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Major Research Fellowship Schemes

UK Research Councils

AHRCLink opens in a new window Arts and Humanities Various schemesLink opens in a new window to support ECRSs
BBSRCLink opens in a new window Biotechnology and Biological Sciences

Range of Fellowship schemesLink opens in a new window to support different career ambitions

EPSRCLink opens in a new window Engineering, Physical Sciences, Maths FellowshipsLink opens in a new window based on person specification and EPSRC priority areasLink opens in a new window
ESRCLink opens in a new window Economics and Social Sciences New Investigator Grants & Fellowship OpportunitiesLink opens in a new window
MRC Medical and Health Sciences Range of clinical and non-clinical fellowships to support all career stages
NERC Natural and Environmental Sciences Fellowships to support ECRs with career develpoment and industry collaborations
STFCLink opens in a new window Astronomy, Nuclear, Particle and Particle Astrophysics Fellowship schemesLink opens in a new window to support ECRs at different career stages
UKRILink opens in a new window Cross council funding body

Future Leaders FellowshipsLink opens in a new window - career establishment fellowships across all Research Council research area

Other Major UK Funders

Leverhulme TrustLink opens in a new window All research areas except medicine Early Career Fellowships Link opens in a new window(<4 years post submission of thesis)
Wellcome TrustLink opens in a new window Health and medicine research across life sciences, social sciences and medical humanities Several schemes from new postdoc to establishing career including career restart optionsLink opens in a new window
British AcademyLink opens in a new window Social Sciences and Humanities Postdoctoral FellowshipsLink opens in a new window scheme for ECRs with less than 3 years postoc experience (from date of viva)
NIHRLink opens in a new window Research arm of the NHS. Supports research to improve NHS services and patient outcomes Range of fellowshipsLink opens in a new window to support career development for postgrafduate and postdoctoral researchers

International Funders

Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual FellowshipsLink opens in a new window All subject areas Career and skills development fellowships funded by the EU. Mobility is essential so you must move country to hold a MSCA-IF. Two options; either 2 years based in an EU or Associated countryLink opens in a new window (European Fellowship) or 2 years based outside these countries with a further re-integration years based back in an EU or associated country (Global Fellowship)
European Research CouncilLink opens in a new window All subject areas 5 -year grants to support frontier research and to build research groups. Starting GrantsLink opens in a new window (<7 years post PhD) and Consolidator Grants (7-12 years post PhD). Will need to be held in an EU or Associated countryLink opens in a new window so may not be possible to hold in the UK post Brexit