SSI Fellowship Programme 2027
£4,000 and a mentor for researchers and research software engineers who want to improve software practice in their field. Applications close October 5, 2026.
The SSI Fellowship Programme 2027 is run by the Software Sustainability Institute, now the Institute for Research Software, at the University of Edinburgh. It funds researchers, research software engineers and advocates who want to improve computational practice in their field. Around 20 Fellows are selected each year, including up to three international Fellows.
Each Fellow receives £4,000 of flexible financial support to spend over 15 months on activities that promote good software practice, such as organising or attending events. Fellows are also matched with a mentor, join cohort based learning, and take part in monthly community calls, study groups and the annual Collaborations Workshop.
The programme is open to applicants at any career stage and from any background, from PhD candidates and junior research software engineers to professors and directors of research computing. People without a formal software background who support research, training or research infrastructure can apply too. Applicants outside the UK, or without a UK affiliation, must show how their plans support international collaboration or bring something to UK research culture.
The application has two parts: a form and a six minute screencast, a voiceover over slides that covers who you are, what you do and your plans for the Fellowship. Shortlisted candidates take part in an Online Selection Day, a full day of group activities.
Applications opened on August 10, 2026 and close on October 5, 2026. The shortlist is confirmed on November 3, the Online Selection Day is on November 12, and the Fellowships are announced on December 9. The Fellowships run from January 1, 2027 to March 31, 2028.