UKRI is introducing new role types for opportunities being run on the new Funding Service from 22 May 2023.
For Je-S submissions the role type names will remain the same.
For full details, see eligibility as an individual.
At the time of application, the principal applicants and co-applicants (‘project leads’ and ‘co-leads’ in the Funding Service) must be able to satisfy the following criteria:
They must be academic members of staff (lecturers or equivalent) or hold a fellowship, such as an STFC or Royal Society Fellowship, won through open competition. In exceptional cases, senior post-doctoral research assistants of sufficient experience and qualification may also be eligible. Such cases should be justified with a case for support accompanied by a letter of support from the Head of Department.
They must be either resident in the UK, or be employed by an overseas research organisation approved by STFC as eligible to apply for research grant funding.
They must, at least by the time the grant is due to start, be employed by the organisation submitting the proposal or, if not (for example, retired or on secondment from elsewhere), have a written agreement from the organisation confirming that they may carry out research there and will receive all necessary management and infrastructural support from the organisation.
They must have an assurance from the submitting organisation that if the proposal is successful, the contract of employment, or formal commitment to provide support if not employed at the organisation, will extend to beyond the end date of the grant.
Researcher co-applicant (‘researcher co-lead’ in Funding Service)
Post-doctoral research assistants who are not eligible to apply for a grant in their own right, but who merit appropriate recognition for making a significant contribution to developing the grant proposal or whose input is essential (or very important) to its successful outcome, may be identified as a researcher co-applicant.
Conditions they must meet
They must be providing a significant contribution to the project which could include, for example:
- a specialised skill set
- management of a major project or work package
- a significant input towards writing the proposal
They must be located at the same organisation as one of the investigators on the grant.
Their appointment must extend for at least the period of the grant.
Researcher co-investigator expectations
Expectation is that a researcher co-investigator will be working on the grant for at least 50% of their contracted hours, however, this is not a mandatory eligibility requirement.
Where this is not the case, further justification as to how the post will be significantly contributing towards the proposal and research should be provided.
A researcher co-applicant may not take over from the principal investigator (project lead).
The research organisation must notify STFC of any change in its status, or that of any of the applicants, that might affect the eligibility to hold a research grant.