UKRI
Doctoral Focal Award: UKRI Venture Doctorates
Expression of interest deadline; 4:00pm UK time. Outline stage.
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The UKRI Venture Doctorates programme funds large-scale doctoral training initiatives combining academic research with entrepreneurship and venture creation, with up to £25M available for 1-3 awards. Eligible lead organisations (including businesses and social enterprises) must design programmes supporting a minimum of 50 students across up to five annual cohorts, each studentship lasting up to five years full-time. This is a one-off call with a three-stage application process, opening with an expression of interest on 21 September 2026.
Details
| Funder | UKRI |
| Budget | £25M total (1–3 awards expected) |
| Deadline | 21 September 2026 |
| Duration | Up to 5 annual cohorts; max 5 years FTE per studentship |
| Consortium | Optional — lead organisation required; collaborating organisations encouraged to co-lead delivery; no minimum partner count mandated, but organisations hosting students must be named as collaborating organisations |
| Application | 3-stage: expression of interest (EOI by 21 Sep 2026) → outline application → full application (invited) |
| Frequency | One-off |
| Eligible countries | GB |
Eligibility & scope
Funds large-scale venture doctoral training programmes integrating academic research with entrepreneurship and venture creation. Must support min. 50 students across up to 5 annual cohorts. Lead must be a UKRI-eligible organisation (or complete non-standard eligibility before award). Businesses and social enterprises may lead. Norway-based or IIASA project co-leads are not permitted. Non-full economic cost: 100% of eligible costs, no estates/indirect costs.
Who Should Apply
- •Educational institutions and research organisations eligible with UKRI, or willing to verify eligibility
- •Businesses and social enterprises able to act as lead applicants
- •Organisations capable of designing and hosting a minimum of 50 doctoral studentships across multiple annual cohorts
- •Consortia with a named lead, where collaborating organisations co-deliver studentship placements and training
- •Programmes bridging academic doctoral research with venture creation, entrepreneurship skills, or translatable innovation pathways
Key Dates
- •Expression of interest deadline: 21 September 2026 (4:00pm UK time)
- •Three-stage process: EOI → outline application (invited) → full application (invited)
- •Studentships up to five years full-time; programmes may run up to five annual cohorts
Tips for Applicants
- ✓The EOI must clearly justify how you will recruit and support a minimum of 50 students across your cohort structure; vague scaling plans stall at outline stage.
- ✓If you are a business or social enterprise leading, front-load evidence of capacity to deliver doctoral supervision and research infrastructure to UKRI standards.
- ✓Name all collaborating organisations and student host sites upfront; unnamed partners create ambiguity in the evaluation of capacity and may weaken your scorecard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does UKRI Venture Doctorates fund?
Up to £25M is available in total; 1-3 awards are expected, so individual grants will depend on the scope and scale of each proposal.
Who can lead a UKRI Venture Doctorates application?
Any UKRI-eligible organisation (universities, research institutes) or, if not currently eligible, an organisation willing to satisfy non-standard eligibility criteria. Businesses and social enterprises may lead. Applicants from Norway or IIASA are not permitted as project co-leads.
How many students must a Venture Doctorates programme support?
A minimum of 50 students across up to five annual cohorts; each studentship is funded for up to five years full-time equivalent.
Is a consortium required for UKRI Venture Doctorates?
A consortium is optional, but a lead organisation is required; collaborating organisations are encouraged to co-lead delivery and must be named if they host students.
What is the application timeline for UKRI Venture Doctorates?
The call is three-stage: expression of interest (deadline 21 September 2026), then invited outline and full applications; timelines for later stages are to be confirmed.
Related on Grantsby
- UKRI writing tips & FAQ
Evaluation criteria, proposal structure, common mistakes.
Summary generated by AI based on published grant information. Always verify details on the funder's website.
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