CHRG information for applicants

Information for Applicants

A series of gathered fields will operate across the academic year.

• Applications may be made at any time for the next available gathered field, with outcomes known approximately six weeks later;
• Applications submitted after a gathered field has closed will be held over to the next available field; 
• Before submitting, applicants must ensure that the proposed host Department is aware of their application.  There may be internal review procedures to follow within the Department prior to submission, and the Department may be able to offer assistance in preparing costings;
• Please read the scheme notes for further detailed information including the criteria for awards, eligibility and award management.
• All applications must be made via the online form.

APPLY

2025-26 Timetable

Eligibility

Postgraduate students are not eligible to apply to any of the tiers.

Tiers 1 and 3: Small Grants, and International Exchange/Collaboration Grants

Applications are invited from any researcher active in the arts, humanities and social sciences holding a current contract of employment as an independent researcher – at the point of application - with either the University or the Colleges.

For the avoidance of doubt, this includes:

• Externally-funded Research Fellows and those working in museums, research centres or other relevant non-School institutions;
• Cambridge-based emeritus staff (with the written support of their host faculty or department);
• Senior Research Associates or Research Associates, provided that their current contract will outlast the proposed activity;
• College Teaching Officers and Junior Research Fellows;
• Visiting or affiliated researchers (with the written support of their host faculty or department).

Tier 2: Standard Grants

Applications to this Tier are invited from researchers at, or above, the level of University Assistant Professor or equivalent, or holding a senior Fellowship.

• Senior Research Associates or Research Associates may apply, provided that
  • their current contract will outlast the proposed activity; and
  • they have the written support of the host faculty or department, and
  • they have sponsorship of a tenured academic in their Department;
• Visiting or affiliated researchers may apply with written support from their host faculty or department;
• Cambridge-based Emeritus staff may apply with the written support of their host faculty or department.

Tier 4: Research Pathway grants

This tier specifically seeks to support newly independent researchers, in particular to mitigate the effects of contract precarity. Applicants will normally be expected to have gained their PhD or equivalent no more than 8 years prior to application, and must either:

• hold a current fixed term research contract, with duration outlasting proposed project; or
• be within 5 years of appointment as Assistant Professor/Associate Professor and not yet passed probation. Individuals may be able to make a case for exemption from these requirements, if there are compelling life circumstances that demonstrate the individual’s situation is compatible with that of a newly independent researcher. Examples could include time away from research due to parental leave, caring responsibilities or conflict.

Applicants may not apply for their own salary costs or other direct personal support, but may include the costs of research assistance.

Applicants will be encouraged to bring forward applications addressing one or more of the following thematic areas:

Documentation required for applications

The following documents must be submitted for each application. 

ALL Tiers:

a. Project proposal (using template provided below)

b. Itemised costing (using template provided below)

c. Confirmation of support document from the head of the faculty or department where the project will be hosted (using template provided below)

Tier 2 and 4 applications will need to provide ALL documents above (a-c), plus:

• A letter from an external referee (ie. external to the collegiate University of Cambridge)

Tier 3 applications will need to provide ALL documents above (a-c), plus:

• A letter of support from your exchange collaborator; and
• A letter of support from your exchange collaborator’s faculty or department confirming they support the exchange; and (if applicable)
• A letter, signed by the collaborator’s Head of Department and the appropriate institutional authority, affirming the collaborator’s eligibility to receive funds from their institution, and stipulating that, should the application be successful, the collaborator’s institution will make a significant contribution to the total award (For applications with a collaborator from an institution with which the University does not already have a formal agreement).

Additional notes

• Letters of support should be on headed paper and clearly indicate the name of the sender, their institution and address/email address.
• Budget breakdowns should be detailed and demonstrate how the figure for each element has been arrived at.  E.g. Three off-peak standard class return train tickets from Cambridge to London @ £38 rather than 'Train travel = £114'
• Applications with incomplete information, missing or incomplete documentation may be delayed and be held over to the next deadline.