Wellcome: open calls

Funding for established researchers or teams (2-8 applicants) to pursue bold, creative research in any discipline (STEM, humanities, social science, clinical/health) to shift understanding of human life, health and wellbeing. Administering organisation must be a not-for-profit in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or a low/middle-income country (excluding India and mainland China); grant funds cannot be transferred to mainland China. Location rules change for submissions from 29 October 2026: check the current funder requirements for the UK and eligible low- and middle-income countries in Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia.

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.

Funds bold, creative research in any discipline (STEM, experimental medicine, humanities, social science, clinical/public health) with potential to improve health. Administering organisation must be a not-for-profit in UK, Republic of Ireland, or a low/middle-income country (excluding India and mainland China); lead applicant needs a permanent or long-term contract. Location rules change for submissions from 29 October 2026: check the current funder requirements for the UK and eligible low- and middle-income countries in Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia.

Funds international exchange programmes in humanities, social science and bioethics, covering staff salaries, overheads, equipment, travel, subsistence and overseas allowances for researchers relocating internationally for extended periods.

Funds team-based mental health research projects on anxiety and depression treatment; host can be a university, research institute, non-academic healthcare organisation, not-for-profit or company based anywhere except mainland China. Lead/co-applicants must contribute at least 20% research time; transfer of funds into mainland China is not permitted.

UK scheme for researchers of Black, Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage background, currently working in or ordinarily resident in the UK, with an undergraduate or PhD from a UK institution. Funds research or research-adjacent activities aligned with Wellcome's Discovery Research remit; administering organisation must be UK-based; coapplicants not accepted.

Funds international exchange programmes in health-related humanities, social sciences or bioethics, enabling researcher exchanges and career development. Lead applicant must be UK-based; other programme leaders must be based outside the UK, excluding mainland China; no transfer of funds into mainland China permitted.

Funds research into causal mechanisms of active ingredients underlying interventions for anxiety, depression and/or psychosis. Lead applicant must contribute at least 20% research time; requires meaningful involvement of people with lived experience in project design, delivery and dissemination.

Collaborative award for research on sleep and circadian science in anxiety, depression and/or psychosis; requires lived experience involvement, coapplicants where research spans multiple countries, and excludes applicants in mainland China or sanctioned territories.

For emerging or established research groups in health-related humanities, social sciences or bioethics; lead applicant plus 1-6 co-applicants, each needing a permanent/long-term contract or guarantee thereof. Organisations may be based anywhere except mainland China; transfer of funds into mainland China is not permitted.

Funds research on early intervention for cognitive and functional outcomes in people experiencing or at risk of psychosis; excludes blue-skies research, animal-only studies, phase III pharmacological trials, and implementation science as sole focus. Requires lived experience involvement in the research design and delivery. Host organisations can be universities, research institutes, non-profits, or companies (excluding mainland China).

For mid-career researchers ready to lead a substantial, innovative research programme in any discipline supported under Wellcome Discovery Research. Administering organisation must be a not-for-profit university, research institute or healthcare organisation in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or a low/middle-income country (excluding India and mainland China); requires ≥80% research time commitment and does not accept coapplicants.

PhD training fellowships for health professionals, delivered through 12 named UK university programmes (e.g. 4Ward North, ECAT-I, GW4-CAT, HARP, King's Mental Health, LHIIP, Liverpool Global South, Midlands MH&N, Multimorbidity, Cambridge/UEA, Primary Care, Global Health Africa). Applicants must apply directly to the relevant programme, not to Wellcome. UK-based host institutions only.

For early-career researchers with a PhD (or ≥4 years equivalent research experience) and up to ~3 years postdoctoral experience, proposing independent discovery research relevant to human health. Administering organisation must be a not-for-profit HEI, research institute or healthcare organisation in the UK, Republic of Ireland, or a low/middle-income country (excluding India and mainland China). Requires ≥80% research time commitment; coapplicants not accepted.

Open to emerging or established research groups in health-related humanities, social sciences or bioethics. Lead applicant must have programme/network leadership experience. All applicants must hold permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contracts. Organisations worldwide eligible except mainland China. High-income country applicants must show significant additional resource commitment from their organisation or another funder.

Funds research into biological, psychological and/or social mechanisms underlying anxiety and trauma-related problems, including work in low- and middle-income countries. Applicants cannot transfer grant funds into mainland China; lead applicants must contribute at least 20% research time; lived experience involvement required.