Getting started
In this section: Springboard | Identifying your training needs | Fellowship Writing Retreat | Knowledge Hub
What are the first steps in developing a fellowship application at Exeter?
You can find information here on identifying suitable opportunities, developing your idea and finding the right support.
Use this page as a guide to help you navigate the process and connect with the people and resources available to you.
Department Led Pitch your Idea
A 30-60 minute session where you present your early fellowship idea (typically via a short presentation) to a group of colleagues (typically comprising members of faculty in the host department and may include the Director of Research and Innovation and/or Director of Early Career Researchers) for initial framing and feedback. Please arrange this directly with the Director of Early Career Researchers/ Director of Research and Innovation in your host department.
Finding fellowship opportunities using Pivot-RP
Pivot-RP is the primary way of tracking new funding opportunities. PIVOT-RP is a comprehensive searchable online database of research funders and schemes, accessible to all University of Exeter staff and PGRs. Users can search for both external and internal calls, create tailored searches, set up funding alerts and track opportunities. If you are external to the university, your Exeter-based academic sponsor can help you find opportunities or please contact Research Development and Partnerships. Further details are in the Knowledge Hub.
Add your fellowship idea to Worktribe
Once you are ready to begin developing your fellowship application at the University of Exeter, your project should be added to Worktribe. If you are external to the university, your Exeter-based academic champion should create the record on your behalf. A Pre-award Liaison will then be assigned to support you with the application process. Further details are in the Knowledge Hub.
A Pre-award Liaison provides you support throughout the fellowship application process, helping with costing, approvals, funder requirements, and proposal submission.
Mentorship
Department Led Fellowship Clinic
Individual 1:1 meeting between prospective fellow and departmental Director of Research and Innovation.
These clinics can be used to help candidates:
- Explore various fellowship schemes and the specific remits of different funders.
- Receive direct feedback on CV competitiveness for specific applications.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the application process.
- Discuss and refine fellowship project ideas.
This will be arranged by the Director of Research and Impact after you contact them.
Finding the best mentor
This could be another established member of the department whose work aligns with yours and who can support your research and career development as a mentor, or your Host Principal Investigator (if relevant to the scheme). You can have more than one mentor to cover different aspects of your development as a fellow. Think Project, Person and Place.
The best mentor is not necessarily the person with the strongest CV. It is the person who can most credibly help you deliver the fellowship and develop beyond it.
If you are external to Exeter and don’t have contact with an academic, please use the Find a University of Exeter expert tool to find an academic sponsor.
Questions to ask potential mentors
- Why are you interested in supporting this fellowship?
- How do you see my research becoming independent from yours?
- How often would we meet?
- What opportunities could you help me access?
- Have you mentored fellows previously?
- What do you think are the biggest risks in my fellowship plan?
Assessing potential mentors
When selecting mentors, you should look beyond reputation and assess potential mentors against five key criteria:
- expertise relevant to their research
- commitment to supporting independence, availability and engagement
- fellowship experience
- the ability to provide valuable networks
- insight into career development opportunities.
The strongest mentor, or mentoring team, is one that can help you deliver your project, develop new skills, expand your professional connections, build a clear pathway to independence, and achieve your longer-term career goals. A well-chosen mentor can significantly strengthen both the fellowship application and the fellow's future career trajectory.