To apply
Stage one: expression of interest
We are running a mandatory light touch expression of interest (EOI) stage for internal planning purposes that will not be used for assessment.
We will request details of:
- the key consortia partners which will remain central to the application. Additional partners may evolve until the full submission
- an indicative value
You can access the online EOI survey on 7 November 2025, from 9:00am UK time, until the EOI closes on 20 November 2025 at 11:59pm.
We reserve the right to reject a full application based on the appropriateness for the funding opportunity, if an EOI is not submitted prior to a full application.
Stage two: full application
We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.
Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.
If the lead research organisation is an NHS organisation, check it is available in the Funding Service. You are encouraged to check this early as there may be additional steps for the organisation to be set up before you can apply.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
- Confirm you are the project lead.
- Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email support@funding-service.ukri.org
Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service. We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you.
- Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.
- Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
- Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
- Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.
Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
When including images, you must:
- provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)
- insert each new image on a new line
- use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application may be rejected if you include:
- sentences or paragraphs of text
- tables
- excessive quantities of images
A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.
For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:
References
References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.
Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:
- references are easily identifiable by the assessors
- references are formatted as appropriate to your research
- persistent identifiers are used where possible
General use of hyperlinks
Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.
For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.
Deadline
We must receive your full application by 18 December 2025 4:00pm UK time.
You will not be able to apply after this time.
Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.
Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.
Personal data
Processing personal data
MRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email fellows@mrc.ukri.org
Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].
Typical examples of confidential information include:
- individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
- declaration of interest
- additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
- conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
- the application is an invited resubmission
For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.
Publication of outcomes
MRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at board and panel outcomes.
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.
Summary
Word limit: 550
In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.
We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:
- opinion-formers
- policymakers
- the public
- the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
- context and regional partnership
- the challenge the RACR addresses and how it complements existing local and regional initiatives
- expected impacts and benefits to clinical researchers at the relevant career points
- how you will manage the award and share best practice
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
- project lead (PL)
- project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
- grant manager
Only list one individual as project lead. If you include more than one project lead your application will fail at the checking stage.
RACRs require a consortium approach and a joint management approach should be taken. This should be described in the monitoring, management and governance section.
The consortium should choose one of the project lead’s organisations to be responsible for submitting the grant application and administering the grant should the application be successful.
The project lead shall be the representative of the lead research organisation (RO) and who will submit the application. The project co-leads shall be the representatives of the other ROs involved in the consortium. No costs for any of the project leads may be included in the application.
It is strongly recommended that where not leading a proposal, NHS trusts are engaged as a project partner and supply the required letters of support to enable their contribution to a RACR application to be fully articulated.
Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.
Application questions
RACR partnership
Word limit: 1,000
Who are the proposed consortia partners applying for the award and what are the benefits that will be achieved from working together through an award.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain who the proposed consortia partners are, and the benefits each of them will bring to the RACR partnership, by demonstrating:
- a strong regional consortia already exists or your clear plans to develop one, involving relevant partner institutions and NHS trusts including, where appropriate, collaborations between newer and long-established medical schools
- a diverse range of partners appropriate to the proposed activities and local needs
- how non-academic partners will broaden experience and enhance mobility
- how the award will add value to existing regional activity and investments, with clear strategies to enhance, expand and, where necessary, develop new offers across the regional partnership
- the contribution of each academic and non-academic partner
- a commitment to sharing best practice, both within the partnership and the wider community
- details of your strategy for developing effective relationships with partners
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Proposed activities
Word limit: 1,000
What are the types of activities you will support with this award and how they will align with the objectives of the funding opportunity.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain the types of activities the RACR award will support and how they will align with the objectives of this funding opportunity, by demonstrating:
- how the activities, will deliver the aims and objectives of RACRs while using funds appropriately
- direct alignment with MRC core remit to improve human health through discovery and early translation research
- the activities that might be supported with the award, including targeted plans to address the identified career pinch points of post-PhD transition, research re-entry, or both (detailed descriptions of every individual activity is not needed)
- identification of the potential local, regional and or national impacts, both direct and indirect
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Operations and governance
Word limit: 1,000
What is the governance, management and reporting processes which will be in place for the RACR.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain the governance, management and reporting processes you will have in place for the RACR award by demonstrating:
- strong governance (who is responsible for oversight and delivery within the consortia), coordination, monitoring, and evaluation
- clear, robust processes for the assessment and selection of individuals that will benefit from RACR
- your plans of how funds will be allocated and distributed to individuals locally
- your plans for embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles at all levels and in all aspects of the RACR (providing full details in the corresponding EDI section).
- how the consortia will ensure that research plans align with MRC core remit
- how you plan to monitor outputs, outcomes, and impacts
- the metrics of success you will use to benchmark the impact of the RACR, that can be reported, monitored and evaluated via annual reporting and as part of a midterm review. For example, more clinicians staying research active, submissions to personal awards, involvement in and longer-term success
Provision of the fully executed collaboration agreement will be required ahead of the start of any awards made.
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Research environment, training and support
Word limit: 500
How will the academic and NHS partnership demonstrate strong support for individual clinical researchers, with clear plans to nurture individuals and enable their future career progression across academic and NHS settings.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain the clear planning you will devise to nurture and demonstrate strong support for individual clinical researchers, enabling their future career progression across academic and NHS settings, by demonstrating:
- how the environment will contribute to the success and career progression of the clinical researchers
- how the consortium will align to the UK clinical academic training in medicine and dentistry: principles and obligations for those supported via the RACR and in receipt of competitive funding for clinical academic research training
- how you will support academic staff (including ensuring high quality supervision and mentorship) and engagement with non-academic partners or networks
- added value of cohort building, networking and professional development activities across the local partnership
References may be included within this section.
You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Word limit: 800
What are the plans for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) including how you will embed EDI principles at all levels and in all aspects of the RACR.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Explain your plans to embed EDI principles and in all aspects of the RACR, by demonstrating:
- your commitment to promoting EDI through the proposed partnership and to championing equality, diversity and inclusion by removing barriers in the research and clinical environment and promoting an open and inclusive research community
- clear links between activities, governance and workplan to ensure integration of EDI principles throughout
- your commitment and plans to ensure support is accessible and selection processes are fair and transparent
- your clear plans to support a diverse range of researchers and support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances, taking account of career breaks, caring responsibilities, flexible working and alternative working patterns
- how and what EDI data will be captured and how this could be used to influence the award over its lifetime
- how you will ensure alignment with UKRI principles: equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI.
Contextual information
Please note that we will be monitoring the diversity of people funded for placements and exchanges through the RACRs, as part of the post-award reporting process for this funding programme. We will request equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) data of the people supported across the award. At a minimum this should include the number of supported individuals with the following characteristics:
- ethnicity (Asian/black/mixed/not disclosed/other/white)
- gender (female/male/not disclosed)
- age (29 or less/30 to39/40 to49/50 to59/60+/not disclosed)
- disability (disabled/not disabled/not disclosed)
- role
EDI information provided will be used in part of a broader assessment by us to understand the effectiveness of our policies and procedures in eliminating unlawful discrimination and promoting opportunities. We will treat this information in confidence.
Project partners
Add details about any project partners contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.
A project partner is a collaborating person or organisation who will have an integral role in your consortium. This may include direct contributions for example cash, donated equipment and resources, or staff seconded to the project, or indirect and in-kind contributions for example use of project partner’s equipment, datasets, or facilities Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.
A project partner is not anyone in your core team or anyone from your organisation or any of the other organisations represented by core team members.
Add the following project partner details:
- the organisation name (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable)
- the project partner contact name and email address
- the type of contribution (direct or in-direct) and its monetary value
If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.
If there are specific circumstances where project partners do require funding for minor costs such as travel and subsistence, these project partner costs should be claimed and justified within the resources and costs section of your application.
Important information
If you are adding a project partner to this section, you must ensure they provide you with a letter or email of support and you upload it to ‘Project partners: letters or emails of support’.
If your project partners are from industry or a company, you must also complete the ‘Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)’ section.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Project partners: letters (or emails) of support
Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the ‘Project partners’ section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.
What the assessors are looking for in your response
If you do not have any project partners, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
What supporting statements we are looking for
We are looking for you to provide letters or emails of support from all your identified project partners.
What we are not looking for
We do not want any other letters (or emails) of support, from people who are not your identified project partners, such as those simply expressing general support for your project. If these are included by you, they will be ignored by us and will not be used in the assessment process.
Important information
You should only provide letters or emails of support from people you have identified in the project partner section of your application, who will have an integral role in your consortium and proposed research.
What each project partner letter or email of support must include
Each project partner letter or email you provide should:
- include the name of the project partner organisation and contact information
- explain the project partners’ commitment to the project
- explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the proposed work, to them
- describe any additional value they will bring to the project
- detail any existing local strategies or initiatives that will be built on and expanded by the RACR
- not exceed two sides of A4 per project partner
Project partner letters and emails of support are not required to be on headed paper or include handwritten signatures (electronic signatures are acceptable).
The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.
Project partners from industry or a company
Industry or company project partners are required to download and complete the industry or company letter of support template. You must also complete the ‘Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)’ section. Find out more about ICF.
Project partners responsible for recruiting research participants or providing human tissue or samples
If the project partner is responsible for the recruitment of people as research participants or providing human tissue their letter or email of support should include:
- agreement that the project partner will recruit the participants or provide tissue
- confirmation that what is being supplied is suitable for the proposed work
- confirmation that the quantity of tissue being supplied is suitable, but not excessive for achieving meaningful results (if applicable)
Agreement with your project partners
Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the ‘Project partners’ section.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.
Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF)
Word limit: 1,500
Does your application include collaboration with industry or company project partners?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
The assessors are looking for you to confirm if your proposed work involves collaboration with an industry or company project partner. If it does, you will need to follow the MRC industry collaboration framework (ICF).
By ‘industry or company’ we mean an enterprise that puts or has intention to put goods or services on a market.
For guidance to assist your decision if your proposed work requires you to follow ICF, you should explore the MRC Industry Collaboration Framework decision tree and find out more about ICF which includes:
- collaboration agreements
- definitions of basic or applied research
- internationally based companies
- subsidy control
- intellectual property (IP) arrangements
- fully flexible and gated contributions
- the ICF assessment criteria
Enter ‘Yes’ in the text box if you have industry or company project partners and you are likely to follow ICF. You should also confirm your answers to the ICF questions one to nine in the text box for each ICF project partner.
Contact fellows@mrc.ukri.org if you are unsure if your application should follow ICF.
In addition to the project partner information completed in the previous section, the assessors are looking for information relating to the nature, goals and conditions of the collaboration and any restrictions or rights to the project results that could be claimed by the industry or company project partner.
Confirm your answers to the ICF questions in the text box, repeat this process for each ICF project partner:
- Name the industry or company project partner considered under ICF.
- Indicate whether your application is basic research or applied research.
- Explain why, in the absence of the requested UKRI funding, the collaboration and the planned research could not be undertaken.
- State whether your application is under the category of fully flexible contribution or gated contribution (based on the IP sharing arrangements with the industry or company partner).
- Outline the pre-existing IP (‘background IP’) that each partner, including the academic partner, will bring to the collaborative research project and the terms under which partners may access these assets.
- Outline the IP that is expected to be developed during the collaborative research project (‘foreground IP’) and briefly outline how it will be managed, including:
- who will own this IP
- what rights industry or company partners will have to use academically-generated foreground IP during and after the research project, for internal research and development or for commercial purposes
- any rights of the academic partner to commercialise the foreground IP, including foreground IP generated by industry or company partners
- Outline any restrictions to dissemination of the project results, including the rights of the industry or company partner to:
- review, approve or delay publications (including the time period associated with such rights)
- request or require the removal of any information
- Declare any conflicts of interest held by the applicants in relation to the industry or company project partners and describe how they will be managed.
- Justify collaborating with an overseas industry or company under ICF (if applicable).
Failure to provide the information requested for industry or company partners under ICF could result in your application being rejected.
You are recommended to discuss the goals and conditions of any collaboration with an industry or company with your technology transfer or contracts office before applying.
For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made. You must provide us with a copy of the collaboration agreement, signed by all partners, before an ICF award starts.
If this does not apply to your proposed work, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
Word limit: 100
Does your proposed work relate to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation principles?
What the assessors are looking for in your response
Demonstrate how your proposed work relates to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation principles including:
- list any dual-use (both military and non-military) applications to your research
- if this project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, please list the area(s)
- please read the academic export control guidance and confirm if an export control licence is required for this project and the status of any application(s)
- if your project involves any items or substances on the UK strategic export control list, please provide a list
We may ask you to provide additional TR&I information later, in line with UKRI TR&I principles and funding terms and conditions (RGC 2.6.2, 2.7.1 and 2.7.2).
Resources and cost justification
Word limit: 500
What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?
What the assessors are looking for in your response:
- justification of the amount requested within the award range to deliver the proposed activities
- an estimate of how many individuals will be supported via short terms awards at the two identified career stages: postdoctoral transition and research re-entry
- the anticipated duration of support for individuals (normally six to 12 months)
- the anticipated overall costs for salary to provide protected research time
- the anticipated overall modest direct costs of research activities for specific activities, that cannot be met via the partnerships
- the rationale and overall costs for any proposed mobility activities and training courses within the partnership
- administrative costs (we would expect consortia to draw upon existing mechanisms and structures with no or minimal additional administrative costs. If essential, these must be included within the overall award value and must not exceed the maximum permitted, £20,000 FEC).
Please provide details of the financial scale of existing or planned activities by consortia members that will be enhanced through this approach and any potential financial contribution from partners intended to support the consortia.
If your award is scalable beyond the current available award range, please indicate the optimal maximum scale and what additional impact could be achieved at this higher scale.
Funding can be used to support a wide range of activities that support the scheme aims, however we reserve the right to adjust based on the portfolio of outcomes after the interview stage.
Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:
- are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
- represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
- maximise potential outcomes and impacts
