Supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Wellcome Trust, the British Academy Conferences scheme provides an opportunity for UK-based scholars to run a pivotal event of lasting significance in their field, as a central part of the Academy’s events programme.

Successful conferences will bring together scholars from around the world to present and discuss new research in the humanities and social sciences. Held either at the Academy’s own premises in London, at other British venues, online or at one of the British International Research Institutes (BIRIs) outside of the UK, these landmark events will offer students, scholars and specialists an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in their subject areas and to expand their academic networks.

Conferences should take place over one or two days at a venue in the UK, or up to three days if online only. Proposals should be for conferences that disseminate new research in the humanities and social sciences. Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary proposals are particularly welcome, as are proposals that show the connection between humanities/social sciences disciplines and the natural sciences. Awards for a strand of British Academy/Wellcome Trust Conferences are available for events that foster discussion and debate on health and wellbeing related themes.

Awards are open to postdoctoral scholars (or equivalent) in the fields of the humanities and social sciences who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.

Conferences must be held in the UK. The only exception is for conferences hosted by one of the BIRIs. In these instances, conferences must be delivered as hybrid occasions in order to make them accessible to UK audiences.

Applications require the approval of the applicant’s employing institution, but are not limited to those of any particular status. Applications can be made by independent scholars and retired scholars.

Up to £20,000 per conference is available for British Academy/DSIT conferences. For conferences on health and wellbeing under the British Academy/Wellcome Trust scheme, the upper limit of awards is £30,000. Many awards will be made at a lower level, with sums in the region of £10,000 to £15,000 likely.

The Academy expects to fund up to 18 conferences each year. Awards in this round are for conferences to be held between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027.