Migrant Futures Postdoctoral Fellowships
Goldsmiths is pleased to announce the call for two Migrant Futures Postdoctoral Fellowships, part of a major grant from the Oak Foundation to establish the Migrant Futures Institute at Goldsmiths.
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Migrant Futures Postdoctoral Fellowships are central to the MFI’s vision to advance innovative research and training in the field of migration studies and foreground migrant intellectual lives, creative endeavours and roles in advocacy and social change.
They offer promising early-career researchers the opportunity to strengthen their experience of advanced research and practice, complete significant outputs, develop public engagement and impact and enhance their prospects for future careers within and beyond academia.
Two Postdoctoral Fellowships available
Two Postdoctoral Fellowships are available for entry in 2025-26. MFI Postdoctoral fellowships include salary (starting at Grade 7, SP32, currently £44,186 with London Weighting) together with an annual research support fund of £5000.
For the sake of clarity, the research fund must be used to support research activities, subject to approval and following college financial rules on expenses and procurement.
International applicants are advised that MFI postdoctoral fellowships may only be held on a full-time (FT) basis. Applicants who have the right to work in the UK may apply to take up the award on a part-time (PT) basis, pro-rata, over four years (PT).
The fellowship is expected to begin in October 2025, with some flexibility for a later start if needed.
Award one: Migrants or refugees and from racialised or minoritized backgrounds
One of the two awards for entry 2025-26 will be open to applicants who identify as migrants or refugees and from racialised or minoritized backgrounds in any field of research and practice for which appropriate mentorship is available at Goldsmiths, University of London.
To be clear, applicants considered for this award need not be working on a migration related topic, but they should be able to describe how their work will enhance their own economic, creative and intellectual lives and that of others.
Award two: Open to all applicants
The second of these two awards will be open to all applicants - irrespective of background and experience - whose proposed fellowship is focused on a topic related to migration, broadly conceived, including in relation to processes of race and racialisation and for which appropriate mentoring is available at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Proposals must be informed by the co-production of knowledge with people and groups from migrant and refugee backgrounds, and demonstrate potential for social and cultural impact.
Migrant Futures Postdoctoral Fellowship holders will, upon award, be designated as Senior Fellows of the Migrant Futures Institute. It is expected that 20% of their time will be devoted to directly supporting the work of the institute as agreed with the MFI director(s).
More broadly, fellows will be expected to contribute actively to developing and enhancing the research culture of the institute through their research, creative practice and participation in MFI activities and events.
Applicant information webinar
An information webinar was held on 7 July on Teams. A recording of the applicant information session is now available for those who were unable to attend on the day.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants will be early career researchers who have submitted their PhD thesis and successfully passed the PhD viva or be able to demonstrate equivalent research experience and normally be within three years from the date of their successful viva voce examination.
Apply
Applications must be submitted by 5pm on Monday 18 August 2025.
Shortlisted candidates will be notified by Friday, 5 September and invited to interview via Teams on Monday, 15 September.
Applicants should also consult the Migrant Futures PDR Fellowships Applicant Guidance before submitting.
If you have any queries, please contact that Graduate School using the subject heading Migrant Futures Postdoctoral Fellowship and including your surname.