Independent research fellowships
Potential Fellowship Schemes
BBSRC
BBSRC Discovery Fellowship |
Applicants should have a PhD or be expecting to have undergone successful PhD viva prior to the announcement of the award. Currently closed |
David Phillips Fellowships |
5 year fellowships for applicants 3-10 years post PhD. Currently closed |
Enterprise fellowships |
Open to all who have received BBSRC funding. Part time option also available. Currently closed |
British Heart Foundation
Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowships |
Entry requirements: Usually at least three to six years’ successful postdoctoral work with a series of first or senior author high impact research papers. No closing date |
Biochemical Society
Daphne Jackson Fellowships |
Usually 2 year fellowships carried out part-time. Designed for STEM professionals to return to their career after a break of 2 or more years. Applicants must have had at least 3 years research experience and/or a PhD |
Cancer Research UK
Career Development Fellowship |
Applicants should have typically at least three and up to eight years of research experience since completing your PhD at the time of submitting your preliminary application Preliminary submission 20 Aug 2019 |
Career Establishment Award |
The Career Establishment Award offers new group leaders 6 years’ support to enhance their cancer research. Preliminary submission 20 Aug 2019 |
Senior Cancer Research Fellowship |
Applicants should typically have between eight and fourteen years of postdoctoral research experience since completing your PhD at the time of submitting the preliminary application and obtained a PhD or MD and extensive post-doctoral research experience if you are a clinician. Preliminary submission 20 Aug 2019 |
Diabetes
RD Lawrence Fellowship |
Applicants must be in the early stage of their research career with between three and six years' postdoctoral experience from the date of examination for their doctoral degree (PhD viva). Allowance will be given to applicants whose career has been subject to a late start or interruption for family or personal reasons. Annual deadline 31 October |
ESPRC
EPSRC Fellowships |
A single scheme for all career stages (postdoctoral, early career and established career). Applicants are expected to hold a PhD or have equivalent research experience, however, there are no eligibility rules based on years of post-doctoral experience or whether you hold (or do not hold) a permanent academic position. Apply any time |
Kay Kendall Leukaemia
KKLF Fellowship Programme |
Non-medical scientists who will usually have 1-4 years’ postdoctoral experience and are intending to work either at a recognised UK research institution or seeking a travel fellowship for relevant work abroad may apply for a Scientific Fellowship with funding and administration via an appropriate UK institution. Deadline for Junior Fellowships 2020 is 17 October 2019 |
NERC
Independent Research Fellowships |
5 year fellowships for early career researchers (up to 8 years full-time (or equivalent) post-PhD) of any nationality in any area of NERC’s remit Deadline 1 October 2019 |
The Leverhulme Trust
Early Career Fellowships |
3 year fellowships providing 50% match-funding for applicants within 5 years of their PhD. Open to all subject areas except research that is of direct relevance to studies of disease, illness and disabilities in humans and animals, or research that is intended to inform clinical practice or the development of medical applications. Currently closed |
The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
Research Fellowships in Science or Engineering | Up to 3 year fellowships for early career researchers with no more than 3 years’ postdoc experience |
The Royal Society
University Research Fellowships | 5 year fellowships for applicants who are 3-8 years post PhD. Opportunity to apply for an extension of 3 additional years. Open to all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine and any researcher addressing a direct biomedical research question. |
Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships |
Up to 5 year fellowships for applicants who require a flexible working pattern and have up to 6 years post PhD research experience. Open to all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine Expected to open September 2019 |
The Royal Society/Newton Fund
Sir Henry Dale Fellowships |
5 year fellowships for applicants up to 7 years post PhD wishing to build their own UK-based, independent research career addressing an important biomedical question. Currently closed |
European Molecular Biology Organisation
Long-Term Fellowships | 2 year fellowships for post-doctoral research |
Advanced Fellowships | Additional two years of funding for EMBO Long-Term Fellows who can demonstrate exceptional progress during their current postdoctoral work |
The Wellcome Trust
Career Re-entry Fellowships | 2-4 year fellowships that give postdoctoral scientists the opportunity to return to high-quality research after a career break of at least 2 years. Applicants should have at least 2 years’ postdoctoral experience. |
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships | 4 year fellowships for the most promising newly-qualified postdoctoral researchers to make an early start in developing their independent research careers in the biomedical sciences. Applicants must be in the final year of their PhD or be no more than 2 years post PhD |
ERC
ERC Starting Grants | Researchers of any nationality with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD (plus 18 months for each child), a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal |
ERC Consolidator Grants | Researchers of any nationality with 7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD (plus 18 months for each child), a scientific track record showing scientific talent and an excellent research proposal. |
European Commission (Marie-Skolodowska-Curie Actions)
European Fellowships | Held in the EU or associated countries, open to researchers either coming from Europe or moving within Europe, can help to start research careers after a break such as parental leave, can also help reintegrate researchers coming back to Europe |
Global Fellowships | Fund secondments outside Europe for researchers based in the EU or associated countries. There is a mandatory one-year return period |