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Find details of funding calls that require a UCL internal selection process or other internal coordination managed by our Research Coordination teams, and information about the application process.
Sometimes, funders will limit the number of applications an institution can submit for a particular call or require applications to undergo an internal review and approval process before submission. UCL has an internal selection process for such calls.
Details of upcoming internally managed funding calls are listed below, along with supporting guidance for applicants. Also listed are calls where other internal selection activities have been put in place to support UCL staff interested in leading or participating in a funding bid. Closed calls over the past 12 months can also be viewed using the link below for reference.
If you are aware of an external funding opportunity where the number of proposals UCL can submit is limited, that is not listed here, contact the Research Coordination team supporting your faculty.
Open calls
- Mental Health Research UK PhD Competition 2027 | UCL Deadline: 15 April 2026
Scope
Mental Health Research UK (incorporating the Schizophrenia Research Fund) is inviting applications for 4 PhD Scholarships for the 2027/28 academic year. Scholarships are available in the following areas:
- Karen Menzies MHRUK PhD scholarship: Developing and validating novel biomarkers for schizophrenia and related psychotic conditions
- Karen Menzies MHRUK PhD scholarship: Childhood neuro-developmental antecedents for schizophrenia and related psychotic conditions
- John Grace QC MHRUK PhD scholarship: Antecedents, causal factors, clinical characteristics, treatments and outcomes of peri-menopausal first-onset psychosis and related psychotic conditions
- Clair Chilvers MHRUK PhD scholarship: Risks, benefits and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in mental health care
Applications are invited from prospective supervisors or supervisory teams (eligible PIs and Co-Is) based at UK universities. Once an award has been made, the supervisors will select a student with support from the Mental Health Research UK trustees.
Awards cover fees and stipend only, based on the Medical Research Council’s minimum stipend and fees for UK students.
Details
- Funding: Fees and stipend only
- Duration: Up to 4 years or on thesis submission (whichever is earlier)
- Number of UCL applications allowed: 1 per scholarship
- UCL internal deadline: 4pm, 15 April 2026
- Funder deadline: 12am (midnight), 29 May 2026
Further information and how to apply
Visit the Mental Health Research UK website for the full call details.
Interested applicants should complete the UCL Expression of Interest (EOI) form and submit it as a single PDF document via email to lms.facilitators@ucl.ac.uk by the internal deadline, using the subject line: ‘Mental Health Research UK PhD Competition 2027’.
- Rosetrees NEXT Award 2026 | UCL deadline: 23 April 2026
Scope
The Rosetrees Trust NEXT Award supports an outstanding researcher in achieving a breakthrough in their chosen disease area, to deliver significant, patient‑focused impact.
As UCL can only submit a limited number of applications as the host institution, an internal coordination process has been put in place.
Details
- Funding: Up to £750,000
- Duration: 3-5 years
- Number of UCL applications allowed: 1
- UCL internal deadline: 2pm, 23 April 2026
- Funder deadline: 6pm, 8 June 2026
Further information and how to apply
Visit the Rosetrees website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
Applicants should submit an expression of interest (EOI) via the Internal EOI Submission Form (MS Forms) by the UCL deadline. At the end of the form, applicants will need to upload a single PDF combining the UCL EOI Form and a CV of up to 3 pages.
For questions about the call or internal process, contact our Life and Medical Sciences (LMS) Research Coordination team at lms.facilitators@ucl.ac.uk.
Supporting Documents
- BHF Cardiovascular Grand Challenge | UCL deadline: 29 April 2026
Scope
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cardiovascular Grand Challenge seeks to fund high-impact, multidisciplinary research, focusing on Artificial intelligence-powered transformation in cardiovascular health – from discovery to clinical practice - to revolutionise the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Proposals should aim to integrate a range of complementary research approaches (e.g. discovery, translation, clinical validation, epidemiology), disciplines (e.g. biomedical/non-biomedical researchers and clinicians), technologies (in particular, AI and complementary data science approaches) and sectors (e.g. academia, biotechnology, pharma).
Details
- Funding: up to £10million
- Duration: 5 years
- Number of UCL applications allowed: 3
- UCL internal deadline: 4pm, 29 April
- Funder deadline: 5 August 2026
Further information and how to apply
Visit the BHF website for full details and eligibility criteria.
Institutions may submit up to 3 applications to this call. UCL is expected to ensure that there is no overlap in the aims of each application and that they have secured similar levels of institutional support.
Colleagues considering developing a bid are asked to submit an internal Expression of Interest (EOI) form.
Depending on the level of interest, our Life and Medical Sciences (LMS) Research Coordination team and the UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences may organise a roundtable meeting to bring interested teams together and support proposal development.
If you are a Co-Investigator on a bid that will be led by another institution, email Matt Wakelin (Director of Research Coordination and Planning) at m.wakelin@ucl.ac.uk with brief details of the aims of the proposal and institutions involved.
- UKRI Translation: Proof of Concept | Funder deadline: 13 May 2026
Scope
This funding scheme aims to support research commercialisation activities to develop new products, processes, and services via future venture creation, licensing or other commercialisation routes. The programme will not fund discovery or curiosity-driven research.
Details
- Funding: Up to £250,000 (UKRI will fund 80% FEC)
- Duration: 9 months
- Number of UCL applications allowed: 4 as lead organisation
- Funder deadline: 4pm, 13 May 2026
Further information and how to apply
Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
To achieve the commercial aims of the scheme, a PI/project should have been working with the innovation teams at UCL - UCLB, the Translational Research Office, Innovation & Enterprise, and the Centre for Digital Innovation - for at least 1-2 years with established Intellectual Property (IP) or significant know-how, to fulfil the criteria to use the funding to accelerate towards commercialisation.
UCL innovation teams will discuss and select the 4 projects from their collective portfolios and invite those applicants to apply.
If you are interested in the commercialisation of a product, contact your UCL Business (UCLB) representative in the first instance or any other recognised UCL innovation team.
Process and timelines
- 9-17 March: UCL Innovation teams review projects in their individual portfolios, under the categories of Health, Tech, Social venture, Creative, Other products and select their top 6 projects. We expect some overlap amongst the projects selected, but expect not to have to review more than 24 projects.
- 17 March: Panel meeting of UCL Innovation teams representatives to collectively discuss projects and select 8-9 to progress to providing 1 page of information on the project as UCL’s selected projects.
- 18 March: Inform the 8-9 PIs/projects selected, who will be asked to confirm that they wish to apply and to provide additional information to the panel by 23 March.
- Week commencing 23 March: Panel to reconvene and select 4 projects to proceed. PIs to be informed by 28 March.
- Submission deadline for 4 selected projects: 4pm, 13 May 2026.
This timetable leaves PIs approximately 2 months to prepare.
- MRC Pre-clinical Translational Models Hub | Funder Deadline: 21 May 2026
Scope
The UKRI Medical Research Council (MRC) has launched a call to fund the establishment of a single national hub dedicated to developing and validating advanced human in vitro pre‑clinical models. The aim is to enhance drug screening, efficacy testing, and target identification or validation, ultimately helping to reduce reliance on animal models.
UCL’s proposal will be led by Professor Selina Wray (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) and will initially focus on pre‑clinical models for neurological diseases.
A briefing meeting will take place at 12pm on Tuesday 21 April, where the vision and objectives for the UCL hub will be presented. This session will also provide an opportunity for colleagues to explore potential involvement in the application. Colleagues interested in attending are invited to register via the online form.
Details
- Funding: £25million (£20m at 80% FEC)
- Number of UCL applications allowed: 1 as a lead organisation
- Funder deadline: 4pm, 21 May 2026
Further information
Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
Colleagues interested in joining the UCL bid, or planning to partner in a bid led by another institution, should inform our Life and Medical Sciences (LMS) Research Coordination team by completing the MS forms link above in the first instance.
- RAEng Research Fellowships | Funder deadline: 25 June 2026
Scope
The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Research Fellowships support outstanding Early Career Researchers to become future leaders in Engineering. This year, the RAEng are moving to a 2-stage application process with an expression of interest submitted at stage 1.
As UCL can only submit a limited number of applications as the host institution, an internal coordination process has been put in place.
Details
- Funding: £800,000
- Duration: 5 years
- Number of UCL applications allowed: 4, with at least 2 from applicants from a persistently underrepresented group within engineering
- UCL deadline: 12 pm (noon), 16 April 2026
- Funder deadline (stage 1): 4pm, 25 June 2026
- Funder deadline (stage 2): 4pm, 10 December 2026
Further information and how to apply
The 2026/27 round of RAEng Research Fellowships will open w/c 4 May 2026.
Visit the RAEng website for full call details and eligibility criteria for the 2025/26 round. Some details may change when the 2026/27 round is published on or before w/c 4 May 2026. Please check back for the latest details.
The internal process document below provides details on how to submit applications to the UCL internal process.
For questions about the call or internal process, contact Sobia Ashraf at sobia.ashraf@ucl.ac.uk.
Supporting documents
- Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowships – Accelerated International Route | UCL deadline: open
Scope
The Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowships are prestigious, long-term awards supporting outstanding research leaders to undertake original, high-quality research. The Accelerated International Route, launched in 2025, enables UK institutions to fast-track the recruitment of mid-career researchers currently based overseas to establish world-leading research groups. This route is intended for strategically important, time-sensitive appointments that will strengthen UK research.
Candidates need to be nominated by their UK host institution. Applicants may apply to either the Accelerated International Route or the standard Faraday Discovery Fellowships round, but not both simultaneously.
Details
- Career stage: Mid-career (10-20 years post-PhD)
- Funding: Up to £4million
- Duration: 5 years
- Number of UCL applications allowed: No limit
- UCL internal deadline: at least 1 month before funder deadline
- Funder deadline: TBC (Round 3)
Further information and how to apply
Visit the Royal Society website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
Please note the Royal Society has closed nominations to this scheme until assessment of current nominations has been completed, due to the high demand encountered in the first two rounds. The scheme will re-open for nominations in April 2026 for Round 3 if any funding remains uncommitted or further funding becomes available for this route.
For queries about the call or internal process, contact the BEAMS Research Coordination team at ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk.
Internal coordination process
Candidates need to meet the Royal Society’s eligibility criteria and should:
- Have 10–20 years of research experience post-PhD
- Be internationally recognised leaders in their field
- Have managed significant research grants as Principal Investigator
- Demonstrate major contributions to research over the past 10 years
- Have well-established international networks and plans to expand them
Successful candidates will need to have a full-time, permanent contract at the host organisation before the award begins.
Nominations need to be submitted by the UCL President & Provost's Office, with support from our Research Coordination team. If a faculty wishes to nominate a candidate, the dean or their nominated representative needs to:
- Email ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk as early as possible to confirm faculty support and outline the rationale for using the accelerated route
- Provide all required nomination details (as listed in the Royal Society scheme notes, pages 15–18), including a draft of the 500-word statement of support
- Submit this information at least 1 month before the relevant funder deadline
Our Research Coordination team will liaise with the President & Provost’s Office to ensure timely submission.
- AXA Research Chairs | UCL deadline: open
Scope
The AXA Chair is a competitive funding scheme supporting senior researchers to build and lead ambitious transdisciplinary research networks.
The AXA Chairholder is expected to have demonstrated experience in leading or significantly contributing to transdisciplinary research, including collaborations across multiple academic disciplines, and previous engagement with non-academic stakeholders in research, knowledge exchange or implementation activities. The Chairholder will be expected to act as a catalyst for transdisciplinary collaboration within the host institution and its networks.
Details
- Career level: Senior (PhD + 10 years minimum)
- Funding: up to €1.5 million
- Duration: 5 years
- Number of UCL applications allowed: 1
- Deadline (Expression of Interest): 9 April 2026
- Deadline (Full application): 14 May 2026
Further information and how to apply
Visit the AXA website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Contact the BEAMS Research Coordination team at ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk if you have any questions about the internal process.
The scheme runs annually with a deadline in April, and only 1 application is permitted per institution. Applications are managed by the Research Coordination teams.
Applicants should first consult their Head of Department If they are interested in applying. The Head of Department (or a representative) should then notify the relevant Research Coordination team no later than two weeks before the AXA Expression of Interest opens.
If more than 1 expression of interest is received, a prioritisation process will be led by the Research Coordination teams in consultation with the relevant faculty leadership.
- EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure | UCL deadline: open
Scope
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Strategic Infrastructure scheme supports research infrastructure in UK universities. There are 2 routes within the opportunity:
- Funding for new strategic infrastructure of value over £400,000
- Resources to support existing strategic infrastructure when invited by EPSRC.
Expressions of interest (EOI) from academics or research technical professionals are welcome. Proposals need to benefit the UK research community, including those beyond UCL. Infrastructure should be unique in the UK or proposed to be used in a unique way. Proposals need to be:
- Strategically important to the department(s) involved
- Evidenced by meaningful support (cash/in-kind).
Engagement with the appropriate Heads of Department and/or Research Directors is required as part of the EOI process. Where multiple EoIs are received from a department, they will be asked to rank them by priority.
UCL may only submit a limited number of applications between June 2024 and June 2025 and will run an internal process with a focus on the number of submissions put forward and the timing of submissions. Institutional oversight at an early stage will facilitate later stages of the process where the Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) (RIGE) is required to attend the final interview.
Details
- Funding: Over £400,000, including VAT
- Number of UCL applications allowed: Up to 6 by 17 June 2026
- Deadline: Open (until June 2026)
- Internal batch dates: 12 noon, 24 July 2025, 09 October 2025, 14 January 2026, 30 March 2026
An internal webinar was held on Thursday 24 April 2025 for those interested in applying to this call. Watch the recording (UCL login required).
Further information and how to apply
Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
EOIs may be submitted at any time via the EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure - UCL internal EoI Form. Contact Jon Williams (BEAMS Research Coordination team) at jon.williams@ucl.ac.uk if you have any questions about the scheme.
Internal selection process
Submissions will be batched quarterly and considered at the next batching meeting by a small representative panel of Vice-Deans (Research), convened by the Research Coordination Office (BEAMS). They will assess the strategic case made by the applicant and whether the ideas are appropriate to prepare for submission to EPSRC, before deciding which submissions to put forward.
To ensure a spread of applications across UCL areas of expertise and interest, the panel will look at:
- The competitiveness of the proposal against the scheme criteria
- Fit to department, faculty and central strategic priorities
- If EPSRC has already considered the proposal
- The range of remits and the type of equipment being proposed.
The panel will then make one of 3 recommendations:
- EoI to go forward as an outline proposal - Applicants will be given a submission deadline to enable UCL to manage the flow of applications. Applicants will receive support from the BEAMS Research Coordination team, alongside faculty and department input.
- EoI not yet ready - Applicants will be given feedback on why the EoI was considered not yet ready for submission. Applicants can resubmit to the internal EoI process again when ready. Ideas can only be resubmitted once unless explicitly invited by the panel.
- EoI not suitable to go forward - If an application is out of remit for EPSRC, not appropriate for the scheme, or is an internal resubmission which is not sufficiently improved, it will be rejected.
Panel recommendations will be shared with applicants as soon as possible, following approval from the Vice-Provost (RIGE).
Proposals submitted to EPSRC as an outline are sometimes rejected and invited to resubmit by EPSRC. EPSRC-invited resubmissions will need to go through the internal EoI process again. The panel will take into account that EPSRC-invited resubmissions have been encouraged to reapply by the funder.
- Royal Society Wolfson Fellowships | UCL deadline: open
Scope
The Royal Society Wolfson Fellowships scheme supports the permanent recruitment of an overseas research leader to a UK university. The scheme aims to:
- Enable UK universities and research institutions to recruit and attract outstanding overseas research leaders by offering long-term support and flexible funding to conduct high-quality research; and
- Strengthen research and help build a critical mass of excellence in the UK’s best university departments and research institutions in fields considered to be strategically important.
Candidates should:
- Have a proven track record for high-quality scientific research
- Be currently based overseas.
The research needs to fall within the Royal Society's remit of natural sciences. This scheme is distinct from the Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship scheme.
Details
- Career stage: Mid or Senior career
- Funding: up to £300,000
- Duration: 5 years
- Number of UCL applications allowed: Usually 1 per institution per round
- UCL Round 2 deadline: 20 May 2026 (6 weeks before the call deadline on 1 July 2026)
Further information and how to apply
Visit the Royal Society website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
Contact the BEAMS Research Coordination team at ovpr.beams@ucl.c.uk if you have any questions about the internal process.
Internal process process
The scheme runs 2 rounds each year, with the Royal Society typically allowing only 1 application per institution per round (exceptions are rare). Therefore, applications will be overseen by our Research Coordination teams.
Applications need to be tied to a UCL recruitment process. Candidates do not need to have a formal offer of employment at the point of application. However, award holders will still be expected to be offered (the equivalent of) a full-time post at a UK institution. This intention should be clearly stated in the institutional letter of support.
International researchers who have arrived in the UK before the application deadline will now be allowed to apply for the scheme, with the expectation that they would not normally have been in the UK for more than 6 months. A justification will be requested for applicants already based in the UK at the point of application. Award holders can start their Fellowship up to one year from the award offer being made.
UCL is expected to demonstrate why the proposed research area is a strategic priority, outlining institutional commitments and the candidate’s potential impact on the field, the department, and UK science
If more than 1 candidate is nominated in the same round, the Royal Society requires:
- A strong justification aligned with institutional priorities
- An outline of the selection process
- A commitment of additional support (direct or in-kind) for the nominee.
Applicants should first consult the relevant Head of Department and Dean. If someone wishes to apply, the host Faculty Dean (or representative) should inform the relevant Research Coordination team as early as possible, no later than 6 weeks before the Royal Society deadline.
If more than 2 expressions of interest are received, a prioritisation process will be led by the Research Coordination teams in consultation with faculty leadership.
- Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowships | UCL deadline: open
Scope
The Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowships offer talented international research leaders the opportunity to undertake a flexible 12-month sabbatical in a UK university or research institution.
The scheme aims to enable the Visiting Fellow and the host UK organisation to develop ongoing collaborative research links and to share ideas and best practices.
The scheme has 2 rounds per year, with varying deadlines typically in autumn, spring, and summer. For each round, the Royal Society require UCL to manage the number of proposals it puts forward.
Details
- Career stage: Mid/Senior career (emerging or senior leaders)
- Funding: Up to £125,000
- Duration: Up to 12 months full-time, with a minimum stay of 3 months, or flexibly over 2 years
- UCL Round 2 deadline: 20 May 2026 (6 weeks before the call deadline on 1 July 2026)
Further information and how to apply
Visit the Royal Society website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
Expressions of Interest for a scheme round should be submitted to the BEAMS Research Coordination team via email (ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk) at least 6 weeks before the Royal Society's deadline.
Host UCL departments that wish to nominate a candidate for the scheme should submit the candidate’s CV, as well as a supporting statement signed by the Head of Department (2 sides of A4 maximum), highlighting the:
- Strategic case for the nomination and fit to institutional research strengths and strategies
- Mutual benefit to UCL and the researcher, including the potential to develop ongoing international collaborative links, share ideas and practice
- High quality and originality of the candidate’s proposed research vision, and the contribution that the researcher can make to the furtherance of UK research in their field
- Suitability of the host Department/Division/Institute/Faculty for the candidate, and its commitment to supporting the researcher during the sabbatical period.
Should we receive multiple planned applications for any given round, a prioritisation process may be put in place centrally or at faculty level, with proposals considered by a small, representative academic panel against the scheme criteria.