My winning proposal: Consolidate your PhD with the ESRC

ESRC postdoctoral fellowships help build a firm base from which to launch a career

Top tips

• Fellowships should be used to consolidate research carried out during your PhD rather than to create a new project.
• They should also be seen as an opportunity to develop skills for your career, so ensure you add components with that in mind.
• The application is hard work; break it up into manageable sections.
• Demonstrate the potential for your research to have a real-world impact beyond academia.
• Get as many people to read through your proposal as possible while maintaining your own voice and vision.

The Economic and Social Research Council’s Postdoctoral Fellowships enable those in the postdoctoral stage of their career to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, networks, and research and professional skills across a broad range of social science disciplines.