SOAS Charles Wallace India Fellowship

Scholarship overview

Who is the fellowship for?

One fellowship is awarded annually by the SOAS South Asia Institute (SSAI) and the Charles Wallace India Trust to a scholar who has had no, or little opportunity, to conduct research outside India. The three-month placement at SOAS, University of London must be taken during term-time (January to May).

Who is eligible?

  1. Applicants must be Indian nationals and be residing in India at the time the application is submitted.  
  2. Applicants must have completed a PhD and must be working in the fields of "India Studies" (Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) which are supported at SOAS. Applicants may not hold the Fellowship for the purpose of, or in conjunction with, enrolment in any Higher Educational Institution in the United Kingdom (including SOAS). 
  3. Applicants must be in the early to middle stage of their academic careers.
  4. Candidates must demonstrate sufficient English language ability, both written and spoken, to participate in discussions and use resource materials.
  5. Applicants must state if they are in receipt of any other grant, or are awaiting results of other applications.  Failure to do so may result in the fellowship being withdrawn.

The three-month visiting Fellowship is intended:

  1. To contribute actively to the Institute’s research environment;
  2. To provide SSAI members and research students with the opportunity to work with leading academics from outside SOAS;
  3. To develop and promote links with academic institutions in India; and
  4. To offer academics from India the opportunity to collaborate in joint research with SSAI colleagues.

Visitor contribution

Visitors are expected to give a talk in the Institute’s seminar series and take part in the general intellectual life of the School (for example, active participation in seminars). They may also be asked to contribute to one or more of the following Institute's activities:

  1. Give a talk in a Departmental seminar series, or a paper in a conference;
  2. Collaborate on a research project with a member, or members, of the Institute;
  3. Provide an article for the Institute’s working papers series;
  4. Develop a research proposal to apply for an external funding award through the Institute; and
  5. Contribute to the SSAI’s network of contacts (academic, practitioner, policy-making and/or media).

Application procedure

A complete application will comprise:

  1. The application form duly filled in (including Section 11, list of your Publications and Section 15, a Description of your Proposed Research including an explanation of why SOAS in particular is an appropriate venue for you to pursue this research). 
  2. Two letters of recommendation.

All material must be submitted electronically to ssai@soas.ac.uk with the email subject reference as – Charles Wallace India Fellowship 2023/24If you have further query, please contact ssai@soas.ac.uk

The School may wish to conduct an online interview with the top three shortlisted candidates.  Further details will be sent to the shortlisted candidates after the closing date.

Successful candidate will receive a contribution of £700 towards visa fees and fares, and a monthly stipend of £1500. The successful candidate will be obliged to find his/her own accommodation in London

Notification of competition result

All applicants will be notified by e-mail regarding the outcome of their application.  Applicants who submit an ineligible or incomplete application will not be contacted.

The School is authorised to release the names of successful fellows and their research topics as it deems fit.

Closing date for applications: Monday, 18 September 2023

Charles Wallace Trust

The Charles Wallace India Trusts support fellowships to enable academics (historians and social scientists) as well as writers and translators to spend around three months, at a specified host university in the UK. You can find further information and guidance by visiting their website which will give you access to information on the individual trusts.