Wellcome
Career Development Award
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The Wellcome Career Development Award funds mid-career researchers leading substantial independent programmes with awards usually below £250,000/year (excluding applicant salary) over eight years. Eligible applicants must be based at a not-for-profit institution in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or a low/middle-income country (excluding India and mainland China), dedicate at least 80% research time, and propose Discovery Research with potential to improve human health. Wellcome runs this call three times a year, with the next deadline in July 2026.
Details
| Funder | Wellcome |
| Budget | Usually below £250,000 per year (excluding applicant's salary) |
| Duration | Usually 8 years |
| Consortium | No - individual lead applicant; coapplicants not accepted |
| Application | Single stage |
| Frequency | Continuous |
| Next round | 2026-07 |
| Eligible countries | GBIE |
Recently updated
catalog cleanup 2026-07-04: duplicate row (canonical sibling kept)
Eligibility & scope
For mid-career researchers ready to lead a substantial, innovative research programme in any discipline that improves human life, health and wellbeing. Administering organisation must be a not-for-profit in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or a low- or middle-income country (excluding India and mainland China); coapplicants not accepted and funds cannot be transferred into mainland China.
Who Should Apply
- •Mid-career researchers ready to lead independent research programmes
- •Researchers based at not-for-profit institutions (universities, research institutes, healthcare organisations) in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or eligible low/middle-income countries
- •Applicants able to dedicate ≥80% of time to research
- •Discovery Research projects with potential to improve human health
Key Dates
- •Deadline in July 2026 (call runs three times a year; check Wellcome website for other rounds)
- •Eight-year project duration
Tips for Applicants
- ✓Wellcome emphasises human health impact; frame your Discovery Research findings with a clear translational endpoint or clinical relevance.
- ✓The 80% research-time requirement is a gating criterion, confirm your institution can protect this commitment before investing application effort.
- ✓No co-applicants are allowed; this is a solo-led award, so your independent track record and leadership vision are central to peer review.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Wellcome Career Development Award pay?
Awards are usually below £250,000 per year (excluding applicant salary) over an eight-year funding period.
Who can apply for the Wellcome Career Development Award?
Mid-career researchers based at not-for-profit institutions in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or eligible low/middle-income countries (excluding India and mainland China), dedicating ≥80% time to research.
Can I have co-applicants on the Wellcome Career Development Award?
No, co-applicants are not accepted, this is an award for independent researcher-led programmes.
How often does Wellcome run the Career Development Award deadline?
The call runs three times a year; the next deadline is in July 2026.
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Summary generated by AI based on published grant information. Always verify details on the funder's website.
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