UK Research Funding Directory
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Arts and Humanities Research Council

AHRC

Funds research across history, languages, literature, philosophy, archaeology, design, music and the creative industries. Notably supportive of collaborative work with museums, galleries, heritage bodies and creative businesses.

Funding opportunities ↗Main site ↗
Kind of funder
Research council
Where it funds
UK-wide
Indicative award size
£30k – £2m
Approx. annual research spend
£130m
Who can apply
Universities, Research institutes, Charities & NGOs
Career stages
PhD / doctoral, Postdoctoral, Early career, Established researcher

Research networking and early career routes start well under £100k.

Research areas

HumanitiesArts & cultureEducationSocial sciences

Named schemes (11)

  • Attendance and engagement at UK sporting, cultural and heritage sites ↗

    Apply for funding to research the development of novel data-intensive approaches for capturing engagement data from unticketed cultural, heritage, and sporting events, activities and locations, demonstrated through a deployable tool in at least one DCMS sector. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    Open1 Dec 2026£1.3m total fundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-22

  • Long-term cultural and sporting events legacy ↗

    Apply for funding to research the long-term impact and legacy of major sporting and cultural events in the UK, focusing on running a live experimental evaluation of a major event that fills gaps in existing methodologies. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    Open1 Dec 2026£1.3m total fundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-22

  • Gambling harms research grants ↗

    Apply for funding that deepens understanding or supports solutions for the prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms. To lead an application, you must be based at a research organisation eligible for UKRI funding.

    Open8 Dec 2026up to £2m per award£18m total fundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-21

  • International Placement Scheme 2027 ↗

    Apply to undertake a placement at an international cultural institution. You must either be: a PhD student funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) an early career researcher in any arts and humanities subject based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding

    Open9 Mar 2027£391k total fundpulled from UKRI 2026-11-02

  • AHRC Catalyst Awards: applicant-led mode ↗

    Apply for funding to support researchers without prior experience of leading a significant research project to accelerate their trajectory as independent researchers, to unlock their potential and build leadership and convenor experience. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    OpenCheck funder site for current roundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-23

  • AHRC Collaborate with researchers in Luxembourg: applicant-led mode ↗

    Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in Luxembourg. Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of AHRC and Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR). You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    OpenCheck funder site for current roundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-23

  • AHRC Curiosity Award: applicant-led mode ↗

    Apply for funding for flexible awards to fund fundamental research that leads to new research agendas, networking activity and idea generation, which enables the development of further research opportunities and new research agendas. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    OpenCheck funder site for current roundup to £100k per awardpulled from UKRI 2026-09-23

  • AHRC Research Grants (standard and early career) ↗

    Support for arts and humanities projects, with a dedicated early career route carrying lighter eligibility requirements and smaller budgets.

    Rolling / recurringCheck funder site for current round£50k – £1m per awardchecked 2026-05-01

  • AHRC Standard research grant: applicant-led mode ↗

    Apply for AHRC standard research grant funding to support well-defined collaborative projects across the arts and humanities, in areas covered by our remit. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    OpenCheck funder site for current roundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-23

  • AHRC UKRI NSF-SBE lead agency: applicant-led mode ↗

    Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in the Unites States (US). Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of AHRC and NSF-SBE. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    OpenCheck funder site for current roundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-23

  • AHRC Working with Brazilian researchers: Applicant-led mode ↗

    Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding.

    OpenCheck funder site for current roundpulled from UKRI 2026-09-23