The Joint Visiting Scholarships Scheme is open for applications until 15 August 2023.
The Joint Visiting Scholarships Scheme aims to enhance the capacity of Iraqi scholars to engage in the sustainable development of cultural heritage. It enables academics, cultural heritage professionals, NGO workers, and research students to visit the UK for 1-2 months for training and research, or to take up an online placement.
The Visiting Scholarships Scheme is run jointly by the Nahrein Network with The British Institute for the Study of Iraq (BISI). Previous beneficiaries of the BISI Iraqi Visiting Scholarship, or the Nahrein Visiting Scholarship, are not eligible to re-apply.
- See the summary of our Visiting Scholarship Scheme in 2017-21, including statistics & home and host institutions for our scholars.
- Read about our latest Visiting Scholars.



What do the scholarships cover?
These scholarships cover:
- Reasonable research costs;
- Institutional fees (e.g. university access and library usage).
And for placements in the UK, we will also provide:
- Advice and support from BISI on applying for a UK visa, and on travel, insurance, and accommodation;
- All travel expenses, including visa costs;
- Travel insurance for your visit;
- Housing (usually with a host family) and a daily allowance for living costs.
These scholarships do not cover any of the following:
- Any salary expenses;
- English language training;
- Fees for long-term or full-time university courses;
- Any routine dental or medical expenses.
Eligibility
The scheme is aimed at Iraqi nationals, currently resident in Iraq, who want to carry out a project relating to one or more of the Nahrein Network's six aims.
- You cannot normally be a previous recipient of a Nahrein Network or BISI Visiting Scholarship.
- You should be a resident of Iraq (including KRI) though we may consider exceptions.
- We may ask you to take an English language test because a working level of English language is needed in order to benefit from the scholarship.
- The Scholarship Scheme funds research-related activity and not the restoration or conservations of buildings sites or collections, or archaeological digs. Nor can we fund work that directly involves children. The scholarship is designed to support the intellectual aspects of cultural heritage in the sustainable development of Iraq.
- Applications without a UK host will not be considered.
- The scheme now includes PhD students as well as cultural heritage professionals and academics.
Preparing to apply
- Check your eligibility
- Download and read the application form
- Determine what you would like to research and how this fits with the Network aims.
- Identify and contact a suitable host institution in the UK. We cannot accept any applications that do not have a UK host. Ask your proposed host to give you a letter or email, issued and signed by a person of authority in the host institution, confirming:
- that the relevant department within the organisation is happy to host you for the proposed rpoject on the agreed dates;
- the name and position of your contact within the institution (who should not be the signatory of this letter);
- and any fees the institution expects to be paid for hosting you.
- Secure your home institution's approval. Ask them to give you a letter confirming they are happy for you to undertake the scholarship.
How to Apply
- Download and fill in the application form
- Make sure you have the letter of permission from your home institution.
- Make sure you have the letter of invitation from your host institution.
- Run through the check on page 10 of your application. You must meet all the conditions there to have a complete application.
- Convert all three documents into one PDF document. Name your file in format applicantname_homeinstitutionname.pdf
- Go to the UCL Dropbox
- On the first page, choose 'Drop Off'.
- On the second page, under 'From:', add your name and email address.
- On the second page, under 'To;', add Nahrein and nahrein@ucl.ac.uk
- Choose your file to upload and add a short description.
- Choose 'Upload all files'.
Terms and conditions for UK placements
Scholars must sign a formal agreement with the Nahrein Network and BISI to show that they agree with the terms and conditions of the scholarship.
We reserve the right to withdraw any scholarships that have not been taken up within one year of notification of the awards.
In addition, for UK placements, the following also apply:
Scholars must apply for a UK visa at least three months before their visit to the UK. This will require you to take your identity documents for checking at a Visa Application Centre in your home country.
Scholars are expected to be able to work and travel independently in the UK