Oxford Bodleian African Studies Visiting Fellowship 2027–28 for Sub-Saharan Scholars

The Bodleian African Studies Visiting Fellowship for 2027–28 is open to historians working at universities in Sub-Saharan Africa. It pays for a research visit to Oxford so that a scholar can work with the Bodleian Libraries' Special Collections on the history of the region. The deadline is 27 November 2026 at 5 p.m. GMT.

The fellowship is run by the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford as part of its visiting fellowships programme, and it is promoted through the Africa Oxford Initiative. It is a short research award, not a degree scholarship. If you are an early-career or established academic and your work depends on archives held in Oxford, it is worth a close look.

What the Bodleian African Studies Visiting Fellowship offers

According to the Bodleian's fellowship page, funds of up to £2,200 per month are available for the eligible costs of a research visit. A few points from the official terms are worth knowing before you plan a budget:

• Visits must last at least one month.
• Visits must fall within the fellowship year, which runs from 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2028.
• The page does not split the money into separate travel, housing and living amounts. It is a single allowance for eligible costs.
• Awards may be subject to UK tax and National Insurance, which can reduce what you receive.
• The Bodleian does not find housing for fellows. It gives guidance on rooms and houses for rent, and warns that accommodation in Oxford is usually expensive.
• Fellows arrange and pay for any UK visa they need.

In practice, the £2,200 monthly cap has to cover rent in one of England's priciest cities. Plan your visit length and housing with that in mind.

Who is eligible

The fellowship is for a scholar currently affiliated with a university in Sub-Saharan Africa whose research covers the history of the region. The Bodleian links to the TWAS list of countries to define the region. The library's general criteria for visiting fellowships also apply. One of those matters for doctoral students: you must have submitted your thesis before the application deadline and been awarded the doctorate before you take up the fellowship.

The key test is fit with the collections. The application asks you to explain why your project needs Bodleian Special Collections in particular and to list the materials you plan to consult. A strong project is one that cannot be done properly anywhere else.

How to apply

Applications go by email to the Bodleian, alongside an online form. The official page asks for:

1. The completed online application form, including your preferred visit dates.
2. A CV of no more than three pages.
3. A project description of no more than 1,200 words. It should cover the project's significance, why you need Bodleian Special Collections, your intended outputs, your plans for engagement, and a detailed list of the materials you want to consult.
4. Two letters of recommendation. Referees can email these directly, with your name in the subject line.

Send each document as a separate PDF. The Bodleian specifically asks applicants not to combine them into one file. Questions go to fellowships@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Writing the project description

You have 1,200 words, and the list of materials is part of them. Search the Bodleian's online catalogues before you write, and name collections, shelfmarks or record groups where you can. A specific list shows the panel that the visit will be productive from the first week.

Be clear about outputs. A journal article, a book chapter, a digital edition or a public talk at your home university all count. Say what you will produce and roughly when.

The page also asks about engagement. Think about how the research will reach people beyond Oxford, for example through teaching, a seminar at your own institution or work with a local archive.

Key facts at a glance

• Award: up to £2,200 per month towards eligible research-visit costs.
• Minimum stay: one month.
• Fellowship year: 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2028.
• Deadline: 27 November 2026, 5 p.m. GMT.
• Who: scholars affiliated with a university in Sub-Saharan Africa researching the region's history.
• Contact: fellowships@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Should you apply?

This award suits a specific applicant: a historian at an African university with a defined archival project. It does not cover a degree, and the allowance will feel tight in Oxford unless you plan carefully. But funded archive time abroad is rare for scholars based on the continent, and the application is light compared with most fellowships. If you have been waiting for a reason to work in Oxford's collections, five weeks is enough time to prepare a sharp proposal.

Students looking for funded degrees at Oxford should see our listing for the Clarendon Scholarship 2027 instead. For full terms, read the official Bodleian visiting fellowships page before you apply.