Information for Postdoctoral Researchers

This scheme provides full funding for a three-year full-time fellowship. Applicants must be within three years of the award of their doctorate and they must be a UK or EEA national, or have completed a doctorate at a UK university, or have a strong prior association with the UK academic community. The primary emphasis is on completion of a significant piece of publishable research. This is a two-stage application process.

Visit the British Academy website

This is for researchers who have a maximum of 4 years post-doctoral experience and who may be based outside the UK, but who wish to come to Oxford for the period of the grant. The scheme is specifically aimed at supporting those looking to make the transition to an independent researcher through managing their first major research project. These grants replace the Future Research Leaders scheme and have been made an open call now. Applications from those who have not yet submitted their PhD or are within 24 months of its submission will be particularly welcomed in the call. Those who have not yet submitted their PhD must have done so by the start date of the award.

Visit the ESRC website for more on New Investigator Grants

The ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme is aimed at those in the immediately postdoctoral stage of their career, to provide the opportunity to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, their networks, and their research and professional skills. It is part of ESRC’s strategy to supporting early career researchers and will be delivered through their national network of Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs).

The call is open to applicants who have completed their PhD at a research organisation that is part of a DTP or CDT and who are within 12 months of passing their viva voce. At the submission deadline, the applicant must either have been awarded a PhD or have submitted their thesis and passed their viva voce with minor corrections, with the expectation that the PhD will be awarded by the fellowship start date.

Visit the Grand Union website for more on Postdoctoral Fellowships

This fellowship scheme accepts applications from postdoctoral researchers across all disciplines of physical, natural and social sciences, and the humanities from around the world. The long-term aim of the scheme is to build a global pool of research leaders and encourage long-term international collaboration with the UK. Applicants should be working outside the UK and should not hold UK citizenship at the time of application. The scheme is jointly run by the British Academy, the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society. Currently there is one round per year which opens in January.

Visit the Royal Society Website

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) provide grants for all stages of researchers' careers - be they doctoral candidates or highly experienced researchers - and encourage transnational, intersectoral and interdisciplinary mobility. The MSCA enable research-focused organisations (universities, research centres, and companies) to host talented foreign researchers and to create strategic partnerships with leading institutions worldwide. Individual Fellowships support the mobility of researchers within and beyond Europe - as well as helping to attract the best foreign researchers to work in the EU. The grant usually covers two years' salary, a mobility allowance, research costs and overheads for the host institution. Individual researchers submit proposals for funding in liaison with their planned host organisation. Proposals are judged on their research quality, the researcher's future career prospects, and the support offered by the host organisation. Fellows can also spend part of the fellowship elsewhere in Europe if this would boost impact, and those restarting their career in Europe benefit from special eligibility conditions.

Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the UK for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to the deadline. There are no restrictions on nationality.

Visit the European Commission website

This scheme supports humanities and social science scholars at all stages of their career but not in an established academic post, who wish to undertake a period of research in any area of human and animal health. Strong preference is given to applicants with a good prospect of achieving an academic career in the field. The maximum duration is three years full-time equivalent. The awards are full-time but may be awarded on a part-time basis if a case can be made that personal circumstances require this. Fellowships provide research expenses and salary, plus appropriate employer's contributions.

This is a two-stage application process. For further information, visit the Wellcome Trust Website