The Society and the Institute of Historical Research will next year offer up to three two-year postdoctoral JRFs in History tenable at the Institute.

Each Fellowship will be awarded to a graduate who expects to have submitted his/her doctoral thesis in history (broadly defined) by 1 October of the year of the Fellowship. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate a broad

interest in processes of social, economic, political and cultural change, as manifested in their particular field of study. The Society wishes to promote work of a kind that might be published in the journal and the P&P book series.

Applicants may be of any nationality, and their PhD (or equivalent) may have been awarded in any country.

The deadline for applications for the 2025-27 Fellowships will be announced in due course. 

Further information about the scheme can be found below:

For a list of previous Past & Present Society Fellows and their post fellowship destinations see here

CONFERENCES

The Past and Present Society is able to award grants to organisers of conferences and workshops. It supports scholars of any status and is particularly keen to fund events that bring together senior scholars with early career researchers. The grants are intended to subsidise registration fees, and cover accommodation and travel costs. We aim to distribute about £5,000 three times a year across several events. Amounts of £500, £1,000, £1,500 or £2,000 can be requested.

Please note that the Society will NOT normally offer funding to annual conferences; and that grants cannot be sought retrospectively.

While the Society does not fund recurring events which would take place anyway (e.g. annual lectures/conferences), funding requests for a limited series of workshop meetings on a defined topic – in-person, online, or a mixture of the two – are eligible. We encourage this approach especially for applicants who are considering putting together a P&P supplement proposals, since planning for repeated meetings, or even just one writing workshop after a conference main event, can be very helpful in tightening a project and helping to piece together a more coherent volume.

Applicants should note that the Society will not normally meet the full costs of the event and that they are expected to approach their own institutions as well as well as other funding bodies where possible. Economy fares should be used.

Applicants should provide (in no more than five pages in total):

• the research questions underpinning the conference
• its likely intellectual value and contribution to the discipline
• an overview of the organisation of the event
• a list of speakers and sessions. It should be noted which speakers have confirmed acceptance
• the role of early career researchers in the conference
• a detailed budget, specifying where possible for which items the P&P subsidy is sought. Please use economy fares
•  full information as to further funding received and still sought.

Applications which fail to follow these guidelines will not be funded.

Applications will be considered three times a year; deadlines are 15 February, 15 June, and 15 October. The board meets in early March, July and November; if your event is to be held before the 15th of these months please apply to the previous meeting.

Please email applications to editors@pastandpresent.org.uk

OTHER EVENTS AND INITIATIVES

The Past and Present Society also has some limited funds available to promote the discipline of history in a manner in keeping with the Society’s aims. It welcomes applications from individuals,  societies, educational bodies, cultural and heritage organisations that have an interest in the promotion of the understanding of the past. Interested parties are encouraged to approach the society informally in the first instance. Full cases for support can then be submitted to the following deadlines: 15 February, 15 June and 15 October.

Please note that the Society does not offer direct support for individual scholars’ research costs; instead we support the RHS research grants scheme.