The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) postdoctoral pathways (formerly doctoral prizes) enable universities to retain and attract top EPSRC-funded doctoral students. The postdoctoral pathways enhance the impact of students doctoral research and support their progression into research careers. They are an optional flexibility for universities on EPSRC university doctoral landscape awards and doctoral training partnerships.
EPSRC does not invite individual applications for EPSRC postdoctoral pathways. If you have questions about EPSRC postdoctoral pathways, contact the universities directly.
The awarding university is responsible for administering all aspects of the award including selection of a suitable candidate.
Eligibility and use of funds
Any student who has recently received support for their doctoral studies from EPSRC is eligible for an EPSRC postdoctoral pathway. This includes funding through any EPSRC training grant, including:
- university doctoral landscape awards
- doctoral training partnerships
- industrial doctoral landscape awards
ICASE awards
It also includes all full members of EPSRC or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) artificial intelligence centres for doctoral training and doctoral focal awards. This includes those whose studentship costs are fully funded by industry or a higher education institution.
There is no fixed definition of what is recent, but the postdoctoral pathway must be timely, and the student must have submitted their thesis before the EPSRC postdoctoral pathway support begins. Prize recipients may receive up to two years additional support through this mechanism.
While selection of the awardees and the exact nature of the support provided is at the discretion of the institution, the flexible support should target the strongest EPSRC-funded students.
The work supported by the EPSRC postdoctoral pathway must be predominantly within EPSRC’s remit. The research organisation can use non-UKRI funds as leverage to maximise EPSRC’s support.
Monitoring and reporting
Institutions will be responsible for maintaining offline records to provide to EPSRC as part of our annual monitoring process. Details of the funding used for this purpose must be identified separately when the Doctoral Training Award final expenditure statement is submitted to EPSRC.
Best practice
Based on a 2010 evaluation of the predecessor to this scheme , we recommend that universities should:
- advertise the scheme externally and encourage applicants to move organisations and into new research areas
- include induction, mentoring and career development planning as important elements of support that should be delivered by universities
- provide grant holders with a mentor who is not their former supervisor
- ensure there is a rigorous selection and interview process
- provide support to individuals in preparation for the EPSRC postdoctoral pathway
- deliver outreach as part of their support
Contact
For further information contact students@epsrc.ukri.org
Last updated: 26 March 2026