The Chevening British Library Coptic Collections Fellowship is a fully funded 12-month programme at the British Library in the UK for mid-career professionals from Egypt, Sudan and Palestine. The fellowship begins in September 2027 and ends in September 2028, and it is designed for people working with cultural collections and Coptic manuscript heritage.
Key facts
- The fellowship is hosted at the British Library in the UK.
- It lasts 12 months, from September 2027 to September 2028.
- Eligible applicants are mid-career professionals from Egypt, Sudan and Palestine, including some residents in listed Chevening-eligible MENA countries.
- The programme covers living expenses, return airfare and up to £1,000 for approved project-related expenses.
- The application deadline is 27 October 2026.
What does this mean for applicants and researchers?
For eligible professionals, the fellowship offers funded research time inside one of the world’s major research libraries, along with a project-based placement focused on the British Library’s Coptic collections. Fellows will survey the collections, identify gaps in existing documentation and catalogues, and produce reports and blogs that help raise awareness of the holdings.
The opportunity is aimed at applicants with a postgraduate qualification or equivalent professional training or experience, at least five years of professional or academic research experience, strong English, and experience with cataloguing, provenance research, manuscript collections and heritage engagement. Applicants must also be currently employed or enrolled as PhD candidates, with the PhD not at a UK, EU or US university.
- Who can apply: citizens of Egypt, Sudan or Palestine, plus eligible residents of specified MENA countries.
- Where it takes place: the British Library, UK.
- When to apply: by 27 October 2026.
- What it covers: living expenses, return airfare and up to £1,000 for approved project costs.
What will fellows do during the programme?
Fellows will work under the supervision of the Head of Asian and African Studies on a research project tied to the Coptic collections. The programme also includes public engagement activities related to Coptic heritage, making the fellowship both a research placement and a collections-development opportunity.
The stated goal is to build a better overview of the British Library’s Coptic holdings, strengthen the catalogue record, and support wider understanding of the collection through publications and outreach.
How do applicants qualify?
Applicants need to meet the standard Chevening eligibility criteria and the fellowship-specific requirements. The programme asks for excellent knowledge of the Coptic language; Arabic and/or Greek are desirable but not mandatory. Candidates must also show experience in handling manuscript collections, provenance research and documentation, and work with heritage communities or engagement activities.
The host organisations are the British Library and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Required documents include proof of citizenship, travel documents, experience certificates and transcripts, according to the application checklist.
How can candidates apply before the deadline?
Applicants must first choose their country and programme, answer the eligibility questions, register and verify an account, then complete the online form with personal details, education history, work history, referees, supporting statements and equal opportunities questions before submitting the application.
Because the deadline is 27 October 2026, candidates need to prepare citizenship, travel and academic records as well as proof of relevant professional experience in advance.
