Independent researchers with an interest in any aspect of Romantic Studies (including literature, architecture, art, politics, culture, history etc) are invited to apply for the Independent Researcher Bursary.
The purpose of the Independent Researcher Bursary is to enable professionals working outside of academia to attend and present at the British Association for Romantic Studies (BARS) International Conference.
We recognize that there is limited funding available for independent scholars, whether those in alternative-academic (alt-ac) professions such as university administration, information management, the heritage sector and teaching, or those pursuing careers in non-academic professions. We are therefore creating a new bursary, thanks to a generous directed donation, to address this need.
The higher education sector is facing significant headwinds at present, and there is no doubt that the field of literary studies is facing substantial cuts in the number of available jobs. We want to ensure that everyone feels encouraged to become part of the BARS community, especially non-traditional academics and interested external professionals – and to support a wider range of valuable contributions to our academic field.
The Bursary
The bursary will be for £500.
The bursary should be used to help defray costs associated with attending and presenting at the BARS Conference. This might include travel, accommodation, or registration fees.
The bursary can also be used to cover the cost of a year’s membership of BARS (currently £37.00), as all those presenting at the conference must be a member of the organisation.
The award is contingent upon the applicant’s presentation being accepted for inclusion in the conference programme by the conference organising committee.
Awards will be made based upon the level of projected engagement with the BARS community, together with the significance of the proposed conference abstract.
Applicant criteria
Eligible applicants include all those participating in the wider network of invested communities supporting the field of Romantic studies, such as: members and managers of relevant literary/learned societies (without academic affiliation); curators and archivists; members of the teaching profession; those with relevant alt-ac positions; those pursuing careers in non-academic professions; historians; those without academic affiliation publishing original research in relevant topics. Given the scope of potential professions, this list is not exhaustive – so if your profession is not listed, please do not assume you are excluded from this application process.
Ineligible applicants include: students, full-time researchers, those in established academic posts, those retired from established academic posts, and those actively seeking full-time academic roles – as other sources of funding are already available for these groups.
Application process
For the application process, we require a document containing:
- Your name
- Your job title and employer details
- A short professional biography
- A short outline of your personal interest in Romantic studies, explaining why you wish to attend and present at the conference
- Details of how you would use the bursary
This document should be 250-500 words long.
In addition, a copy of the presentation abstract submitted to the BARS Conference organisers should be included in the application.
Application deadline
The deadline for the current round, which will support attendance at the 2026 BARS International Conference at the University of Birmingham, is Friday 28th November 2025.
Applications should be emailed to the BARS Bursaries Officer, Gerard McKeever: gerard.mckeever@ed.ac.uk
Questions
If you have any questions about the bursary, eligibility criteria, or other matters, please get in touch with our Executive Committee Member for Independent Researchers, Emily Paterson-Morgan (emily@p-m.uk.com)