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The Chevening British Library Coptic Collections Fellowship 2027 is open to mid-career professionals from Egypt, Palestine, and Sudan who have experience or strong professional interests in Coptic manuscript heritage and cultural collections. The fellowship is hosted by the British Library and is co-funded by the British Library and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Applications are open until 27 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC.
This Chevening Fellowship in the UK will provide selected fellows with a 12-month research placement at the British Library from September 2027 to September 2028. Fellows will work on a research project involving the Library’s Coptic manuscript collections and will work closely with Dr. Michael Erdman, Head of Asian and African Studies (interim).
The British Library holds hundreds of complete and fragmentary Coptic codices, along with papyrus, parchment, and paper fragments covering more than 1,500 years of Coptic history, theology, and literary culture. The fellowship focuses on improving documentation and access to these collections while supporting research into their provenance and public engagement.
WhatsApp ChannelChevening British Library Fellowship 2027 Details
- Host institution: British Library
- Fellowship: Chevening British Library Coptic Collections Fellowship
- Location: United Kingdom
- Duration: 12 months
- Start date: September 2027
- End date: September 2028
- Eligible nationalities: Egypt, Palestine, and Sudan
- Application deadline: 27 October 2026, 12:00 UTC
Also Check: International Youth Library Fellowship Programme 2027 in Germany
Chevening Fellowship Benefits 2027
The fully funded Chevening British Library Coptic Collections Fellowship provides financial support for the 12-month placement. The package includes living expenses, return economy airfare, an allowance for fellowship-related activities, and up to £1,000 for approved project-related expenses.
Applicants should note that the FCDO does not arrange or facilitate travel to the UK, including travel from Palestine. Successful fellows are responsible for arranging their journey to the UK, potentially through third countries.
Also Check: George Washington Presidential Library Research Fellowship 2027-2028
What Will Fellows Do?
The fellowship is designed around research, manuscript cataloguing, provenance research, and cultural heritage engagement. Fellows will survey the British Library’s Coptic holdings and identify gaps in existing cataloguing and documentation.
Selected fellows will also:
- Create and improve catalogue records using manuscript evidence and existing metadata.
- Research and document the provenance of manuscripts.
- Analyse the history and acquisition of Coptic collections.
- Organise or contribute to events involving Coptic community members and researchers.
- Produce blogs, reports, and other research outputs.
- Support public engagement activities related to Coptic heritage.
The programme can provide specialist experience in manuscript cataloguing, provenance research, collections documentation, and community engagement. Fellows will also gain experience working with a major research library and cultural heritage institution.
Also Check: Chevening OCIS Fellowship 2026 in UK
Chevening Coptic Collections Fellowship Eligibility
Applicants must meet the standard Chevening Fellowship requirements as well as the programme-specific conditions. The fellowship requires applicants to be citizens of Egypt, Sudan, or Palestine. Applicants normally need to live in one of these countries, although eligible citizens living in specified ODA-eligible Middle Eastern and North African countries may also apply. Successful applicants must return to their country of citizenship for at least one year after the fellowship.
Applicants must also:
- Hold a postgraduate qualification or equivalent relevant professional training or experience.
- Have at least five years of significant professional and/or academic research experience.
- Be currently employed or enrolled as a PhD candidate. The PhD must not be with a UK, EU, or US university.
- Have excellent knowledge of Coptic, either Sahidic or Bohairic.
- Have good written and spoken English.
- Have experience cataloguing and handling manuscript collections.
- Have knowledge of manuscript description standards.
- Have experience in provenance research and documentation, or a demonstrable interest in the field.
- Have experience working with heritage communities or delivering cultural heritage engagement activities.
Chevening’s general fellowship requirements also include demonstrating leadership potential and returning to the country of citizenship for at least one year after the fellowship.
How to Apply for the Chevening British Library Fellowship
Eligible applicants should review the programme-specific requirements and Chevening’s general fellowship eligibility criteria before submitting an application. The official deadline is 27 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC. The fellowship begins in September 2027 and ends in September 2028.
Applicants should prepare evidence of their academic or professional background, relevant research experience, Coptic language skills, manuscript cataloguing experience, provenance research, and heritage community engagement before applying.
