Funding Opportunities

With the generous support of our funders, the Global Philosophy of Religion Project (GPR-2) offers a range of funding opportunities to support research, public engagement, teaching, and travel. These grants aim to empower scholars, educators, and practitioners from diverse backgrounds and regions, fostering a truly global and inclusive approach.


1. Research Funding

We provide funding streams addressing key themes in global philosophy of religion, with a total overall value of £300,000:

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Call ended

  • Eligibility: Specialist in Philosophy of Religion with a doctorate (or near completion) in Philosophy, Theology, Religious Studies, or a related subject or equivalent qualifications
  • Duration: Full-time, 2 year (to June 2027)
  • Start date: July 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter
  • Deadline: 01/04/2025

Science-Engaged Research

Call ended

  • Funding Amount: Up to £30,000
  • Use: Events and publications
  • Eligibility: Teams must include one philosopher/philosophical theologian and one empirical scientist
  • Encouraged: Projects that are led or co-led by researchers from underrepresented religious traditions or underrepresented countries
  • Deadline: 31/03/2025

Theoretical and Conceptual Research

Call ended

  • Funding Amount: Up to £30,000
  • Use: Organize events, produce publications
  • Encouraged: Projects that are led or co-led by researchers from underrepresented religious traditions or underrepresented countries
  • Deadline: 31/03/2025

2. Public Engagement and Impact Funding

Funding totalling £50,000 is available for public-facing dissemination of global philosophy of religion research, focusing on diverse traditions and regions. Details will be announced in the coming months.

Public Engagement and Impact

  • Funding Amount: Up to £10,000 (lower request amounts encouraged)
  • Use: Activities and content aimed at non-academic audiences
  • Aims: To stimulate interest in and impact of research in global philosophy of religion
  • Encouraged: Projects that are led or co-led by researchers from underrepresented religious traditions or underrepresented countries
  • Deadline: 19/09/2025

3. Teaching and Training Funding

We support innovative teaching and training initiatives through several schemes, with a total overall value of £100,000:

Dharmanath Scholarship in Jain Studies

Call ended

MA by Research in Theology of Religion

  • Amount: up to 100% tuition fees covered (£5,006 UK. £22,600 international)
  • Eligibility: Students applying to a MA by Research in Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham, with a dissertation on Jain Studies. Applicants must be accepted on the course beforehand. Apply to the MA here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/subjects/theology-and-religion-courses/theology-and-religion-phd.
  • Availability: 2 grants for 2025-2026
  • Deadline: 30/04/2025 > extended to 10/05/2025
  • Application to the grant: See details in "Read More"

Junior Scholar Coaching Stipends

  • Amount: £1,000
  • Purpose: Pairs of junior and senior academics collaborate through one-on-one coaching sessions.
  • Timescale: Three one-on-one meetings by the end of May 2027.
  • Deadline: 30/09/2025

Book Stipends

  • Amount: £2,000
  • Eligibility: Academics at underfunded institutions to purchase books for library collections.
  • Deadline: 30/09/2025

Course Development Stipends

  • Amount: £2,000.
  • Purpose: Develop or revise courses that diversify philosophy of religion curricula.
  • Deadline: 05/08/2025

William Paton MA Stipends

  • Amount: £2,000
  • Eligibility: Students on the Global Philosophy of Religion Pathway at the University of Birmingham
  • Availability: 10 stipends for 2025-2027
  • Deadline: rolling, but applicants need to be accepted on the course before applying (contact gpr@contacts.bham.ac.uk for more details)

4. Travel Bursaries

Travel Bursary

Call ended for Manila

Call not yet open for Calabar & India

  • Purpose: For participants delivering talks at international conferences in Southeast Asia (2025), Africa (2026), and India (2027).
  • Details: Up to £1,500 per bursary, with 24 bursaries available.

Department of Philosophy

ERI Building
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Additional Photos By : Karl-Stéphan Bouthillette
Website By :  Watkins Web Design