If you’re a researcher passionate about design history, here’s a sweet opportunity you won’t want to let slip by—especially if you’re itching to connect with a vibrant research community overseas. The Centre for Design History (CDH) at the University of Brighton has just opened its call for the International Visiting Research Fellowship (VRF) for 2025/26—and trust me, it’s worth a look.
Let’s unpack the details in a way that feels conversational, helpful, and genuine—just like chatting with a friend over coffee.
What’s the big idea?
The CDH International VRF is open to established researchers—meaning folks with a PhD or equivalent experience—who are ready to immerse themselves in design history research at Brighton. If you’re a recent PhD grad (within 24 months), they’ve got a separate postdoc call, so fingers crossed both camps get a fair shake.
Between their six thematic strands—Architectural & Spatial Histories, Design Activism, Fashion, Dress & Textile Histories, Museums/Archives/Exhibitions, Sustainability in Design, and Transnationalism—there’s a lot of room to pitch something that genuinely excites you.
Key Deadlines—mark your calendar
- Deadline to apply: 5 pm GMT, Friday, 10 October 2025
- Notification of outcome: By Friday, 24 October 2025
- All fellowship-related costs must be settled by 30 June 2026.
Dates like these are exact and unambiguous—perfect if your memory loves to play tricks on you later.
What the fellowship includes
Let’s talk support:
- Up to £1,000 to help cover travel, accommodation, and research-related expenses
- An extra £200 administrative fee to help with the logistics
- Full access to University of Brighton resources: campus card, email, libraries, printing, Design Archives Reading Room (by appointment), seminars, training events—the works
- No salary or stipend, though—so you’ll want to ensure you have additional funds to cover what isn’t covered
The fellowship runs over one calendar year, but the on-site visit in Brighton is expected to last between one week and two months. You don’t need to relocate full-time—just swing in when you can contribute to the research community.
Who can apply? Let’s break it down.
You’re eligible if you:
- Hold a PhD or equivalent professional experience (early-career PhDs have a separate route)
- Plan research that aligns with at least one of the CDH’s six areas
- Can secure a CDH academic sponsor (someone from within the Centre who’ll back your proposal)
- Can commit to visiting Brighton for your research activities (a week or two, not the entire year)
- Are prepared to wrap up any funding-related costs by 30 June 2026
How to apply—what goes in your email
Your application email (to CentreforDesignHistory@brighton.ac.uk) by the 10 October deadline should include:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Detailed proposal (approx. 500 words) that:
- Highlights how you’d enrich CDH’s research culture
- Shows how your project fits with their themes
- Lays out collaborative goals or expected outputs
- Research outline (c. 500 words)
- Budget outline (within that £1,000 funding cap, plus mention of the £200)
- Preferred start date and how long you’ll stay in Brighton, factoring in visa timing
- Notes on visa requirements, if applicable
- A 200-word statement of support from your CDH sponsor
Once selected internally (around mid-October), you and your sponsor will submit a formal application to the University’s Research and Knowledge Exchange (R&KE) team for final approval.
Why it genuinely matters
Okay, this isn’t just another “tick box” fellowship. This is a chance to:
- Work collaboratively across countries with a rich network of over 50 design history researchers
- Gain access to an internationally renowned resource—the Design Archives
- Be part of rich discussions around sustainability, decolonization, activism, and transnational design—big themes that matter.
- Share your work via seminars and a blog post—visible, engaging, community-building
Plus, having that Brighton affiliation on your CV? Not a bad look for future projects and friendships.
You may also like:
- University of Queensland’s International Student Scholarship 2025, Australia
- Monash University International Merit Scholarship 2025, Australia (Worth up to $50,000)
- Qatar Government Scholarships 2025-2026 for International Students (Fully Funded)
Quick Recap
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 5 pm GMT, Friday 10 October 2025 |
| Funding | £1,000 travel/research + £200 admin fee |
| Visit Duration | 1 week to 2 months on site; fellowship spans 1 calendar year |
| Application Contents | CV, proposal, research outline, budget, timing, visa, sponsor statement |
| Key Themes | Architecture, activism, textiles, museum histories, sustainability, transnationalism |
| Not Covered | Salary/stipend—you need additional funding |
What’s next?
I’d say: start brainstorming how your research could connect with those CDH themes, ping potential sponsors early, and plan a timeline so you’re not scrambling by October. And hey, feel free to slap a sticky note on your desktop reading “10 Oct 2025”—trust me, reminders help.
Apply today, make your case, and you could be collaborating with an amazing international design history team before you know it.
Final Thoughts & Warm Send-Off
I know grant calls can feel like a chore sometimes—but this one feels different, doesn’t it? It’s got heart, it’s got scholarly impact, and it gives you real resources and a community to lean into. Writing that proposal will probably involve lots of coffee, maybe a little pacing, lots of revising… but also a real excitement that YES, you belong in this network somewhere.
So here’s your supportive nudge: you’ve got ideas, you’ve got passion—so show them what you’ve got. Reach out early, draft that proposal, and let CDH see how you’ll bring your unique voice and research to Brighton.
Big good luck—I’m rooting for you all the way.
Official website for more details and to apply:
Centre for Design History – Call for CDH International Visiting Research Fellow 2025/26