2026 Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Fellowship

Published: 06 Aug 2025

The Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) Fellowships are aimed at mid-career academics or professionals who are dedicated to the promotion of academic activities which encourage a more informed understanding of the culture and civilisation of Islam and contemporary Muslim societies.

Fellows will undertake a five-month period of self-directed research at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS), focusing on their own project on the culture and civilisation of Islam and contemporary Muslim societies in a global context.

Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies

Application Deadline	October 7, 2025
Funding Type	Fully Funded
Country to study	United Kingdom
Type	Fellowship
Sponsor	Chevening

Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Benefits

• Five-month period of research at OCIS.
• Living expenses for the duration of the fellowship.
• Return economy airfare from home country to the UK.
• Allowance package for research-related activities.
• Access to a programme of cultural events and activities organised by the FCDO and the Chevening Secretariat.

Requirements for Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies

To be eligible for a Chevening OCIS Fellowship, you must:

• Demonstrate the potential to rise to a position of leadership and influence.
• Demonstrate the personal, intellectual and interpersonal attributes reflecting this potential.
• Be a citizen of one of the following countries and resident in one of these countries at the point of application: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Philippines, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, or Uzbekistan.
• Return to country of your citizenship at the end of the period of the fellowship.
• Hold a postgraduate level qualification (or equivalent professional training or experience in a relevant area) at the time of application.
• Have significant professional and/or academic research experience (at least five years).
• Have a good working knowledge of English to be assessed in your application form and if you are invited to interview.
• Not hold British or dual-British citizenship.
• Not be an employee, a former employee, or relative* of an employee of His Majesty’s Government, or have been within the last two years from the opening of Chevening applications (including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, all British Embassies/High Commissions, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade and the UKVI), the British Council, or a sponsoring UK university.

Selection Process

The Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Fellowship (OCIS)  selection process involves two rounds of interviews.

The first interview will be with British embassies and high commissions.

Candidates should be prepared to explain their suitability and motivations for the Chevening OCIS fellowship and should also be prepared to explain their research interests.

Successful candidates will be invited to a second and final interview with representatives from OCIS which will focus further on your research interests.

Application Documents

Applicants should be prepared to outline a short proposal on the area of academic research they would like to conduct at the time of application submission. The proposal should include a main research question and how the applicant intends to conduct this research while in residence at the Centre.

Check also:
Queen Elizabeth Scholarship (How to Apply)

Application Deadline

October 7, 2025

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Chevening on asams.chevening.org to apply

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