Royal Astronomical Society Fellowships

The Southampton Astronomy Group invites expressions of interest (EoI) from candidates intending to apply for an RAS Research Fellowship in the 2026 round.

The School of Physics & Astronomy can support only a limited number of candidates, so an internal selection process will be carried out ahead of the RAS deadline. Potential applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EoI), which will be assessed by an internal panel to decide which applicants can be supported.

Southampton internal application process

To submit an EoI, please email a CV, list of publications and draft research proposal (each of these three documents being no longer than 3 pages) to hogastro@soton.ac.uk by 12 noon (UK time) on Monday 19th October.

The above page limits deliberately mirror the RAS’s requirements to minimise the additional work for applicants – but we would like to emphasise that we do appreciate that the proposal will be draft at this stage. We understand that the details will not be fine-tuned yet, but the draft should convey the importance of the project, what the plan is for the three years, and should demonstrate that the applicant is able to convey things clearly to a panel whose membership may be broad.

Please see the link below for more details, including eligibility. (Broadly speaking an applicant needs to either have been awarded their PhD since 1st October 2024, or be taking their viva in the next month (by 15th November).)

• 19 October 2026, 12:00: Southampton EoI deadline
• No later than 21 October 2026: applicants informed of the internal selection outcome
• 15 November 2026: RAS submission deadline

Prior contact

Prospective applicants are required to make prior contact with a staff sponsor in the Astronomy Group to discuss hosting opportunities within the group. Applicants who need assistance with contacting sponsors may also contact the Head of Astronomy, Prof Robert Fear.

Useful links

RAS Research Fellowship Call link

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are fully committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and we want our group to provide an open and inclusive environment where students and staff of all backgrounds can thrive and feel valued. This is reflected in our approach to fellowship support .

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the submission process, please contact the Head of Astronomy Prof. Robert Fear.

Useful links

RAS Call