Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Internal Competition for Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship 2027

The Leverhulme Trust's Early Career Fellowship programme (LECF) is a prestigious national competition for early career researchers, normally no more than 4 years after submitting their doctoral dissertation. 

The scheme provides support for the salary costs of a three-year early career fellowship where Fellows can undertake an independent research project.  The Leverhulme Trust contributes 100% of the Fellow’s total salary costs up to a maximum of £56,000 in year one of the award. The Leverhulme Trust also contributes 50% of the Fellow’s total salary costs up to an annual maximum of £28,000 in years two and three, with the host institution providing the remaining funds. 

The Fellow's host institution has to find matching funds for Years 2 and 3 of the Fellowship (and any salary costs which exceed £56k pa) and provide a letter guaranteeing salary costs not covered by the Leverhulme Trust as a requirement for entry to the national competition. 

The Isaac Newton Trust (INT) undertakes to match the salary costs for any full- or part-time candidate at the University of Cambridge who has been successful in the national competition up to £28k pa for Years 2 and 3 of the Fellowship. In order to identify which candidates can be supported with offers of matched funding, an internal competition is held. INT makes around 40 offers of support in the event of success nationally.

Cambridge applicants have an exceptional record of securing LECFs. 16 awards were made in the 2026-27 round.