Emerging Voices Awards 2026-27
Two £2,500 research awards for postgraduate and early-career researchers exploring how digital English assessment can widen access, strengthen opportunity, and improve candidate experience.
Supporting promising new voices in language assessment
Kaplan Assessments is inviting applications for the inaugural Emerging Voices Awards, supporting promising researchers to develop projects that contribute to more accessible, inclusive, fair, and responsible English language assessment.
The awards are for researchers at an early stage of their careers, particularly those with strong ideas who may not yet have access to research funding, professional networks or sector platforms.
The scheme reflects Kaplan's commitment to widening access while helping new research inform the Kaplan Test of English (KTE) and the wider language assessment community.
The 2026–27 theme
Inclusive English Assessment for Access, Opportunity, and Well-being.
We're looking for achievable projects exploring how English assessment can support study, work, and mobility without creating unnecessary barriers.
Priority research areas
- Accessibility and inclusion in digital English assessment, including disability access, neurodiversity, accommodations, interface usability, readability, and digital barriers.
- Candidate experience and assessment-related well-being, including burden, anxiety, confidence, clarity, fairness, and the experience of online or remote testing.
- Transition into postgraduate study, including how English assessment supports or hinders entry and progression, and how scores are interpreted by students and institutions.
- Employability, mobility, and wider opportunity where English assessment has a clear role in work-readiness or professional progression.
- Responsible digital innovation, including AI, automation, security, and feedback where these relate directly to fairness, access, transparency, or candidate understanding.
Projects must be clearly about assessment design, delivery, use, interpretation, or experience. General projects on student well-being, admissions, teaching, or employability without a substantive assessment focus are outside the call.
Clear relevance to the Kaplan Test of English
Every proposal must explain how the findings could inform KTE. Projects do not need to use KTE operational data and may instead use public KTE materials, demonstration access, self-generated participant data, interviews, surveys, or approved KTE outputs.
Applicants should design projects that require little or no sensitive KTE data. Access to KTE data, content, vouchers, systems, or staff is not guaranteed and will be considered separately for successful proposals.
Who can apply?
The awards are open to lead applicants aged 18 or over who are studying at post-graduate level, or working in a UK higher education institution:
- taught Master's students undertaking or preparing a dissertation;
- research Master's or MRes students;
- doctoral or professional doctorate candidates; or
- early-career researchers within three years of formal PhD completion, with reasonable allowance for relevant career breaks.
Please read the full Eligibility Criteria and Award Scheme Terms and Conditions before applying.
What each recipient receives
- A £2,500 research award, normally paid in two stages subject to the Award Agreement and project deliverables.
- Mentoring from Kaplan Assessments throughout your project.
- Standard registration for the 2027 EALTA Annual Conference, subject to final event arrangements.
- Recognition at a Kaplan-sponsored event during the EALTA conference, with an opportunity to introduce your project.
- Opportunities to be featured through agreed Kaplan and EALTA communications.
Conference travel, accommodation, subsistence, and visa costs are not included unless Kaplan confirms otherwise in writing.
About the EALTA conference opportunity
The recognition event is separate from EALTA's academic programme. The award does not include a paper, poster or workshop slot. Anyone wishing to present must apply through EALTA's standard submission process.
How to apply
Read the application guidelines and instructions, which includes:
- The application form
- Instructions on how to apply
- Required supporting documents
How applications will be assessed
Applications will undergo an eligibility check followed by independent review and moderation by Kaplan and expert KTE Technical Advisory Board reviewers. Applications will be assessed against:
- fit with the annual theme and relevance to KTE;
- importance and originality of the research question;
- methodological quality and feasibility;
- potential value to KTE and the wider field;
- applicant capability and support;
- dissemination and visibility potential; and
- budget and value for money.
Application deadline: 30 November 2026 at 23:59 UK time
How to apply