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  • Applications closed 10 March 2024.
  • Applications are open to PhD students in a psychology-related subject who are a Member of the British Psychological Society. They must have completed their first year of study.
  • The Society will be awarding one Fellowship to take place in 2024/25.

About the scheme

POST and the British Psychology Society (BPS) are offering a 13-week fellowship to PhD students in a psychology-related subject who are a Member of the British Psychological Society.

The successful applicant will be based in UK Parliament, supporting its use of research evidence. Most fellows assist POST in providing briefing material for parliamentarians on emerging science topics. Work may include:

  • Producing a POSTnote or POSTbrief (briefing documents to help inform the work of MPs and Peers), or contributing to a longer briefing report.
  • Assisting a select committee in an ongoing inquiry.
  • Organising a seminar to inform or disseminate research.

PhD Fellows are encouraged to interact closely with people and activities in the two Houses of Parliament, including Select committees, MPs and Peers, their support services, ‘All-Party Parliamentary Group’ meetings and the very wide range of other activities at the Palace of Westminster.

The fellowship can be carried out full-time or part-time over a longer period. It may be undertaken remotely, at POST’s offices in Westminster, or under hybrid working arrangements. The successful applicant will start their fellowship between September 2024 and April 2025. The exact start date is to be agreed between the applicant, POST and the BPS.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants must meet the following three eligibility criteria:

  • be a postgraduate student registered for a doctoral degree in a psychology-related subject e.g. PhD/MPhil or taught practitioner doctorates (DClinPsy etc.) at a UK Higher Education Institute or their PhD funding must have ended within the twelve months prior to the application deadline (if your funding ended before 10 March 2023, you are not eligible for this fellowship).
  • must have completed their first year of full-time study (or equivalent if part-time) prior to the publication of this call for applications.
  • be at least a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society.

Successful candidates will be required to complete pre-employment checks. This includes security vetting to Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) level. All successful candidates are required to pass these checks before an offer can be confirmed. Further information can be found in the application guidance on the BPS website.

How to apply

It is important that you download and read the application pack before applying, as it contains more details on the role, application process, and assessment criteria. The application pack and details for how to apply can be found on the BPS website.

Applicants should submit:

  • An application form
  • An approval form, which has been completed by your PhD Supervisor and Head of Department.
  • A two-page briefing on a topic that you think would be of current interest to Parliamentarians. The briefing should be completed using the briefing template and should not contain your name or any other identifying details. We want you to use the briefing template and ensure your work is not identifiable in order to make the process as fair and unbiased as possible. Please see the application pack for the two-page briefing assessment and some tips for writing it.

Please email completed forms to awardsandgrants@bps.org.uk by Sunday 10th March 2024.

Applications will undergo an initial sift on the basis of the two-page briefing. Interviews will be held in May 2024.

Funding arrangements

The BPS will provide funding to cover the Fellow’s PhD stipend maintenance grant, travel, and relocation or care costs, up to a total of £7,922.50. Self-funded PhD students will receive funding equivalent to the stipend maintenance grant rate set by the Economic, Social and Research Council. More details can be found in the application guidance.

About the British Psychological Society

The British Psychological Society is an inclusive organisation, with a diverse membership, who we support at every stage of their career. The BPS works to advance evidence-based psychological knowledge, pure and applied, through education, research, practice and innovation. The BPS aims to deliver influential, effective and impactful outcomes for psychologists, the people they support and wider society. (see: www.bps.org.uk)

For full details of the scheme or an application form, please contact awardsandgrants@bps.org.uk.

For questions about POST fellowships, please contact us at postfellowships@parliament.uk

Got questions?

We have a series of resources to help you understand how we produce policy briefings and to answer any questions you might have about our fellowships.

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