Simplifying access to MRC applicant-led funding

We’re introducing a new flexible research grant and removing closing dates from our board funding opportunities.

We’re making these changes to make it easier for researchers to apply for Medical Research Council (MRC) applicant-led responsive funding through our research boards.

This ensures we continue to take the best approach to fund research that makes a difference.

Our research boards are:

  • Infections and Immunity
  • Molecular and Cellular Medicine
  • Neurosciences and Mental Health
  • Population and Systems Medicine

Simplified application process

The first change simplifies our application process by introducing a single, more flexible research grant.

This replaces the previous programme and research grant schemes and will support ambitions across scales.

Researchers will be able to apply for the funding and duration they need, without having to choose between different schemes.

A single, flexible research grant

Using the updated research grant, applicants can request funding for smaller, focused projects to larger, multi-dimensional programmes of work.

The typical full economic cost of awards can range from around £400,000 to £3 million or more.

What’s changing

The changes include:

  • one grant type for all research, lasting between 18 and 60 months
  • no mandatory pre-application stage
  • applicants seeking larger scale funding (over £3 million) or short-term proof-of-principle work (18 to 24 months) should contact us before applying

What’s not changing

We remain committed to funding a balanced portfolio of diverse, ambitious, high-quality research that makes a real difference to understanding human health and disease and how to diagnose, treat and prevent it.

Moving to always-open funding opportunities

Our second change is to update our research board funding opportunities.

Instead of fixed deadlines, from mid-December these opportunities will be always-open with no closing dates.

We’re making this change to:

  • enhance flexibility for applicants and allow them to submit applications at a time that best suits them
  • better manage workloads for applicants, board members and MRC staff
  • align with UK Research and Innovation’s approach to applicant-led funding with no closing dates

New approach launch

The final round of board funding opportunities under the previous approach closed on 4 September 2025, with decisions planned for March 2026.

The new always-open approach will launch towards the end of the year when we will also provide an update on timelines for decision making.

Help and support

If you have questions about these changes or how they might affect your application, email rfpd@mrc.ukri.org

We’re happy to help and provide advice.

We’ve also contacted research offices across UK universities to make them aware of these updates.

If you’re based at a university, your research support team may be able to offer additional guidance.

Further information

Other MRC funding schemes

New investigator grant

This grant is for early career researchers establishing independence. It will be always-open for applications to our research board funding opportunities.

Partnership grant

This grant supports novel collaborations between diverse research groups. It will be always-open for applications to our research board funding opportunities.

MRC Centres of Research Excellence

These are challenge-led investments tackling complex health challenges. They will continue as they currently are.

The following opportunities will also continue as they are:

  • fellowship schemes, including Career Development Award
  • translational schemes, including Development Pathway Funding Scheme
  • funding opportunities for experimental medicine and equipment grants

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