# MRC Centre of Research Excellence **Funder:** MRC (UKRI) **Budget:** Up to £21M MRC contribution (80% of up to £26.25M FEC) for first 7 years **Deadline:** 3 February 2027 (Expression of interest (voluntary) by 4:00pm UK time on 8 December 2026; outline application closing date not stated in this segment) **Duration:** Up to 14 years (7-year initial period with review in year 6) **Consortium:** Optional — applications can be from a single eligible organisation or a partnership of organisations; international co-leads and project partners are permitted but not required **Application:** 2-stage: outline application → full application (unsuccessful outlines cannot be resubmitted unless invited) **Frequency:** Annual **Eligible countries:** GB **Official call:** https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/mrc-centre-of-research-excellence-round-five/ **Last updated:** 2 Sept 2026 ## Eligibility & scope Funds bold, interdisciplinary health research centres tackling complex biomedical challenges over 14 years. Lead applicant must be a UK-eligible research organisation; businesses, charities, and international organisations cannot lead. Covers salaries, consumables, studentships, and public partnerships. Clinical trials and longitudinal population studies are excluded. Start date 1 April–30 October 2028. ## Summary MRC Centres of Research Excellence (CoRE) funds transformative biomedical and health research challenges with 14-year awards to established teams at UK institutions. The scheme is open to multi-disciplinary consortia addressing major research challenges, with optional industry and overseas partners; all host organisations must be represented by eligible co-leads. Host institutions must demonstrate strong organisational support, and applicants may request doctoral studentships as part of the award. ## Who should apply - Established research teams with a track record in biomedical or health research - Institutions able to provide vice-chancellor-level organisational support - Multi-disciplinary consortia addressing transformative research challenges - Projects that can leverage optional partnerships with industry, government, or overseas collaborators - Applications via UK host institutions; overseas partners permitted as non-host members ## Key dates - Deadline 3 February 2027, 4:00 PM UK time - Two-stage evaluation: outline application followed by full application invitation for shortlisted proposals - 14-year award duration ## Tips for applicants - Vice-chancellor-level support statement is mandatory, engage your institution's senior leadership early and secure a specific commitment before drafting. - Outline application must be self-contained and make the case for transformative impact; do not assume the panel will infer depth from a preliminary sketch. - If you are leading a consortium, ensure all host organisations have named eligible co-leads and confirm their willingness to submit joint funding bids before the outline deadline. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long is an MRC Centre of Research Excellence award? 14 years from the award start date. ### Can I include industry or overseas partners in an MRC CoRE application? Yes, but only UK institutions can be host organisations; industry, government, and overseas research groups may participate as project partners contributing cash or in-kind resources. ### Is matched funding required for an MRC CoRE award? No matched funding is required beyond the 20% Full Economic Cost contribution from the host institution. ### What is the application process for MRC CoRE? Two-stage: applicants submit an outline application, and successful proposals are then invited to submit a full application. ### Do I need vice-chancellor approval to apply for an MRC CoRE award? Yes, host institutions must provide a vice-chancellor-level statement of organisational support as part of the application. --- Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/mrc-ukri-centre-of-research-excellence-2027-02) — 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).