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Find details of previous funding calls that require a UCL internal selection process managed by our Research Coordination teams.

Closed calls (last 12 months)

2025

UKRI Creating opportunities: rethinking economic (in)activity | Deadline: 6 May 2025

Scope

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is inviting proposals for its ‘Creating Opportunities: Rethinking Economic (In)activity’ call. This initiative aims to boost economic activity in UK areas with high rates of ill health, disability, and informal care. Interdisciplinary proposals that cross multiple research council boundaries and use mixed-method approaches are especially welcomed.

Our Research Coordination teams held an internal roundtable on 26 February for interested UCL staff, chaired by Professor Rosalind Smyth. The meeting provided an overview of the call and UKRI's requirements and offered a platform for sharing ideas and fostering collaboration. You can access the meeting presentation recording by contacting our Research Coordination teams using the details below.

To support UCL's response, applicants working on a bid are invited to submit an internal Expression of Interest (EOI) form. EOIs will help facilitate collaboration between UCL teams either planning to submit a bid or interested in contributing to a bid led by someone else.

Details

  • Funding: up to £1.2million over 2 years
  • Number of awards available: 1
  • UCL roundtable: 1:30-3pm, 26 February 2025 via Teams 
  • UCL EOI deadline: 5pm, 10 March 2025
  • Funder deadline: 4pm, 6 May 2025

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UKRI website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Applicants should submit an EOI using the form below. Should you have any questions about this call or would like to access the roundtable presentation recording, contact:

Supporting documents

Mental Health Research UK PhD Scholarships 2026 | UCL Deadline: 1 April 2025

Scope

Mental Health Research UK, incorporating the Schizophrenia Research Fund, has announced funding for 3 PhD Scholarships, starting September 2026:

  • Ivan Baines PhD scholarship: Optimising pharmacotherapy in the treatment of young people experiencing psychosis
  • John Grace QC PhD scholarship: Transdiagnostic approaches to schizophrenia and related conditions
  • Clair Chilvers PhD scholarship: Epidemiology to impact mental health

Awards cover fees and stipends only and will be based on the Medical Research Council’s minimum stipend and fees for UK students. Only eligible Principal Investigators and subsidiary supervisors (Co-Investigators) can apply. Applications from individual students are not permitted.

Details

  • Funding: Fees and stipends only 
  • Duration: 4 years or on submission of the PhD thesis, whichever is earlier
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 1 per scholarship
  • UCL internal deadline: 4pm, 1 April 2025

Further information and how to apply

Visit the Mental Health Research UK website for the full call details and eligibility criteria. Interested applicants should complete the Expression of Interest form below and submit it as a single PDF document to Rebecca Downing at rebecca.downing@ucl.ac.uk by the UCL deadline, using the subject line ‘Mental Health Research UK PhD Competition 2026’ in the email.

Supporting documents

AMS Springboard Award 2025: Round 11 | Deadline: 31 March 2025

Scope

The Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) Springboard Award supports non-clinical biomedical researchers at the start of their first independent post who are yet to receive substantial funding support to help launch their research careers. The award offers a bespoke support package, including access to the Academy’s mentoring and career development programme. Proposals are welcomed from all biomedical research fields, including:

  • Molecular, cellular, and structural biology
  • Anatomical, physiological, psychological, epidemiological, and public health research
  • Maths, physics, or engineering approaches, as long as the research aims to improve human health.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £125,000
  • Duration: 2 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 4
  • UCL deadline: 10am, 31 March 2025

Further Information and how to apply

Visit the AMS website for the full call details and eligibility criteria. UCL applicants are asked to complete an internal Expression of Interest form following the guidance below. If you have any questions regarding this call, contact Ruth Wainman at r.wainman@ucl.ac.uk.

Supporting documents

Huo Family Foundation Special Projects 2025 | UCL deadline: 11 March 2025

Scope

The Huo Family Foundation (HFF) invites applications for larger, longer-term research projects. These awards support multi-disciplinary teams of researchers at all career stages to tackle challenging questions. Proposals should address the impact of digital technology on brain development and function, including physiological responses, social behaviour and interactions, and mental health in children and young people.

HFF is keen to support teams from 1 or multiple institutions in the UK and US. Applications may include co-applicants and collaborators who bring essential expertise to the project. Funding is offered for staffing, lab expenses, equipment and access charges, and professional travel. Funds cannot be used to support applicant salaries.

UCL has put an internal triage process in place for this scheme, as HFF will only consider 1 submission per lead institution. The lead institution is defined as where the lead applicant is based.

Details

  • Funding: up to £300,000
  • Duration: up to 4 years
  • Start date: grants should start in January 2026 
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 1
  • UCL deadline: 4pm, 11 March 2025
  • Funder deadline: 23 May 2025

Further Information and how to apply 

Visit the HFF website for the full call details and eligibility criteria. Applicants should complete the Expression of Interest form below and submit it as a single PDF document to Ruth Wainman at r.wainman@ucl.ac.uk by the UCL deadline. Please use the subject line 'HFF Special Projects Call 2025' in the email.

Supporting documents

Leverhulme Trust Research Leadership Awards | UCL Deadline: 7 March 2025

Scope

Leverhulme Trust Research Leadership Awards support talented scholars embarking on a university career who need to build a research team around them to tackle a distinctive research problem. The scheme is for early-career researchers with a permanent academic appointment at lecturer level or someone whose faculty will undertake to offer a permanent role at the end of the award.

Due to the specific eligibility requirements, potential applicants should discuss the appropriateness of the scheme with their faculty and note the remit restrictions outlined in the call.

As UCL can only submit 1 application to this scheme, an internal process has been put in place. Each faculty may nominate 1 candidate. Nominations will be evaluated by a cross-disciplinary panel that will select the final UCL applicant.

Details

  • Funding: up to £1m over 4-5 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 1
  • Faculty nomination deadline: 1pm, 7 March 2025
  • Funder deadline: 12noon, 30 May 2025 

Further information and how to apply

Visit the Leverhulme Trust website for full call details and eligibility criteria. If you are interested in applying, speak with your department to discuss the faculty nomination process. 

Faculty nominations should be sent to ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk by 1pm on 7 March 2025, attaching the application form below completed by the selected candidate and copying in the faculty leadership in copy.

For questions about this call, contact Jon Williams at jon.williams@ucl.ac.uk.

Supporting documents

EPSRC Critical mass programmes to drive a sustainable future | Deadline: 4 March 2025

Scope

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is looking to support critical mass transdisciplinary research, which will apply a systems approach and develop clear pathways for impact and translation mid-to-long term. Proposals are encouraged a) addressing general sustainable aims, including advanced renewable tech, decarbonised sustainable transport, sustainable next-gen manufacturing, tech for circular economy and more (cost <£5.7m fEC) or b) in the ringfenced highlight area of Interseasonal Energy Storage (IES) beyond Hydrogen (cost <£3m fEC). 

A mandatory EPSRC Expression of Interest (EoI) process is in place for this call, with submissions required by 4 March 2025.

EPSRC is looking to fund up to 6 proposals nationally for this call. To support UCL applicants, we have put in place an internal process to review EoIs ahead of submission to the funder. A panel comprising a Vice Dean (Research) BEAMS Research Coordination team members, and UCL Innovation and Enterprise, will ensure EoIs address EPSRC's assessment criteria. Where there is a potential overlap between EoIs the panel will inform teams and encourage conversations to explore self-competition and collaboration.

Details

  • Funding: up to £5.7m over 5 years
  • Number of applications allowed: 1 per lead applicant
  • EPSRC webinar: 23 January 2025
  • UCL roundtable: 1pm, 31 January 2025 
  • UCL internal (draft) EoI deadline: 5pm, 14 February 2025
  • Application deadline: 4pm, 4 March 2025

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Draft EoIs should be submitted by 5pm on Friday 14 February via the internal MS Form.

For questions about this call, contact Jon Williams at jon.williams@ucl.ac.uk.

Supporting documents

UKRI Pre-announcement: Proof of Concept | UKRI EOI deadline: 3 March 2025

Scope

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Proof of Concept funding opportunity aims to support and accelerate the development of new or improved technologies, products, processes, and services arising from research activities.

It aims to help turn existing research into commercial products or companies, whether through licensing, starting new companies (spinouts or social ventures), or other methods. Applications are welcomed from all research disciplines, including cross and multi-disciplinary approaches. 

Details

  • Funding: £100,000-£250,000
  • Duration: 6-12 months (80% FEC)
  • UKRI EOI deadline: 4pm, 3 March 2025
  • UCL internal deadline: 12pm, 31 March 2025

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria.

For advice or support with this call, contact your designated UCLB manager, the Translational Research Office (TRO), Innovation and Enterprise (I&E), or your local Research Coordination team.

Expression of interest (EOI)

Before applying, you need to register your intention to submit via the UKRI website, provide your Funding Service ID, and indicate your research organisation support for your application, which is the named individual from UCL Business (UCLB). All interested applicants need to discuss their EOIs with their named departmental contact at UCLB. 

UCL internal selection process

After submitting an EOI, UKRI will invite selected applicants to submit a full proposal, including an institutional letter of support, which will be reviewed by peer panels. The letter will involve discussions with UCLB and input from the TRO, I&E, or your local Research Coordination team.

UKRI may request an internal triage process. UCLB and TRO will inform you if this is needed, and a simplified form should be submitted by 12pm on 31 March 2025.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel chaired by Kathryn Walsh (Executive Director, I&E) with members from UCLB, TRO, I&E, Research Coordination teams, and academic entrepreneurs. Selected applicants will be notified in early April 2025 and assigned contacts to help tailor the letter of support.

Philip Leverhulme Prize 2025 | UCL deadline: 27 February 2025

Scope

The Philip Leverhulme Prize recognizes early career researchers who have made a significant international impact and show exceptional promise for future research. The Prizes support outstanding scholars or practitioners who have made and continue to make original, significant contributions to their fields.

For the 2025 competition, the subject areas include Archaeology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, Geography, and Languages and Literatures. The Leverhulme Trust usually award 5 prizes nationally in each subject area. Nominations are considered regardless of the nominee's departmental affiliation.

Details

  • Career stage: Early career
  • Funding: £100,000 
  • Duration: 2-3 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 3
  • Application deadline: 1pm, 27 February 2025

Further information and how to apply

Visit the Leverhulme Trust website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Further eligibility information can also be found below. Departments can put forward up to 3 nominations for consideration. Full details on how to submit nominations can be found in the central selection process document below.

Supporting documents

UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Round 10 | UCL deadline: 11 February 2025

Scope

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) offer funding for up to 7 years to develop, retain, attract and sustain research and innovation talent in the UK, foster new research and innovation career paths, and provide long-term, flexible funding to tackle difficult and novel challenges. An internal selection process has been implemented to manage applications from UCL.

Details

  • Career stage: Early-career researchers and innovators looking to transition to independence
  • Funding: No limit - requests should be appropriate to the project (previous projects have ranged from £300.000-£2,000,000)
  • Duration: Up to 7 years (4 years in the first phase with the option to renew for a further 3 years)
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 10
  • UCL application deadline: 12noon, Tuesday 11 February

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UKRI website for full call details and eligibility criteria.

Internal selection process

1. Department stage

Internal applicants should submit an internal expression of interest (EOI) form using the submission platform for internal applicants. External applicants should submit an EOI through the submission platform for external applicants and send a copy of the EOI to ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk, for consideration by the relevant UCL department.

2. Faculty stage

Faculties will shortlist candidates within their allocated cap. Applicants should speak to their department for information on the shortlisting process.

3. UCL central stage

Faculty nominations should be submitted via email to ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk by 12noon on 26 February 2025. Nominations should be submitted by the Faculty Research Manager, Vice-Dean for Research (or named deputy). Faculty-nominated candidates will be invited to submit their application by 12noon on 6 March 2025. The central UCL panel will meet in late-March and outcomes will be sent to candidates in early April. Selected candidates will need to submit their proposals to UKRI by 4pm on 18 June 2025.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Applicants from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply to the FLF scheme. UCL will collect diversity and monitoring data for this selection process. EDI data for internal candidates can be collected via Inside UCL using your UCL email address. Internal candidates are encouraged to review and ensure their information is up to date if they consent to this data being collected. External candidates can submit their EDI data through the central submission platform linked above. Providing this data is optional. Read our privacy notice for details on data processing and usage.

Supporting documents

Rosetrees Interdisciplinary Award 2025 | UCL deadline: 28 January 2025

Scope

The 2025 Rosetrees Interdisciplinary Award offers support for innovative research investigating environmental impacts on public and human health. The Trust invites proposals exploring the impact of factors such as air pollution, climate change, and exposure to environmental toxins, carcinogens and microplastics on health from birth to adulthood.

Research should be interdisciplinary and could involve collaborations between clinicians/clinician scientists, surgeons/surgical scientists, discovery scientists, environmental/toxicology/epidemiology, and public health experts, focusing on understanding the underlying disease causative mechanisms and developing novel strategies for prevention, mitigation, and intervention.

This year Rosetrees are inviting shortened preliminary applications ahead of full submissions. Proposals should include a clear translational strategy to show how the novel research can improve public health outcomes.

Details

  • Funding: £330,000 over 3 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 1
  • UCL deadline: 12noon, 28 January 2025

Further information and how to apply

Visit the Rosetrees Trust website for full call details and eligibility criteria. UCL applications should complete an expression of interest following the guidelines below. For questions about this call, contact Yael Moscou and Tracy Dos Santos at lms.facilitators@ucl.ac.uk.

Supporting documents

2024 

BBSRC Industrial Doctoral Landscapes Awards 2024-25 | Deadline: 17 December 2024

Scope

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Industrial Doctoral Landscapes Award (IDLA) 2024-25 offers funding to support high-quality collaborative research training through partnerships between academia and industry. The IDLA aims to build capacity and address skills challenges in the UK bioeconomy to drive innovation and economic growth.

The IDLA is open to UK-based research organisations and Higher Education Institutions in partnership with non-academic organisations.

Details

  • Duration: 6 years (total)
  • Funding: Covers student stipends, tuition feeds and research costs
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 1
  • BBSRC mandatory notification of intent (NOI) deadline: 4pm, 17 December 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for the full call details, including eligibility criteria.

There were no submissions to the internal UCL deadline, which was established as institutions may only submit 1 application as the academic partner lead organisation. Given the tight timelines set by the funder and the challenges in developing a partnership with a non-HEI partner within this timeframe, the BBSRC has confirmed that UCL may submit more than 1 NOI on the understanding that only 1 full application can be submitted. 

UCL process

If you intend to apply, inform the LMS Research Coordination team and send a copy of your NOI to lms.facilitators@ucl.ac.uk by 20 December. If more than 1 expression of interest is received, an internal review will take place in mid-January to identify which application to put forward. 

For any queries regarding the internal process, contact your local Research Coordination team at lms.facilitators@ucl.ac.uk or ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk.

Submission timeline

  • Internal selection panel meeting: week commencing 9 December 2024
  • Successful applicants notified: 10 December (or soon after)
  • BBSRC notification of intent (NOI) deadline: 4pm, 17 December 2024
  • UCL NOI deadline: 20 December 2024
NERC Pushing the Frontiers of Environmental Science | UCL deadline: 3 December 2024

Scope

This Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) call offers funding to pursue an ambitious, high-risk, high-reward environmental science project. Your research project will need to address a significant environmental science question. This can include pure, applied, technology-led, or policy-driven research but still address, or provide the means to address clearly defined scientific questions. Applications are welcomed from individuals who can demonstrate a capability to collaborate with experts from other disciplines to generate innovative research, however, the research will need to sit predominantly within NERC’s research areas.

Whilst UCL is not currently subject to a cap we are implementing a demand management process for all applications to this call to monitor the quantity and quality of submissions.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £950,000. NERC will fund 80% of FEC
  • Duration: No defined project duration, but awards are usually for between three and four years
  • Application deadline: 3 December 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for the full call details, including eligibility criteria.
 
If you are based in the Department of Earth Science, Geography, or Genetics, Evolution and Environment (GEE) contact your department to find out more about local internal triage processes. Researchers outside these departments will need to go through the cross-disciplinary panel overseen by the Environment Domain

Key cross-disciplinary panel dates

  • Tuesday 26 November 2024: Deadline for Internal Expressions of Interest (EoI), not assessed to help with panel preparations
  • Tuesday 3 December 2024: First completed draft of the vision, approach and applicant/team capability to deliver to be sent as a single Word document to Dr Becca Burns, b.burns@ucl.ac.uk
  • w/c 9 December 2024: Panel meeting with feedback provided by the end of this week
  • NERC deadline: 4pm, 21 January 2025

All Worktribe budgets and submissions should be completed as soon as possible, taking note of deadlines in the lead-up to UCL's Christmas closure. Please liaise with your department regarding this.
 
If you have any queries or require the EoI form in an alternative format contact Dr Becca Burns at b.burns@ucl.ac.uk.

MRC/BBSRC/EPSRC and NC3Rs Novel human in vitro models of complex disease | UCL deadline: 11 November 2024

Scope

Funding is available to lead a cluster in a coordinated network for novel human in vitro models of complex disease. Clusters should be focussed on: 

Development, validation, and adaptation of human in vitro disease models for ready adoption by end-users in academia, industry, or both
Specific disease areas of high unmet need or addressing common needs with relevance to multiple disease domains.
Clusters need to integrate interdisciplinary teams comprising diverse expertise appropriate to the proposed work.

UCL's Therapeutic Innovation Networks (TINs), in collaboration with Professors Umber Cheema (Division of Surgery and Interventional Science) and Jonathan Knowles (Eastman Dental Institute), held an in-person brainstorming session from 10:00-13:00 on 4 November 2024 for colleagues interested in applying. Participants will be able to propose and discuss thematic areas for potential collaboration.

Details

  • Funding: Total fund available £10m to fund 3 clusters for 4 years.
  • Internal deadline: 4pm, 11 November 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for the full call details, including eligibility criteria.

UCL applicants should submit a UCL Expression of Interest Form by the internal deadline to enable identification of any potential synergies between UCL’s bids. For any queries contact k.groot@ucl.ac.uk with ‘Novel human in vitro models of complex disease’ in the subject line.

EPSRC Healthcare Technology Partnership Scheme Outline | Deadline: 14 November 2024

Scope

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) have announced a call for proposals to the outline stage of the Healthcare Technology Translation Partnership Scheme. Funded projects will address unmet clinical needs and/or offer significant added value over current health solutions. Awardees will progress basic and fundamental engineering and physical sciences research towards proof of concept and validation through partnering with clinical and healthcare professionals, and industrial partners.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £1.88million (100% FEC). EPSRC will fund 80% of the FEC (up to £1.5million)
  • Duration: Up to 4 years
  • Number of projects: 7-20
  • Expression of Interest (EOI) deadline (mandatory): 14 November 2024
  • Outline deadline: 12 December 2024

While there is no demand management requirement for the call, EPSRC reserve the right to impose one if demand is very high.

To help us monitor interest in the call and plan workloads around the deadline, Project Leads submitting an EOI are asked to let the BEAMS Research Coordination team know by sending a copy of the submitted EOI to ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk. The information provided will not be shared outside the BEAMS Research Coordination team and Translational Research Office (TRO).

If planning a proposal to this call you are encouraged to contact Pamela Tranter in the TRO at p.tranter@ucl.ac.uk.

Worktribe should be used to calculate the approximate total cost of your project for the EOI survey. A fully approved Worktribe will be required before submission of the Outline application.

Further information

The full call details, and outputs (recording, slides, and Q&A) from the EPSRC webinar for the scheme, are available on the UK Research and Innovation website.

UCL Neuroscience - Neuroscience Center Zurich ZNZ Joint Research and Networking Funding | UCL deadline: 2 November 2024

Scope

UCL Neuroscience and Neuroscience Center Zurich ZNZ are providing short-term seed funding to support joint neuroscience research or networking activities, which are intended to represent a priming step towards seeking comprehensive joint external research funding. Awards will be made to enable investigators to obtain data to support larger-scale applications for external research funding. This category will fund staff, postgraduate student exchange or short stays of group leaders at the partner institution as well as research consumables. Funding can alternatively be used to host seminars, events, workshops or a symposium to develop research collaboration through the exchange of knowledge and skills. 

Details

  • Career stage: Early career
  • Funding: Up to £20,000 per award (£60,000 in total available)
  • Duration: 1 year
  • Application deadline: 4pm, 2 November 2024

Further information and how to apply 

Applicants should complete an intention to submit by 4pm, 25 October 2023. Applicants will also need to complete and submit an application form. Completed forms should be sent by email to Ruth Wainman (r.wainman@ucl.ac.uk) and Wolfgang Knecht (wknecht@neuroscience.uzh.ch) with the subject line 'UCL Zurich Funding Call 2024' by the application deadline.

Applications need to involve at least 1 group leader affiliated with UCL Neuroscience and at least 1 group leader affiliated with Neuroscience Center Zurich ZNZ.

The deadline for full applications is 4pm, 2 December 2024.

Supporting documents

MRC Equip-4 and BBSRC ALERT 24 Equipment Funding | UCL deadline: 23 October 2024

Scope

The Medical Research Council (MRC) mid-range equipment for biomedical research (Equip-4) call and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) mid-range equipment for biomedical research (ALERT 24) offers funding to support the purchase of strategically important research capital equipment. It is expected that some of the successful applications will be for major equipment managed within multi-user facilities such as the UCL Science Technology Platforms or other existing core facilities.

Details

  • Funding: £100,000-£800,000 (Equip-4), £200,000-£1,500,000 (ALERT 24)
  • Application deadline: 23 October 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full details on the Equip-4 and ALERT 24 calls and eligibility criteria. 

UCL applicants need to submit an expression of interest form by the application deadline. 

Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowship | Deadline: 2 October 2024

Scope

The Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowship scheme provides the most talented mid-career researchers with funding to undertake high-quality original research and to enable them to establish an outstanding team of researchers to tackle difficult and intractable problems across all STEM areas covered by the Royal Society's remit. The BEAMS Research Coordination team hosted a webinar on 3 September for UCL staff interested in applying chaired by Professor Peter Munro, Vice-Dean (Research), Faculty of Engineering Sciences. View the webinar recording and access the slides.

Details

  • Career stage: Mid-career
  • Funding: Up to £8million
  • Duration: Up to 10 years
  • Number of fellowships available: 7
  • Application deadline: 2 October 2024

Further information

Visit the Royal Society website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Contact Sobia Ashraf (sobia.ashraf@ucl.ac.uk) with any queries about the call.

NIHR Research Professorships (Round 15) & Global Health Research Professorships (Round 8) 2024/25 | UCL deadline: 1 October 2024

Scope

This National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) call offers funding for outstanding academics to develop research capacity in translational research, promote effective translation of research, and strengthen research leadership at the highest academic levels.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £2million (average cost of successful applications between £1.7-£1.8million)
  • Duration: 5 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 3 Research Professorships, 2 Global Health Research Professorships
  • Application deadline: 12noon, 1 October 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the NIHR website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Applicants should complete an internal Expression of Interest form following the guidelines below.

Supporting documents

Sir Jules Thorn Award for Biomedical Research 2025 | UCL deadline: 1 October 2024

Scope

The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust is seeking to support an outstanding research programme, in any discipline or disease area, at an advanced translation stage, which demonstrates a clear pathway to benefit patients. This will be awarded to one recipient in the UK.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £1.7million (direct costs only)
  • Duration: Up to 5 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 1
  • Application deadline: 12noon, 1 October 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the Sir Jules Thorn website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Applicants should complete an internal Expression of Interest form following the guidelines below.

Supporting documents

EPSRC 'International Centre to Centre Research Collaborations' call | Deadline: 12 September 2024

Scope

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has announced the latest round of its 'International Centre to Centre Research Collaborations' call. The scheme provides funding to form world-leading partnerships and work with the best international collaborators for your research. EPSRC intend to fund 9-12 research consortia.

The BEAMS Research Coordination team hosted a webinar for UCL staff interested in applying to the scheme on Friday 19 July. Chaired by Professor Tiziana Rossetto (Vice-Dean (International), Faculty of Engineering Sciences), the webinar featured a talk from Professor Neil Curson (UCL London Centre for Nanotechnology), who shared his experiences of successfully applying for an EPSRC International Centre to Centre award in the previous round. View the webinar recording and access the slides.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £1.8million (100% FEC)/£1.44million (80% FEC)
  • Duration: 3-5 years
  • Application deadline: 12 September 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Contact Laura Fenner (l.fenner@ucl.ac.uk) with any queries about the call.

EPSRC/NIHR Technologies to enable independence for people living with dementia N+ | Deadline: 10 September 2024

Scope

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) have announced a call for Network Plus (N+) grants on the topic of Technologies to enable independence for people living with dementia.

The grants aim to build capacity and bring together new communities across engineering and physical sciences, and health and care to tackle challenges in dementia research. Networks should be multidisciplinary and embed people with lived experiences of dementia.

The BEAMS Research Coordination team and Institute of Healthcare Engineering held an open meeting on 11 June 2024 for staff interested in applying to this call to support UCL's response. This hybrid event was chaired by Professor Mine Orlu (UCL School of Pharmacy), and included a briefing and discussion on the call, as well as an opportunity to share insights into what EPSRC/NIHR are looking for and identify uncertainties, share ideas openly, and discuss what support would be helpful. Following the meeting, a Teams group was set up for those interested in sharing further thoughts and applying to the call.

Details

  • Funding: £500,000 to £2million per award (up to 3 awards will be funded)
  • Duration: Up to 3 years
  • Application deadline: 10 September 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Applications should be submitted via the UKRI funding call page.

For queries about the call and the application process, contact Laura Fenner (l.fenner@ucl.ac.uk) or Eric de Silva (eric.desilva@ucl.ac.uk).

UKRI cross research council responsive mode pilot scheme: round 2 | UCL deadline: 9 September 2024

Scope

UKRI have pre-announced round 2 of its cross research council responsive mode pilot scheme. The scheme will fund projects from all research areas that are breakthrough or interdisciplinary ideas that transcend, combine or significantly span disciplines that are not routinely funded through existing UKRI responsive mode schemes, potentially transformative, and have at least 2 different research council disciplines collaborating to deliver a research project.

UKRI is holding a webinar for prospective applicants on 5 September (10:00-11:30) and 11 September (14:00-15:30). The webinars will provide more information about the scheme and offer the opportunity to ask questions.

Due to the cap on the number of bids research organisations can submit, UCL has put a demand management process in place. Applicants will be informed of the outcome at the end of September (date tbc). 

Details

  • Funding: Up to £1.2million (80% FEC)
  • Duration: Up to 2 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 20
  • Application deadline: 12noon, 9 September 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Applicants should complete the Expression of Interest form by the deadline.

Resubmissions

Applicants who previously submitted an outline proposal to the full stage of the previous round of this scheme can reapply without restrictions. Applicants invited to the full stage but were unsuccessful and were scored B, C or D can only reapply with a substantially reworked proposal. This will need to be explained in the EoI form and will be considered amongst all other applications submitted. Those who scored A may reapply without restriction and will automatically be selected to be put forward as a UCL applicant in instances where UCL was the lead organisation.

EPSRC 'Core research challenges in digital twinning for crisis resilience' call | Deadline: 5 September 2024

Scope

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has announced a call for proposals for the ‘Core Research Challenges in Digital Twinning for Crisis Resilience’ scheme. Funding is available for a single interdisciplinary research programme in digital twinning focused on improving government crisis response and resilience, with a particular focus on risks to transport networks. Wider and interlinking risks are also important considerations.

The BEAMS Research Coordination team hosted a roundtable meeting for UCL staff interested in applying to the scheme on 19 July 2024. Chaired by Professor Ian Hamilton, Vice-Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Built Environment, the roundtable included an overview of the call, an opportunity to share insights into what the EPSRC are looking for, and an invitation to share and discuss ideas.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £4.375million (100% FEC)/ £3.5million (80% FEC)
  • Duration: Up to 3 years
  • Application deadline: 5 September 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Contact Laura Fenner (l.fenner@ucl.ac.uk) with any queries about the scheme.

British Academy Global Professorships 2024 | UCL deadline: 2 September 2024

Scope

The British Academy Global Professorships 2024 call offers funding to outstanding international researchers not currently working in the UK to undertake high-risk, curiosity-driven research in the humanities and social sciences that enables award holders and their UK host institutions the opportunity to achieve a step change in their respective research areas.

As the British Academy expects that institutions will only submit up to 4 applications to this round, UCL has put an internal demand management process in place.

Details

  • Career stage: Mid- to Senior Career
  • Funding: Up to £900,000 per award
  • Duration: 4 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 4 (1 per department/institute)
  • Application deadline: 1pm, 2 September 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the British Academy website for further details about the call and to read the programme guidance notes. Contact the  LASH/IOE Research Facilitation and Coordination team (ovpr.slashioe@ucl.ac.uk) with any queries about the scheme.

Applicants should complete the Expression of Interest form and send this to the LASH/IOE Research Facilitation and Coordination team by email at ovpr.slashioe@ucl.ac.uk, copying in the relevant Head of Department. A department/institute can only support 1 candidate.

ESRC Research skills strategic leadership hub | UCL deadline: 20 August 2024

Scope

This Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) call will offer funding to deliver a research skill strategic leadership hub to provide leadership across the full breadth of the social science community, innovate in the way research skills training and capacity building (TCB) is both conceived and delivered, and promote a culture of lifelong learning in research skills. The ESRC will fund 1 hub under this opportunity.

An internal selection process has been put in place to support UCL staff interested in leading or participating in a bid though this is not required to proceed.

Details

  • Funding: Up to £5million (100% FEC)
  • Duration: 5 years
  • Application deadline: 5pm, 20 August 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria. Applicants are invited to submit an Expression of Interest form to Jacob Leveridge in the LASH/IOE Research Coordination team at j.leveridge@ucl.ac.uk or Ella Sivyer in the LMS Research Coordination team at e.sivyer@ucl.ac.uk.

UCL Research Progression Award | Deadline: 15 August 2024

Scope

UCL has received funding from Research England to support Official Development Assistance (ODA) compliant research projects addressing challenges facing low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

An internal call for research projects will be run as a competitive process, aligned to the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) research themes and open to all disciplines across UCL, which need to fulfil the requirements of ODA research.

The UCL Research Progression Award aims to fund new research projects, increase success in future ISPF funding calls, develop UCL’s strategic thematic aims and foster overseas partnerships.

Details

  • Career stage: Early to Mid-career (Professorial staff are not eligible to apply)
  • Funding: Up to £60,000 (100% FEC)
  • Duration: Projects can take place any time during the period 1 October 2024 to 31 July 2025 (spending need to be completed on or before 31 March 2025)
  • Application deadline: 15 August 2024

Further information and how to apply

Visit the UCL Research Progression Award webpage for full call details and eligibility criteria.

EPSRC Core Equipment 2024 | UCL deadline: 19 July 2024

Scope

This Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) call offers funding for capital equipment to enable research within the Council's remit. Funding is distinct to the Council’s Strategic Infrastructure scheme and the majority of research undertaken using the equipment should be within EPSRC remit. Available funding will be capital in nature and awards cannot be used to cover non-capital expenditure.

Details

  • Funding: Between £10,000-£400,000
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: UCL asked to submit a proposal to EPSRC for up to £1million
  • Application deadline: 4pm, 19 July 2024

Further information and how to apply

Applicants should complete the Expression of Interest form by the deadline following the guidelines below.

Supporting documents

AHRC Design Exchange Partnerships: design the green transition round 3 | UCL deadline: 26 July 2024

Scope

This Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) call offers funding to develop design-led solutions around the theme of more-than-human design. More-than-human design refers to the idea of designing for impact beyond humans. Design Exchange Partnerships (DEPs) are 3-way collaborative projects which seek to demonstrate tangible impact on local communities by stimulating the real-world application of high-quality arts and humanities-led design research to address challenges related to achieving green transition goals.

Each project should include 1 early career arts and humanities design research associate (minimum 0.6 full-time equivalent, job share possible), at least 1 academic supervisor, and at least 1 non-academic organisation. The research associate should be named in the application at the time of submission and their research background, interests and qualifications central to the project partnership and development. The research associate can include those undertaking doctoral studies in an arts and humanities design-led discipline. The research associate (and supervisor) must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding.

Details

  • Funding: £62,500-£125,000 (AHRC will fund 80% FEC)
  • Duration: 6 or 12 months depending on the level of funding
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 2 (1 application per named research associate, supervisor and non-academic partner)
  • Application deadline: 12noon, 26 July 2024

Further information and how to apply

View the full call details on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website. Applicants should complete the Expression of Interest form and email this to ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk by the deadline following the guidelines below.

Supporting documents

AHRC Doctoral focal awards in the arts and humanities | Deadline: 2 July 2024

Scope

This Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) call for Doctoral Focal Awards, formerly Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) focusses on 2 themes - Arts and Humanities for a healthy planet, people, and place, and the creative economy - to deliver world-class doctoral training and development opportunities for students, to advance current understanding, generate new knowledge, and develop the breadth of expertise for the future of the research and innovation workforce, and to enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Details

  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 1 as lead institution, unlimited number as a consortium member
  • Application deadline: 2 July 2024

Further information and how to apply

View the full call details on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website. UCL will apply as the lead institution on the creative economy theme to build on our strategic investment in the School for the Creative and Cultural Industries (SCCI) at UCL East and help build up the research culture there. The UCL application will be led by Professor Haidy Geismar, Director of the SCCI. Academic colleagues interested in this theme should contact Professor Geismar (h.geismar@ucl.ac.uk) outlining how they might contribute. Colleagues interested in the arts and humanities for a healthy planet, people, and place theme should consider participating in an application led by another institution.

Royal Academy of Engineering 2024/25 Research Fellowships | UCL deadline: 6 June 2024

Scope

The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) 2024/25 Research Fellowships scheme supports outstanding early career researchers to become future leaders in engineering. The scheme's objectives are to support the best early-career researchers in establishing their independence and international reputation, provide long-term support enabling the pursuit of an ambitious programme of engineering research and impact, and develop ambassadors for the Academy and advocates for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines.

Details

  • Career stage: Applicants with PhD awarded no more than 4 years (+3 months) before 18 September 2024
  • Funding: £625,000
  • Duration: 5 years
  • Number of UCL applications allowed: 4 (at least 2 from underrepresented groups)
  • Application deadline: 12noon, 6 June 2024

Further information and how to apply

View the full call details on the Royal Academy website. Contact Sobia Ashraf (sobia.ashraf@ucl.ac.uk) with any queries about the scheme. Applicants should complete and send the application form to ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk with the subject 'RAEng Research Fellowship Application' by the application deadline. The application form file should be named, 'Applicant name - RAEngRFs2024' and sent as a PDF. Applicants will also need to provide additional information via an MS Form.

Assessment criteria

Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria:

  • Research track record, quality, and vision
  • Potential to become a future leader in their chosen field
  • Potential to establish an independent research career
  • Potential to act as an ambassador and advocate for engineering research
  • Quality of the proposed research programme, including timeliness, novelty, vision, and ambition that is achievable in the 5-year timeline
  • Quality and effectiveness of proposed planning and management
  • Beneficiaries and potential to translate outcomes into societal and economic impact

Page last updated: May 2025