Important deadlines: Please note Institutes/Divisions may have local deadlines for receipt and review of applications prior to submitting to Faculty. Please check with your Institute/Division Manager and/or local HR contact.
| Process | Deadline |
|---|---|
Senior promotions (to grade 9-10) Academic, research & teaching staff | TBC (usually announced by UCL in September/October) For candidates to submit online: UCL Senior Promotions System |
Early Career promotions (to grade 7-8) Academic, research & teaching staff | 22 May 2026 For Directors to submit applications to the Faculty Office |
| Professorial re-banding (non-clinical) | TBC For Directors to submit applications to the Dean |
| Professorial in-band pay reviews (non-clinical) | Date TBC For Directors to submit annual appraisal ratings to the Dean |
| Accelerated increments and contribution | Applications accepted by Faculty throughout the year |
Early career promotions (grades 7 and 8)
Applies to: Research and Teaching Fellows and Research Assistants for promotion from grades 6-7 to 7-8 (NB: Staff who have TUPEd from other organisations will be entitled to apply for promotion through the above route on the understanding that a successful application will mean they move to UCL terms and conditions on their new employment contract).
UCL Deadline: Applications submitted from Directors’ Offices to the Faculty Office by Friday 22 May 2026.
Note: each Institute/Division may have local deadlines for receipt and review of applications prior to submission to Faculty. Please check with your Institute/Division Manager and/or local HR contact.
Award implemented: October 2026
Details
Applications for Early Career promotions are considered by the Faculty Panel, on behalf of the Dean, in June of each year.
Researcher promotions (particularly early career) are contingent upon third party funding so it is really important for PIs to consider the plan and likely trajectory for staff career development so that they can factor in funding from an assumed date in grant applications (noting that even though grants may contain higher salary levels, increases will be dependent of staff demonstrating that they met the promotions criteria to move to a higher grade).
Applications for the following are considered:
- Research Fellow (grade 7);
- Senior Research Fellow (grade 8);
- Lecturer (teaching) (grade 8).
Criteria
Guidance on the criteria of Grades 7 & 8 can be found on the Academic Career Framework: Academic Careers Framework.
Specific criteria for promotion to Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow, Senior Teaching Fellow and Lecturer can be found at: Building a Case for Academic Promotion.
Applicants must provide:
CV
Self-Assessment outlining how the candidate meets the criteria for promotion for the relevant grade, according to the Academic Career Framework
Completed Regrading Request Form:
- Publication list (for researchers and may be relevant to teaching staff)
Optional personal circumstances form
This should include:
- Cost code and confirmed financial approval (Institute/Division)
- Date of last appraisal
- Head of Research Department approval (signature)
- Institute/Division Director’s approval (signature)
- Supporting statement provided by candidate’s immediate line manager
Process
- Promotion should be discussed as part of the annual appraisal process and consideration given to financial planning to support this.
- Signed forms should be submitted together with supporting material (CV and self-assessment) by the Institute or Divisional Office to the Faculty Office by 5pm on 22 May 2026.
- Applications will be reviewed by the Faculty Panel during June.
- Applicants will receive a letter from the Dean notifying them of the outcome of the review meeting, and additional feedback will be provided via their Institute or Divisional Panel representative where appropriate.
- Subject to financial approval, promotions will normally take effect from October 2026.
Notes:
The Faculty policy is designed to support:
- Equity, delivering greater consistency of treatment and ensuring that all staff are considered for promotion;
- Career development planning.
Staff who secure their PhD will continue to be promoted immediately to Research Fellow (grade 7) where that qualification relates to their role, on request by the Manager/Director of the Institute/Division.
Accelerated increments and contribution
The procedure and application form are available on the central UCL web pages.
- Forms (alongside accompanying appraisal documents) should be submitted to the Faculty Office (normally via the Division/Institute Manager) and should have received prior sign off from the local Finance Manager to confirm funding/budget is available and correct funding codes are provided.
- Applications are currently accepted throughout the year.
- Applicants must have had an appraisal within the last 6 months.
- In exceptional cases where the award of 2 points is felt merited due to recognition of performance that has greatly and exceptionally exceeded expectations, Division/Institute Directors should discuss directly with the Dean.
Re-banding of professorial staff (non-clinical)
Applies to: Non-clinical professorial staff (grade 10)
Process Opens: UCL HR circulates guidance in December/January
UCL Deadline: Institute/Division Directors submit application to the Faculty Office (christine.titterton@ucl.ac.uk) by 7 July 2025.
Note: each Institute/Division may have local deadlines for receipt and review of applications. Please check with your Institute/Division Manager and/or local HR contact.
Award implemented: 1 October 2025
Details
Professorial salary bands were introduced in 2008 in order to promote greater consistency in decisions about base salaries of individual academic staff across all UCL disciplines. Banding provides a framework for evidence-based decision making in relation to the salary levels of professorial staff.
All non-clinical professors at UCL are placed into one of four Professorial Pay Bands, each of which has an agreed base academic salary range. The base salary excludes any other allowances which may also apply to a post or post holder.
Movement into the next band is determined by agreement of the School Deans that a Professor has demonstrated that they have met the relevant criteria. Any initial discussion about re-banding must take place at the appraisal meeting between a professor and their appraiser.
Eligibility
Professors applying for re-banding must have had a fully signed off PAR appraisal within the last year. This cannot have been used for a previously successful re-banding application.
Process
- December/January: UCL HR will circulate guidance to all non-clinical professors
- January/February: Appraisers submit applications to Directors of Institutes/Divisions for review (CV and Banding Form template downloadable from link above)
- May: Faculty Office must receive CVs and Banding Forms from Directors of Institutes/Divisions
- May: LMS Deans consider School applications
- June/July: Outcomes communicated
- October: Implementation of successfully re-banded pay