# FoCAL Award: EPSRC and MHCLG Fire Engineering Skills Hub **Funder:** EPSRC **Budget:** Up to £5.9M total **Duration:** Up to 60 months (doctoral training); level 7/CPD programme funding must be spent by end March 2029 **Consortium:** Required — multi-organisational consortium; lead must host doctoral students, other organisations may co-lead or host, project partners also encouraged **Frequency:** One-off **Eligible countries:** GB **Official call:** https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/focal-award-epsrc-and-mhclg-fire-engineering-skills-hub/ **Last updated:** 9 Sept 2026 ## Eligibility & scope Funding opportunity from MHCLG delivered via EPSRC for higher education institutions to establish a Fire Engineering Skills Hub, combining doctoral studentships, level 7 postgraduate programmes and CPD training. Applicants must be UK higher education institutions; projects must start between 1 April 2027 and 1 October 2027; up to two skills hubs funded, up to 18 doctoral students across two cohorts. ## Summary The FoCAL Award funds UK higher education institutions to set up a Fire Engineering Skills Hub combining doctoral studentships, level 7 postgraduate programmes and CPD training, with up to £5.9 million available across up to two hubs. It requires a multi-organisational consortium, with a lead institution hosting up to 18 doctoral students across two cohorts, and projects must start between April and October 2027. This is a one-off call jointly delivered by MHCLG and EPSRC to build fire engineering skills capacity in the UK. ## Who should apply - UK higher education institutions able to lead or co-lead a multi-organisational consortium - Lead institutions capable of hosting doctoral students directly - Consortia combining doctoral training, level 7 postgraduate programmes and CPD delivery - Institutions with established or emerging fire engineering research and teaching capacity - Project partners from industry or practice willing to support skills training ## Key dates - Projects must start between 1 April 2027 and 1 October 2027 - Doctoral training funded for up to 60 months; level 7/CPD programme funding must be spent by end March 2029 - One-off call, no recurring rounds ## Tips for applicants - Since up to two hubs will be funded, position your consortium's fire engineering specialism clearly against likely competing bids from other UK universities. - The lead institution must host doctoral students, so structure co-lead and partner roles early, this is not a simple single-institution application. - Build a realistic spend plan against the end-March 2029 deadline for level 7/CPD funding, since this is tighter than the 60-month doctoral training window. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much funding does the FoCAL Award provide? Up to £5.9 million in total, funding up to two Fire Engineering Skills Hubs. ### Who can apply for the FoCAL Award? UK higher education institutions, applying as part of a required multi-organisational consortium where the lead institution hosts doctoral students. ### How many doctoral students does the FoCAL Award fund? Up to 18 doctoral students across two cohorts, split between the funded skills hubs. ### When must FoCAL-funded projects start and end? Projects must start between 1 April 2027 and 1 October 2027; doctoral training can run up to 60 months, while level 7 and CPD programme funding must be spent by end March 2029. ### Is the FoCAL Award a recurring call? No, this is a one-off funding opportunity from MHCLG delivered via EPSRC. --- Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/epsrc-focal-award-epsrc-and-mhclg-fire-engineering-skill-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying. **See which EU calls match your profile.** [Preview your matches in 30 seconds, no signup](https://grantsby.eu/demo?ref=llm_grant_md).