Apply for funding to undertake a PhD.
Your research can focus on any area of Medical Research Council (MRC)’s remit to improve human health.
You must:
be a registered healthcare professional
be at an appropriate point in your training to undertake a PhD
show plans to pursue a research career
Open
Fellowship
21 October 2026
21 October 2026 9:00am UK time
13 January 2027 4:00pm UK time
Apply to attend a five-day interactive sandpit to develop novel projects that can address multi-faceted metascience questions related to research and development policy and funding.
You will complete an expression of interest form to apply for the sandpit.
We expect to fund up to £2 million at 80% full economic cost (FEC).
Upcoming
Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST)
Grant
£2,000,000
20 October 2026
27 October 2026 9:00am UK time
24 November 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding for early-stage research into medical countermeasures, including vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats.
You must be employed at a research organisation eligible for MRC funding.
Upcoming
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
Grant
16 October 2026
5 November 2026 9:00am UK time
20 January 2027 4:00pm UK time
Apply for an early independence fellowship if your research focus is within Medical Research Council (MRC) remit.
You must:
be a registered healthcare professional
have a PhD or equivalent
show evidence of career consolidation and productivity
show clear plans for establishing your own research niche
Open
Fellowship
13 October 2026
21 October 2026 9:00am UK time
13 January 2027 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to support exciting and ambitious partnerships within the remit of the Medical Research Council.
You must be employed by an eligible research organisation.
Partnerships are novel collaborative activities between researchers to transform our understanding of human health and disease.
Open
Grant
12 October 2026
12 October 2026 9:00am UK time
Open - no closing date
Apply for funding to take the next step towards becoming an independent researcher.
Doing exciting and ambitious research within the remit of the Medical Research Council.
You must have the:
skills and experience to ‘transition to independence’
support of an eligible host research organisation
Open
Grant
12 October 2026
12 October 2026 9:00am UK time
Open - no closing date
Apply for funding to support exciting and ambitious research within the remit of the Medical Research Council, to transform our understanding of human health and disease
You must be employed by an eligible research organisation.
You can involve more than one research group or organisation in the project.
Open
Grant
12 October 2026
12 October 2026 9:00am UK time
Open - no closing date
Apply for funding to reacquire research skills.
Your research can focus on any area of Medical Research Council (MRC) remit to improve human health.
You must:
be a registered healthcare professional
be a PhD graduate working outside of research, usually five or more years ago
show plans to pursue a clinical academic research career
Open
Fellowship
9 October 2026
21 October 2026 9:00am UK time
13 January 2027 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to investigate the causes, progression and treatment of human disease.
Your application must include an intervention in humans.
You must be based at a research organisation eligible for Medical Research Council (MRC) funding.
You must be invited to apply for stage two of this funding opportunity.
Open
Grant
8 October 2026
8 October 2026 9:00am UK time
24 February 2027 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to investigate the causes, progression and treatment of human disease.
Your application must include an intervention in humans.
You must be based at a research organisation eligible for Medical Research Council (MRC) funding.
Open
Grant
8 October 2026
8 October 2026 9:00am UK time
14 April 2027 4:00pm UK time