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. Deadline TBA |
| 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. Next call opens 20 August 2018 Deadline 31 October 2018 |
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 Deadline for final submissions 24 May 2018 |
| Career Establishment Award |
The Career Establishment Award offers new group leaders 6 years’ support to enhance their cancer research. Deadline for final submissions 24 May 2018 |
| 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. Deadline for final submissions 24 May 2018 |
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. 2018 date TBC |
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 Call opens 5 June; Closes 4 pm on 2 October 2018 |
| Independent Research Fellowship in Bioinformatics |
As for the above Independent Research Fellowships but specifically in the priority area of Bioinformatics. Call opens 5 June; Closes 4 pm on 2 October 2018 |
| NERC & RSE Enterprise Fellowship |
NERC has agreed to support up to five new Enterprise Fellowships to boost the development of new businesses from investments in environmental research. |
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. |
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 |
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. |
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 |