Deadline: 07-Oct-2025
The Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) and the OCIS Abdullah Gül Fellowships offer a unique opportunity for six exceptional candidates to undertake self-directed research focusing on their own project.
The Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) and OCIS Abdullah Gül Fellowships are a collaboration between the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the OCIS. They are for mid-career professionals and academics who are dedicated to promoting academic activities that encourage a more informed understanding of the culture and civilisation of Islam and contemporary Muslim societies.
This fellowship is designed to provide fellows with both academic enrichment and practical leadership development, preparing them to engage with pressing issues facing the Muslim world and global society.
Fellows will learn how to engage with complex global challenges through the lens of Islamic thought, diplomacy, and contemporary policy, while deepening their understanding of international relations, interfaith dialogue, and leadership in diverse cultural contexts.
Fellows will have the opportunity to explore the culture, civilisation, and historical trajectories of Muslim societies, foster inter-civilisational dialogue and academic exchange, and discuss issues relating to the Islamic world, including Islamic history, classical Islamic sciences, economics and Islamic finance, public health, science and technology in the Muslim world, and the study of Muslims in the West. Fellows will gain access to world-class academic resources and mentorship, opportunities for intercultural dialogue and intellectual exchange, and enhanced leadership skills and policy insight.
The Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Fellowship (OCIS) and OCIS Abdullah Gül Fellowship is a five-month program that runs from October to March. During this time, fellows will undertake academic research at OCIS while benefiting from living expenses, return economy airfare, and an allowance package for research-related activities.
Applicants are required to outline a short research proposal as part of their application, including a main research question and the intended method for conducting the study while in residence at the centre. This will help shape the academic focus of their fellowship.
Eligibility requirements for the fellowship are clearly defined. Applicants must be citizens of a fellowship-eligible country or territory, demonstrate leadership potential, and commit to returning to their home country at the end of the fellowship. They must also meet programme-specific requirements, not hold British or dual British citizenship, and not have received UK Government scholarship funding, including Chevening, within the last five years. Restrictions apply to employees, former employees, or relatives of employees of His Majesty’s Government, British Council, or UK universities, with further conditions outlined for Chevening partner organisations.
The selection process involves two rounds of interviews. The first is conducted by British embassies and high commissions, where candidates will discuss their suitability, motivations, and research interests. Those successful in the first round will proceed to a final interview with representatives from OCIS, concentrating more deeply on their research plans. Application closes on 7 October 2025.
For more information, visit Chevening.