The Visiting Research Fellowships are the oldest Fellowships offered by IASH, running since 1970. Visits are typically between two and six months. No limitation is placed on the area of research within the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The Institute exists to foster interdisciplinary activities in the Humanities and Social Science and has a particular interest in using its visiting fellowships to build international collaborations.

The Institute is housed in a nineteenth-century courtyard close to the University Library and about twenty-eight scholars are in residence at any time. Fellows are allocated a private office in the Institute with all the usual research facilities and are expected to play a full part in the activities of the Institute. They are also encouraged to develop their contacts with colleagues within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. They give at least one seminar on their current research work during their tenure. These Fellowships are not funded, as they are designed to accommodate scholars who are already in receipt of funds from their own institution, grant funding or sabbatical funding.