professional networks and receive focused leadership training in their pivotal first years as independent investigators. These experiences accelerate their emergence as influential research leaders, positioned to drive bold exploration and discovery and open new fields of inquiry.
- Career stage
- Early-career, Mid-career
- Funding status
- Closed for applications
- Scheme opens date
- 3 Sep 2025
- Deadline date
- 05 Nov 2025 - 17:00 GMT
- Duration of award
- 24 months
- Contact details
-
For additional details about the program and to apply, please visit CIFAR.
The British Academy is pleased to announce, in partnership with The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), a call for applications to the CIFAR Global Scholars Program.
This is a two-year opportunity (2026-2028) to collaborate and receive mentorship within a close-knit, interdisciplinary network of leading global researchers in a CIFAR research program.
We encourage UK-based researchers within the social sciences and humanities to apply and take advantage of this unique opportunity. Successful applicants join one of CIFAR’s interdisciplinary research programs, collaborating with global research leaders to advance transformative knowledge and address some of the most important questions facing science and humanity.
CIFAR Programs accepting applications, in partnership with the British Academy, include:
Value and Duration
The CIFAR Global Scholars Program provides:
- $100,000 CAD in unrestricted research support. These funds can be used for research expenses, teaching release, student or postdoc support, conference travel, and more.
- Opportunities to apply for CIFAR seed funds. These time-limited funds support high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary collaborations with CIFAR Fellows, Advisors and other Global Scholars.
- Membership in the extended community of CIFAR Global Scholars. This network of creative and like-minded peers across cohorts and diverse disciplines offers invaluable support and further opportunity for collaboration.
- Targeted training in essential areas of research leadership, including team leadership, trainee mentorship, science communication and science advocacy.
Eligibility requirements and program overview
To be considered for the CIFAR Global Scholars program, you must:
- Hold a PhD (or equivalent).
- Hold a full-time position at an institution of higher education or research. Your role must include responsibility for leading independent research as a principal investigator and supervising or teaching trainees toward their attainment of a degree. This position must be secure throughout the full term from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028. Typically, an eligible applicant is a tenure-track Assistant Professor (in the North American context), or holds an equivalent position designed to lead to a permanent faculty appointment (in academic systems outside of North America).
- Engage in research that complements the themes and goals of a recruiting CIFAR research program.
- Meet the additional criteria provided on the CIFAR Global Scholars Program webpage.
See more details on this call in the CIFAR Global Scholars Programme Overview handbook.
Application process
For additional details about the program and to apply, please visit the CIFAR website.
The deadline for applications is 5 November 2025.
Programme run by
