Fellowship opportunities
There are a range of fellowship options designed to support the highest calibre early career researchers to establish their careers and become research leaders of the future.
Fellowships provide a means for fellows to establish themselves at UCL. Depending on the scheme, you can be from a clinical or non-clinical background, and work across the full range of disciplines in life and medical sciences.
We welcome you to consider applications to the following intermediate research career schemes with UCL as your host institution. These schemes require prior discussion with your sponsor as well as approval from your host Division.
The Berkeley Fellowship (2024/25)
UCL Life & Medical Sciences with Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Applications are invited from medical graduates working in a UK academic institution or hospital to undertake a programme of work of their choosing.
The Fellowship enables clinically-related research and/or visits to medical institutions or hospitals in any part of the world (except Oxford or Cambridge) to learn a research or clinical technique not available at the candidate’s home institution.
Awards are usually for periods of 3-12 months and for up to £32,500. The Committee may decide to split the award to more than one candidate.
Wellcome Career Development Awards
This scheme provides funding for mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders. They will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing.
UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship
This cross-UK Research and Innovation scheme supports early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential to tackle ambitious and challenging research and innovation and develop their own careers. Funding is provided for up to seven years, on a 4(+3) basis, allowing long term focus on a particular research and innovation problem.
UCL runs an internal selection process for this scheme to identify its institutional nominees.
MRC Career Development Award
The Career Development Award (CDA) supports talented postdoctoral researchers to lead their own research plans and establish their own research team to make the transition from postdoctoral researcher to independent investigator. A CDA provides funding for a challenging research programme, and an ambitious programme of research training which offers accelerated personal and career development.
Funding is provided for up to five years.
MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship
The Clinican Scientist Fellowship (CSF) develops talented medically and other clinically qualified professionals who have gained a higher research degree to lead their own research plans and establish their own research team to make the transition to independent investigator.
Funding is for up to five years.
NIHR Advanced Fellowship
This is for postdoctoral researchers and can be used at specific points of your career development. The fellowship is for 2-5 years and can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis - between 50% and 100% whole time equivalent.
Advanced Fellowships are also available with a 'clinical academic' option, whereby clinical applicants have the option to request up to 40% of their time be dedicated to clinical service/development which would be covered by the award.
EPSRC Open Fellowship
This scheme is designed for researchers who will deliver research with a focus on discovery science, innovation, instrumentation/technique development or software engineering.
Funding is up to five years.
Royal Society's University Fellowship
This scheme is for outstanding scientists who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. These long-term fellowships provide the opportunity and freedom to build an independent research career in the UK or Republic of Ireland and pursue cutting-edge scientific research.
Funding is provided for 5 years, with the opportunity to renew for a further 3 years subject to satisfactory progress.
ERC Grants
These are designed for researchers of any nationality with some years of experience post-PhD, plus a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal.
Funding is provided for 5 years.
