British Institute For Libyan And Northern African Studies

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £41,623 (2024-2025)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (decisions made after February 28 deadline)
• Grant Range: £1,000 - £20,000
• Geographic Focus: UK-based researchers studying Libya and Northern Africa

Contact Details

• Website: https://www.bilnas.org/
• Email: gensec@societyforlibyanstudies.org / gensec@bilnas.org
• Phone: 020 3174 2412
• Grants Information: https://www.bilnas.org/research-activity/bilnas-grants/

Overview

The British Institute for Libyan and Northern African Studies (BILNAS), registered charity number 259262, evolved from the Society for Libyan Studies in 2022 to reflect a broadening geographical remit. Founded in 1969 and sponsored by the British Academy, BILNAS has fostered links between British and regional scholars across archaeology, history, geography, natural sciences, and linguistics for over 50 years. With an annual income of £196,052 (2023-24) and total expenditure of £230,192, the Institute awarded £41,623 in grants during 2024-2025 across multiple grant categories. BILNAS supports primary research in Libya and the broader Northern African region (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Mali, Chad, Sudan), funding high-calibre projects on any topic in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The organization maintains the BILNAS Library at SOAS and publishes the journal Libyan Studies.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Research Grants: £1,000 - £3,000

• Open to postdoctoral scholars at any career stage ordinarily resident in the UK
• Can be renewed for continuing projects
• Applications via online portal/email submission
• Annual deadline: February 28

Large Research Grants: £3,001 - £10,000

• Open to postdoctoral scholars at any career stage ordinarily resident in the UK
• Supports substantial field projects, groups of researchers, and multi-year projects
• Can be renewed for continuing projects
• Applications via online portal/email submission
• Annual deadline: February 28

Postdoctoral Writing Fellowship Awards: up to £8,000

• For postdoctoral scholars within 8 years of their PhD
• Supports writing and publication of research
• Recent recipients: Danielle McLean and Anna Walas (£8,000 each, 2024-25)
• Annual deadline: February 28

Celia Hensman Grants: up to £1,000

• Exclusively for undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Supports language studies and exploratory research
• Three awards made in 2024-25
• Annual deadline: February 28

Flagship Research Grants: £20,000

• Supports major research projects in social sciences and humanities
• Tenable for up to 24 months
• Two grants typically offered
• Separate application process and deadline

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships on “Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions”

• Specialized fellowship programme
• Deadline: July 14, 2025

Project Affiliation

• For non-funded research requiring institutional affiliation
• Provides official BILNAS affiliation for visa, permissions, and academic purposes

Urgent Awards Procedure

• Available for exceptional circumstances outside normal application cycles

Priority Areas

BILNAS funds research in Libya and Northern Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Mali, Chad, Sudan) across:

• Archaeology: Excavations, surveys, ceramic studies, chronological studies using volcanic ash layers
• History: Archival research, colonial history, Islamic history, Late Antique North Africa
• Social Sciences: Urban studies, education, civic engagement, pastoral communities, mobility and identity
• Cultural Studies: Street art, material culture, used fiber economies
• Geography and Natural Sciences: Environmental research, landscape studies
• Linguistics: Language studies and documentation

Recent funded projects include: Cyrenaica Coastal Survey, Tarhuna Archaeological Survey (Libya), volcanic chronology research, painted ceramics in Tunisia, Islamic glaze studies in Sicily and Ifriqiya, girls' education in the Atlas Mountains, street art mapping in Tunisia, and Bu Njem archival work.

What They Don't Fund

• Research outside the defined Northern African geographical remit
• Researchers not ordinarily resident in the UK (with rare exceptions for specific fellowship programmes)
• Applicants without a completed PhD (except for student-specific Celia Hensman Grants)
• Projects without a clearly defined research outcome
• Conference attendance without a research component
• Grant expenditure beyond April 30 following the award year

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Governance and Leadership

BILNAS is registered as Charity no. 259262 and operates as a UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) no. 1203646. The Officers and Council constitute the charity's trustees.

Officers

• President: Professor Nicholas Barton BA, DEA, DPhil, FSA
• Vice President: Professor Graeme Barker CBE FBA FSA FRGS
• Director: Professor Anna Leone PhD
• Honorary Treasurer: Oliver Kimberley ACA, MA
• Assistant Director: Dr Nichole Sheldrick MA DPhil
• Head of Mission: Professor Paul Bennett MBE BA Hon DLitt FSA MCIFA
• Honorary Collections Officer: Dr Valeria Vitale MA, PhD
• Publications Manager and General Secretary: Dr Victoria Leitch BA MPhil DPhil
• Honorary Librarian: Dawn Wright BA DiplLib

Council Members

• Salem Elmaiar MPhil FRGS
• Professor Hisham Matar FRSL
• Barbara Spadaro PhD
• Anita Radini BA MA PhD
• Julia Nikolaus BA PhD
• Najlaa El-Ageli AA Dep

Research Grants Committee

• The Director
• The Honorary Treasurer
• The Assistant Director
• Head of Mission
• Professor Alice Stevenson PhD, FSA (Committee Chair)
• Dr Tim Reynolds BA, MA, PhD, FSA

The Research Grants Committee reviews all applications and makes funding recommendations to the trustees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

BILNAS operates an annual application cycle with a single main deadline.

Application Method: Email submission using official BILNAS application forms available at https://www.bilnas.org/research-activity/bilnas-grants/

Main Application Deadline: Friday, February 28 (annually)

Forms Required:

• Small and Large Grant Application Form (available as PDF and Word document)
• Referee forms submitted by referees (must use official BILNAS Referee Form)

Critical Requirements:

• All applications must include references submitted by the deadline
• Applications without references will not be considered
• Referees cannot be members of the BILNAS Grants Committee, BILNAS Council, or BILNAS staff
• Applications must clearly demonstrate that BILNAS affiliation is sought for a clearly defined piece of research with an identifiable outcome
• Grant expenditure must be completed by April 30, 2026 (for 2025 awards)

Eligibility Verification:

• Applicants must be postdoctoral scholars holding a PhD (except for student grants)
• Must be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom
• Early career researchers are particularly encouraged to apply

Previous Grant Recipients: Applications for a new grant from recipients who have previously received a BILNAS grant will not be considered unless the terms of the previous grant have been met (reports submitted, outcomes delivered).

Decision Timeline

Applications are reviewed after the February 28 deadline by the Research Grants Committee. Specific decision timelines and notification dates are not publicly disclosed. Applicants should contact the General Secretary at gensec@bilnas.org for information about expected notification timing.

Information about the following year's grants, including deadlines and any changes to programmes, is typically published towards the end of each calendar year.

Success Rates

In 2024-2025, BILNAS awarded:

• 2 Postdoctoral Writing Fellowships (£8,000 each)
• 4 Research Grants (ranging £3,000-£9,000)
• 3 Celia Hensman Grants (£1,000 each)

Total: 9 grants awarded for £41,623

Specific application numbers and success rates are not publicly disclosed. For comparative information, applicants may contact the General Secretary.

Reapplication Policy

BILNAS does not publicly disclose a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. Applicants seeking clarification on whether they can reapply, any waiting periods, or how to strengthen a resubmission should contact the General Secretary at gensec@bilnas.org.

Application Success Factors

Based on analysis of funded projects and organizational priorities:

Demonstrate Clear Research Outcomes: BILNAS explicitly states that “all applications should clearly demonstrate that BILNAS-affiliation is sought for a clearly defined piece of research, which will have an identifiable outcome on completion.” Successful applications articulate specific deliverables such as publications, excavation reports, archival findings, or conference presentations.

Align with Geographical Remit: Funded projects demonstrate strong connections to Libya or Northern Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Mali, Chad, Sudan). Applications may also explore connections between North Africa and the Mediterranean or sub-Saharan Africa. The organization's 2022 name change from Society for Libyan Studies to BILNAS reflects a deliberate broadening of geographical scope - applications covering the wider Northern African region are welcomed.

Show Interdisciplinary Potential: Recent grants span archaeology (Cyrenaica Survey, Tarhuna Survey), history (Bu Njem archives, colonial science), social sciences (girls' education, urban economies), and cultural studies (street art mapping). Successful applications often demonstrate how research contributes to multiple academic disciplines or uses innovative methodological approaches.

Early Career Researchers Encouraged: BILNAS explicitly states “applications from early career researchers are particularly encouraged, as well as from established researchers.” Early career applicants should emphasize how BILNAS funding will advance their research trajectory and career development.

References Are Mandatory: Applications without references submitted by the deadline will not be considered. Referees must be independent (not BILNAS Grants Committee members, Council members, or staff). Choose referees who can speak specifically to the quality of your research and your capacity to complete the proposed project.

Budget Realism and Timeline: Grant funds must be expended by April 30 following the award year. Successful applications present realistic budgets and timelines that can be achieved within this constraint. Consider whether your project can genuinely be completed (or a meaningful phase completed) within approximately 14 months of the award notification.

Consider Renewal Grants: Both small and large research grants “can be renewed.” If your project requires multiple years or phases, structure the initial application for a discrete phase with clear outcomes, then note the potential for renewal to complete subsequent phases.

Leverage BILNAS Resources: Successful applicants demonstrate awareness of BILNAS resources such as the BILNAS Library at SOAS, the organization's digital archive, and the journal Libyan Studies as potential publication venues. Reference relevant past BILNAS-supported research or publications where appropriate.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Mandatory references: Applications without references submitted by the February 28 deadline are automatically rejected - ensure referees are committed and aware of the deadline well in advance
• Early career advantage: BILNAS particularly encourages applications from early career researchers; emphasize career development benefits if applicable
• Geographical expansion: The 2022 rebrand signals openness to broader Northern African research beyond Libya alone - applications covering Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Mali, Chad, and Sudan are welcomed
• Clear outcomes required: Every application must articulate a “clearly defined piece of research” with “an identifiable outcome on completion” - be specific about deliverables
• Renewable grants: Small and large research grants can be renewed, making BILNAS a potential multi-year funding partner for phased research projects
• Consider the full portfolio: With five distinct grant programmes (plus project affiliation and urgent awards), carefully select the programme that best fits your career stage, project scale, and research goals
• One annual deadline: Unlike rolling grant schemes, BILNAS has a single annual deadline (February 28), requiring advance planning and eliminating the option to submit later in the year

References

• BILNAS Grant Applications page: https://www.bilnas.org/research-activity/bilnas-grants/
• BILNAS Small and Large Grant Application Form 2025: https://www.bilnas.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BILNAS-Small-and-Large-Grant-Application-Form-2025ed.pdf
• BILNAS Officers and Council: https://www.bilnas.org/about-us/personnel/
• BILNAS Funded Research Projects: https://www.bilnas.org/research-activity/bilnas-grant-assisted-research-projects/
• BILNAS website: https://www.bilnas.org/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/259262
• BILNAS Flagship Grant announcement: https://networks.h-net.org/node/7645/discussions/12889800/bilnas-flagship-grant
• British Institute for Libyan and Northern African Studies, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Institute_for_Libyan_and_Northern_African_Studies