Research grants for UK researchers

UKRI Safer Streets R&D MAP funding opportunity to establish one Research & Innovation Consortium developing measures and pilots to improve trust and confidence in UK policing, prioritising children under 18 and victims of violence against women and girls. Requires track record or credible plan for collaboration with UK police forces; associated studentships not eligible; excludes conventional surveys/opinion polls and purely theoretical research.

Funds compute hardware (CPU/GPU) investments for EPSRC-remit research communities in the UK. Applicants must hold a mandatory pre-submission meeting with EPSRC on procurement and Trusted Research & Innovation plans; only the lead research organisation may submit, and Norway-based project co-leads are excluded.

EIC call (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01): HORIZON EIC Grants

EIC call (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01): HORIZON EIC Grants

COST funds research networks (COST Actions) on any topic, bottom-up, rather than research costs. The 2026 Open Call will fund up to 80 Actions.

EIC call (HORIZON-EIC-2026-STEP-DEFENCE-01): HORIZON EIC Equity Only

EIC call (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01): HORIZON EIC Grants

Funding to extend the CoSTAR Network's creative technology R&D infrastructure (Createch Futures), supporting film, TV, games and performance sectors; requires consortium/partnership capability, industry support and co-investment commitment beyond the grant period.

Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship from the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of sciences. Funds research and fellowships across the natural sciences; most schemes require a UK host institution (some exchange and visiting schemes involve overseas partners). Applications close 29 October 2026.

ERDERA Clinical Trial Call 2026 (pre-announcement), listed under ERDERA on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Expansion of AHRC's CoSTAR programme funding Satellite Labs for creative R&D infrastructure in screen and performance industries, co-sited with a screen production facility, studio or performance company. UK-only; international collaborations not eligible; requires minimum 50% third-party match funding.

Part of AHRC's CoSTAR programme expansion funded by DCMS Createch Futures, delivering Showcase Labs co-sited with a screen production or performance facility. UK-only; international collaborations not eligible; requires minimum 50% third-party match funding and lead must be UK-resident with doctorate or equivalent experience.

Funding to extend the CoSTAR Network's creative R&D infrastructure, supporting new national labs for TV, film, games and performance sectors. Applicants are expected to form a consortium/partnership with co-investment and industry support; interviews expected week commencing 25 January 2027.

Invite-only full application stage for NERC Large Grants. Applicants must be based at UK research organisations eligible for NERC funding. Associated studentships may be available. Proposals must align with NERC's environmental science remit.

Call for a consortium of two Technology Transfer Offices and one Entrepreneurship Support Provider to deliver the Beyond the Lab: From Research to Venture programme, including masterclasses, mentoring and a Pitch Day for two cohorts over two years.

Funding to deliver a venture-building programme for Master's and PhD students developing early-stage healthcare solutions; applicants must form a consortium of one University Incubator and one Entrepreneurship Support Provider with demonstrated venture-building experience.

Call for consortia to design and deliver EIT Health Bootcamp learning paths for health start-ups covering digital health validation, deep tech/AI commercialisation, cross-border scaling and patient access. Funding covers max 50% of eligible costs via actual-cost model; remaining 50% must be co-funded from non-EIT Health sources. Individuals may not apply.

Call for a consortium of one University Incubator and one Entrepreneurship Support Provider to deliver activities of EIT Health's Beyond the Idea: From Concept to Venture programme, supporting MSc and PhD students building healthcare ventures over two cohorts.

Call for a consortium of two Technology Transfer Offices (universities/research organisations) and one Entrepreneurship Support Provider to deliver a six-month venture building programme helping researchers incorporate healthcare start-ups, including masterclasses, mentoring and a Pitch Day over two cohorts.

Funds consortia to design and deliver Summer Schools and Certified Innovation Path Residentials in Health Data, Digital Medical Devices, High Value Care, or Biotech. Open to higher education institutions, research organisations, healthcare providers, and industry partners; funding spans programme iterations in 2027 and 2028.

Part of UKRI Quantum Programme (Quantum Mission 1); proposals must address convergence of quantum computing with HPC/AI centred on a defined application use case developed with an end-user. Expected to secure at least 1:1 leverage from public or private funding sources; fixed start date 1 June 2027.

Postdoctoral skills development toward NIHR funding, not research activity funding. An English contracting organisation is normally required; the Addictions partnership permits equivalent hosts across the UK. See cohort guidance for qualifications, duration and prior-application restrictions.

Fully funded 4-year PhD studentship for people who self-identify as being from a Black heritage background, run through Cancer Research UK's PhD training centres in the UK. Open to non-clinical PhD candidates meeting general entry requirements; international fee shortfalls must be covered by the host institution, not the student.

Stage two (invitation only) for academically-led translational health research: prevention, diagnosis, prognosis or treatment of significant health needs, or research tools improving intervention development. Covers early prototype to phase 2a clinical studies. UK lead organisation required; international co-leads eligible up to 30% of total costs (HIC/India/China). 80% FEC funded.

Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships from the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of sciences. Funds research and fellowships across the natural sciences; most schemes require a UK host institution (some exchange and visiting schemes involve overseas partners). Applications close 4 Nove

Novel ecosystems: biodiversity, socio-ecological consequence, listed under Biodiversa-plus on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Invitation-only funding to sustain the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE), co-funded with the Office for National Statistics, to improve economic measurement methodologies including the Time Use Survey. Applicants must have been invited; only the lead research organisation can submit via the UKRI Funding Service.

Supports innovative, large-scale environmental science research tackling big questions not addressable through other NERC discovery science routes. Open to research groups and individuals at any career stage at eligible UK organisations. International co-leads permitted only from Norway (UKRI–RCN agreement) or via lead agency agreements (NSF/US, FAPESP/Brazil, FNR/Luxembourg). Invite-only at full-application stage.

UKRI/EPSRC funding for speculative, high-risk research developing novel AI technologies, hardware, algorithms or systems that improve sustainability of future AI. Technology-led proposals only; majority non-technical (social science, policy, legal, ethics) applications excluded. Projects must start 1 February 2027; only UK-registered organisations may lead via the UKRI Funding Service.

Water4All 2026 Joint Transnational Call - Sustainable Water, listed under Water4All on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Network Plus funding (EPSRC/UKRI Advanced Manufacturing Priority Programme) to coordinate research and industry community addressing manufacturing scale-up, with primary focus on automotive and aerospace and wider relevance to advanced materials, batteries and space. Flexible funds support up to 50% of total eligible project costs and require industrial co-funding; equipment over £25,000 not funded. Applications only via UKRI Funding Service (not Je-S); lead research organisation must submit.

Academically led translational single-step projects generating critical preliminary data for new medicines, devices, diagnostics or other medical interventions. UK research organisations eligible as lead; international researchers may join as project co-leads. Businesses and non-approved charities cannot lead. No clinical trials or fundamental research. Proposals must be submitted in English via UKRI Funding Service.

UK funding opportunity under the IS8+ Advanced Manufacturing Priority Programme to scale up manufacturing of recently developed technologies in aerospace and automotive sectors. Requires industrial project partners, matched funding, access to industrial-scale manufacturing environments, and a mandatory Intent to Submit form before applying.

Supports early-stage, curiosity-driven, high-risk environmental research projects lacking preliminary data, within NERC's research remit. Project lead must be UK-resident and affiliated with an eligible UK research organisation; international co-leads only accepted from Norway. Not for studentships, fellowships, equipment purchase, or training activities.

Seed funding for early-stage, pre-development technology concepts in cancer immunotherapy; applicants must hold a tenure-track position at a not-for-profit research center or institution. Does not support clinical trials or refinement of existing technologies.

New cancer-immunotherapy technologies at the pre-development concept stage. Routine application or refinement of existing technologies is generally non-responsive; clinical trials are excluded. Applicants need a tenure-track position at a nonprofit institution; co-PIs may apply.

Supported by the European Commission, this network of research and innovation funders across Europe and beyond advances a resilient and sustainable blue economy through transnational collaborative projects.

SBEP Fourth Joint Call - 2026 (preannouncement), listed under SBEP on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Topic HORIZON-JU-EUROHPC-2026-TIPT-09-01. Funds scale-up of European trapped-ion quantum computing platforms to >1000 physical qubits, integrated with HPC, targeting TRL 4→7. Participation limited to legal entities in EU Member States or EuroHPC JU Participating States; entities controlled by non-eligible countries require guarantees. Indicative 1 grant of up to €20M.

DUT Call 2026, listed under DUT on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Strategic Prioritisation Exercise (SPE) for existing biomedical Longitudinal Population Studies (LPS) based in the UK, or overseas if previously MRC-supported with a UK research organisation involved. Submissions will not result in direct funding but inform future MRC investment; project leads must be UK-based researchers at eligible research organisations.

NIHR HTA commissioned research to identify speech and language therapist-led interventions for school-aged children with developmental language disorder that are suitable for later comparative-effectiveness studies. The specification requests a practice survey, evidence review and stakeholder perspectives. Consult the programme guidance for applicant eligibility.

HTA Programme commissioned call for health technology assessment of interventions for children and young people with non-progressive motor disorders affecting their speech. Applicants must be UK-based; research must address NHS or social care populations using PICO-structured questions with cost-effectiveness outcomes. Multidisciplinary teams including patient/public involvement and health economics expertise required.

Academically-led translational projects developing novel therapeutics, devices, diagnostics or interventions from early prototype through to phase 2a clinical studies. Project lead must be employed by an eligible UK research organisation; international researchers may participate as project co-lead (international). Funds 80% FEC; no matched funding required beyond standard 20% FEC.

Career Development Fellowships from the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of sciences. Funds research and fellowships across the natural sciences; most schemes require a UK host institution (some exchange and visiting schemes involve overseas partners). Applications close 18 November 2026.

M-ERA.NET Joint Call 2026, listed under M-ERA.NET 3 on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Supports sustainable UK bioscience infrastructure such as databases, software tools and biological material collections (e.g. culture/germplasm collections, mutant lines, DNA samples). Projects can only start by 1 July 2027 at the earliest; BBSRC funds 80% of full economic cost, with 20% from the host research organisation. Excludes biomedical/clinical-focused resources and projects where data generation is the primary aim.

Funds empirical/quantitative (or qualitative/mixed-methods) research to develop consensus estimates of economic and social returns to R&D investment, supported through the UK Metascience Unit. Projects must start by 1 April 2027; UKRI funds 80% of FEC with 20% expected from host institution; applicants encouraged to engage with parallel Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Coefficient Giving-funded cohort.

Five-day interactive sandpit (1,2,3,9,10 March 2027) for researchers to develop metascience projects using UKRI administrative data on R&D funding. Applicant must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding; international collaboration not allowed; full attendance mandatory; host institution must fund 20% of FEC.

MSCA Doctoral Networks fund partnerships of universities, research institutions, businesses and other socio-economic actors to implement doctoral training programmes, including Industrial and Joint Doctorates with joint supervision arrangements. Open to organisations from EU, Associated and third countries.

Covers MSCA Doctoral Networks, Joint Doctorates (joint/double/multiple doctoral degrees) and Industrial Doctorates (mandatory non-academic sector involvement); beneficiaries must recruit and host doctoral candidates under full employment contracts.

Supports UK National Quantum Strategy Mission 2 research into quantum networking components, systems and architectures. UK research organisations only; applications via UKRI Funding Service (not Je-S); PhD studentships not fundable; expects engagement with the Mission 2 Coordination Network.

Funds a UK academic-led Coordination Network for quantum networking and communications under the National Quantum Strategy Mission 2, requiring co-creation with end users, industry, government and infrastructure providers. Applications via UKRI Funding Service only (not Je-S); UK research organisations only.

Sandpit to co-create small satellite Earth observation mission concepts combining innovative sensors, data streams and cross-sector technologies for UK sovereign capability, national security, societal benefit and economic growth. Applicants must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding; UK businesses, government departments, third sector organisations and international organisations are not eligible to apply directly but may participate as project partners.

Part of the RICHeS Programme (Tranche 2). Funds capital equipment, facility upgrades, and cascading innovation funding for collaborative projects with industry/SMEs in UK conservation and heritage science. 100% FEC for eligible capital costs. Studentships, postdoctoral associates, and original research unrelated to capability development are not funded. UK organisations with standard UKRI eligibility only.

Funds research studies addressing James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships' priorities, identified collaboratively by patients, carers, and clinicians. Rolling opportunity across multiple NIHR research programmes; applications can be submitted at any time as rounds re-open shortly after the previous round closes.

Funding opportunity led by AHRC with DCMS to research long-term legacy and impact of major UK cultural/sporting events, including the 2027 Tour de France Grands Départs as a mandatory case study. Project lead and team must be primarily based and permitted to work in the UK; government departments and arm's-length bodies not eligible; no PhD studentships funded.

AHRC in partnership with DCMS funds research developing deployable models to measure attendance and participation at unticketed UK sporting, cultural and heritage events. International co-leads and PhD studentships are not eligible; applicants must be primarily based and permitted to work in the UK.

Exploratory projects pairing AI expertise with domain researchers in engineering biology, advanced materials, quantum technologies, medical research or fusion energy. Open to UK standard-eligible organisations; international researchers may only join as 'project co-lead (international)' via specific cooperation agreements. Projects must start by 26 April 2027; funding excludes PhD studentships and equipment over £25,000.

Supports pioneering immunotherapy clinical trials designed and led by academic researchers. Requires a clinical trial focus; applicants must be academic investigators leading immunotherapy trials.

Supports innovative investigations at the intersection of laboratory discovery and clinical application in cancer immunology, accelerating translation of immunological discoveries into cancer therapies.

Team research on immune prevention or interception of primary cancer and recurrence. Clinical trials are excluded. Tenure-track assistant professor or higher by award activation; applicants without the appointment must supply institutional confirmation with the LOI. Nonprofit research institutions worldwide.

Supports pioneering immunotherapy clinical trials designed and led by academic researchers.

Supports clinically relevant research that bridges laboratory and clinical discovery to advance immunotherapies for chordoma.

Improved system design for innovative PV applications, listed under EUPI-PV on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Targeted Grants to Math+AI Institutes, offered by the Simons Foundation's Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division, support institutes working at the intersection of mathematics and artificial intelligence.

FORESTPathways, listed under FOREST on the ERA-LEARN call calendar. See the call guidance for funding, eligibility and consortium requirements.

Modular scheme (Clinical Trial, Experimental Medicine, Sample Collection modules) for investigator-led clinical research at UK universities, medical schools, hospitals, UKCRC-registered clinical trials units or research institutions. Requires a UKCRC registered clinical trials unit to coordinate the trial/study; industry-sponsored trials not eligible.

UK-based organisations only (non-UK applicants ineligible). Projects must enhance existing ESRC social science data service infrastructures (no new services). Focus on improving data discovery, access to sensitive data, technology-enabled pipelines (incl. AI), and upskilling data service staff. Must include an upskilling work package. Business/third sector/government co-leads permitted but cannot lead projects.

Supports candidates intending to pursue a career in basic research on fundamental problems in plant biology, understanding the inner workings of plants at the whole-organism level or below.

Funds exceptional science from discovery through translational research to improve early detection and diagnosis of cancer/pre-cancer. Applicants must be based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute; open to all career stages, with mentorship encouraged for early-career lead applicants.

For scientists, clinicians or healthcare workers based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute with postdoctoral experience. Funds hypothesis-driven primary prevention and population research, including prevention interventional studies; interventional trials require a prior expression of interest.

Supports translational research on biological mechanisms of cancer prevention; applicant must be postdoctoral-level scientist/clinician based at UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute, mostly fully funded by host institution. Co-funding partnerships available with US (ACS) and Canadian (CCS) teams.

Delivered by AHRC on behalf of UKRI's Research Programme on Gambling, funded via the statutory gambling levy. Open to all UKRI research council communities for interdisciplinary or single-discipline research on prevention/treatment of gambling harms; lead organisation must be a UK institution with standard UKRI eligibility. Doctoral studentships not eligible; funding to Gambling Commission levy payers and gambling-industry co-funding prohibited.

Funding for independent research on understanding, preventing, or treating gambling-related harms. Applications involve a core team with defined roles, and assessment is supported by DCMS; project partners may contribute cash or in-kind resources.

Invite-only review and refresh of the EPSRC Physical Sciences National Research Facility (NRF) portfolio, open only to existing EPSRC-funded NRFs (e.g. HarwellXPS, NCS, SuperSTEM, XMaS, EPR facility, EMFL and FELIX subscriptions). Funding covers equipment upgrades/enhancements, not research effort; EPSRC contributes 80% of equipment purchase price with the remainder from non-EPSRC sources.

Open to research-active clinical lecturers (or veterinary equivalent) based at UK administering organisations who hold a PhD or MD, a medical/dental/veterinary undergraduate degree, and are in higher speciality training. Covers directly incurred research costs (consumables, equipment); no salary, research assistants, PhD students, or postdoctoral staff. Administered by the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Award for groups/organisations contributing to the fight against blindness and visual impairment, primarily in developing regions, or developing innovations/technologies improving quality of life of the visually impaired. Open to laboratories, organisations, or collaborative projects of any size, local to international.

Phase one pump-priming grants under UKRI's Critical Minerals: From Research to Industry (CMR2i) programme, for research groups/individuals at UK organisations (plus NERC-Norway co-lead option) developing extraction, processing, recycling and re-mining solutions for critical/growth minerals relevant to UK Advanced Manufacturing. Up to six awards; phase two funding (up to £1.6M FEC) is competitive and only open to phase one awardees.

Summer research program for doctoral/PhD students hosted at IIASA; Finnish applicants apply via Research Council of Finland funding for participation.

Supports newly independent DIPG/DMG researchers establishing labs, or established researchers new to DIPG/DMG research. Application via Proposal Central; opens 16 October 2026.

Funds hypothesis-driven, innovative research projects addressing major challenges in DIPG/DMG research with potential for groundbreaking discoveries. Application via Proposal Central; opens 16 October 2026.

Supports newly independent DIPG/DMG researchers establishing labs, or established researchers new to DIPG/DMG research. Submitted via Proposal Central.

Funds hypothesis-driven, innovative research projects aiming for groundbreaking discoveries in DIPG/DMG. Submitted via Proposal Central.

Funding to establish Centres of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSIs) in the UK, led by MRC with MHRA and OLS, addressing one of four strategic themes. Project lead must be based at a UK research organisation; businesses and charities cannot lead but can be project partners.

For researchers 5-15 years post-PhD with an excellent research proposal; project must be hosted at a public or private research organisation in an EU Member State or Associated Country. Applications accepted in any field of research on a bottom-up basis.

Supports digital/AI-enabled medical devices (MDR/IVDR) at Innovation Maturity Level 6 aiming to reach IML 7, funding clinical validation, regulatory submission (CE-mark), product finalisation and market readiness. Commercialising entity must sign a Financial Sustainability Contribution Agreement.

Supports talented early career scientists in facilitating their transition into tenure-track faculty positions, with a $600,000 three-year faculty research grant focused on autism and neuroscience research.

For registered healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, midwives, AHPs, healthcare scientists, pharmacists, clinical psychologists, dentists, GPs, veterinarians) who hold a PhD and need to reacquire research skills, hosted at an eligible UK research organisation. Funds salary, consumables, equipment, training and NHS research costs; MRC funds 80% FEC. Jointly funded options available with several UK charities.

Fellowship for clinically active individuals undertaking a professional doctorate, requiring supervisor and host organisation support statements; up to 20% of time may be spent on clinical duties during a full-time fellowship.

For mid-career scientists (tenure-track assistant professors with ≥3 years in role or associate professors with ≤3 years) holding an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD, committing ≥80% time to research. No citizenship restrictions; research may be conducted at non-profit medical schools/research centers in the US or abroad, but not at for-profit institutions.

Doctoral programme funding at the European University Institute; Finnish applicants apply via Research Council of Finland funding.

Branco Weiss Fellowship (Society in Science, administered by ETH Zurich) funds postdocs (PhD ≤5y, before first faculty post) pursuing independent, interdisciplinary research at any host institution worldwide. Not host-country-restricted.

Invite-only funding opportunity for pre-clinical and early translational research developing medical countermeasures for CBRN threats, from prototype development through early-phase clinical trials (up to phase 2a). Applicant must be employed by a UK-based eligible research organisation; international and commercial organisations cannot lead or co-lead.

Supports new faculty appointments in scientific software research within the Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) program, for appointments starting no later than September 1, 2028.

Supports excellent postdoctoral researchers for up to two years, with international mobility a key requirement. Includes salary/stipend, relocation allowance, and support for fellows with children. A host laboratory may support a maximum of one candidate per selection round.

Supports academic researchers (excluding international research organisations and commercial-led applications) to discover small molecule drug starting points using AstraZeneca's compound library and HTS facilities. MRC funds up to four projects per year; researchers are encouraged to embed at AstraZeneca's Cambridge site for up to three months.

Applicants must be mentored postdoctoral researchers when applying. Applicants must never have held an independent faculty or equivalent position. Cancer immunotherapy research; at most five postdoctoral years unless CRI approves an exception; at least twelve mentored months before transition.

MRC CoRE funding supports bold, long-term (up to 14-year) interdisciplinary health research centres led by UK research organisations; international researchers can join as co-leads but international organisations cannot lead. Excludes clinical trials, longitudinal population studies, and generic equipment/computing costs.

Funds cancer target identification or validation using novel model systems, antibody or small molecule approaches for adult cancers. Open to academic researchers worldwide with their own lab; projects run collaboratively with Cancer Research Horizons' drug discovery scientists.