In autumn 2024 the Trust will be inviting students and scholars to apply for the opportunity to visit London for a period of one month of intensive study and research during the following year, 2025.

Approximately twenty places will be available and the successful candidates will be accommodated in one of the Trust’s two properties, in the Highgate and Kensington districts of London respectively.

Terms & Conditions:

The Trust provides £200 to all successful candidates to assist with the costs of travel within London. Additional funds may be provided to assist candidates who would otherwise not be able to take up an award. The Trust cannot otherwise cover any additional costs e.g. of flights, subsistence etc.

Priority will be given to those who stand to benefit most from a visit in terms of their work and future careers. Our visitors are often specialists in subjects in which the Founder, Robert Anderson, was actively involved, particularly musicology, archaeology, classical history and Egyptology. Many come from countries with which Dr Anderson had particular connections, including Egypt and other countries of the Middle East, Greece, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. We encourage applications from specialists in all subjects, however, and from anywhere in the world.

A list of those awarded places in 2024, along with photographs and brief reports on their experiences, is here.

Conditions:

• Applicants must be current MA / PhD students or within five years of having been awarded their MA / PhD.
• They must have a good grasp of English in both spoken and written forms.
• The successful candidates will be offered a place to be taken up between April and November 2024 (inclusive).
• Candidates who have visited London with the Trust in the past may apply for a second visit but awards will not be given to the same person more than twice.
• Candidates are required to make their own provision for 1) travel insurance and 2) health insurance cover unless reciprocal arrangements exist between their country and the UK, and to advise the Trust of any pre-existing medical condition or other circumstances (e.g. pregnancy) which might affect their visit to London.
• For students of Egyptology only: successful candidates will be asked to provide a letter from the institution(s) they wish to visit e.g. the Department of Egypt & Sudan, British Museum, The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology or The Egypt Exploration Society, confirming that the materials they wish to study will be available. PLEASE NOTE: applicants should not request these letters until they have been provisionally offered a place by the Trust. Awards will then be confirmed when the letters are provided. We strongly recommend that all students of Egyptology make provisional enquiries with the relevant institutions before submitting any application to the Trust. For contact details for the above listed institutions please follow the links. PLEASE NOTE we have been advised by colleagues at the Petrie Museum that they will be unable to receive any researchers between May and August 2o24 due to redevelopment work.

To apply: Applicants should complete an online application form and are also asked to send a letter of recommendation from a tutor or supervisor by e-mail to: cnaunton@robertandersontrust.org.

A deadline for applications in January 2025 will be fixed in due course. No application received after that time will be considered. If necessary, interviews for shortlisted candidates will be conducted via video call in January or February 2025; applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by early February 2024.

Any enquiries should also be sent via the contact form here.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

When an award is made:

The Trust will contact applicants to whom an award is to be made with proposed dates for the visit. The candidate will be asked to accept or decline, or to ask for alternative dates if necessary, within seven days; it may be possible to adjust the timing of a visit depending on the availability of rooms within the London premises, but once an offer has been accepted it will not normally be possible to make any further changes.

All successful candidates are asked to make the necessary application to secure a UK ‘Standard visitor visa’ (if required) in advance of their visit. We strongly recommend that successful applicants contact a friend or colleague who has successfully applied for a UK entry visa straight away so that they can help with the application. The Trust cannot reimburse applicants for the cost of any failed visa application.

Guidance on applying for a ‘Standard visitor visa’ to enter the UK is available here.

In addition we ask that successful candidates arrange their travel to the UK in good time, to ensure no delays.

On arrival in the UK:

The Trust’s representatives receive all visitors in person, assisting them in settling into their surroundings, and making introductions to libraries and academic colleagues if necessary.

The Trust encourages independent study however, and all candidates are asked to make arrangements well in advance as regards, for example, initiating library applications; reserving space in specialist libraries, and requesting specialist literature or access to specialist items.

Accommodation:

Visitors are provided with a private bedroom with bedding and towels, and access to a shared kitchen and bathroom. There are also communal areas and free access to wifi. The Trust does not provide any other IT facilities however and candidates will be required to bring their own computer or similar device to undertake their work. Candidates will be asked to ensure that all work undertaken electronically during their stay is backed up – the Trust will not be responsible for the cost to recover any data lost as a result of device failure.

Both the Trust’s properties are private homes, occupied by Trust representatives, and also by lodgers and other beneficiaries of the Trust including, in Kensington, its resident music scholar. As facilities in both houses including the kitchens and bathrooms are shared, visitors are asked at all times to help keep these areas clean and tidy, and to respect the privacy of other residents.