Funding Sources for Mid-Career Researchers
AHRC Fellowships Scheme
The Fellowships scheme provides salary and associated costs for periods of three to nine
months, to enable an individual researcher to work on a specified research project or
programme. The Fellowship can be used to support a wide range of research activities
provided that these lead to significant specified research and other outputs by the end of
the Fellowship, including the preparation of publications and other outputs from research
conducted prior to the start of the Fellowship. Proposals for full economic costs up to a
maximum of £120,000 may be submitted.
For more information please see:
http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/Funding-Opportunities/Pages/Fellowships.aspx
Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships
Research Fellowships are open to experienced researchers, particularly those who are or
have been prevented by routine duties from completing a programme of original
research.
There are no restrictions on academic discipline, and awards are not limited to those
holding appointments in higher education.
The maximum value of a Fellowship is £45,000. The awards provide research expenses
over and above normal living costs and/or provide a contribution towards reasonable
replacement costs or loss of earnings.
The 2011 round is now closed. Materials for the 2012 round will be available from 1
September 2011.
For more information please see:
http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/RF/RF.cfm
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Philip Leverhulme Prizes
The Prizes commemorate the contribution to the work of the Trust made by Philip
Leverhulme, the Third Viscount Leverhulme and grandson of the Founder.
Nominees must hold a post (irrespective of the source of funding) in a UK institution of
higher education or research and should normally be under age 36 on the closing date.
Exceptions are permitted where nominees have had a distinct career change or break.
Each Prize has a value of £70,000; use should be made of the award over a two or three
year period. Prizes can be used for any purpose which can advance the Prize holder’s
research, with the exception of enhancing the Prize holder’s salary.
For more information please see:
http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/PLP/PLP.cfm
Royal Society Industry Fellowships
The scheme aims to enhance knowledge transfer in science and technology between
those in industry and those in academia. It provides opportunities for an academic
scientist to work on a collaborative project with industry, or someone employed in
industry to work on a collaborative project with a university department or a not-forprofit research organisation. It is anticipated that fellows will establish personal and
corporate links between the two sectors in the UK as a foundation for their long-term
future development.
These appointments are funded by the Royal Society, the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council,
the Natural Environment Research Council, Rolls-Royce plc and Astra Zeneca.
Subjects covered are all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but
excluding clinical medicine.
For further information please see:
http://royalsociety.org/Industry-Fellowships/
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Royal Society – Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowships
The Royal Society Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships were established
through the generosity of the Leverhulme Trust and seek to provide opportunities for
academic researchers to be relieved of all their teaching and administrative duties to
allow them to concentrate on full-time research for up to one year.
Subjects covered are all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but
excluding clinical medicine.
Applicants must hold a permanent post at a UK institution and be at a suitable stage in
their career when they would particularly benefit from a period of full-time research.
Length of tenure is between one academic term and one year.
http://royalsociety.org/Leverhulme-Trust-Fellowships/
Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowships in
Basic Biomedical Science
This scheme provides an opportunity for postdoctoral scientists from across the remits of
the Trust's funding streams to become independent research scientists and undertake
high-quality research.
You are expected to have science or veterinary qualifications and, at the preliminary
application stage, should normally have between three and six years' research
experience from the date of your doctoral degree (PhD viva). Due allowance will be
given to those whose career has been affected for personal reasons.
You must have made intellectual contributions to research that have been published in
leading journals, and be able to demonstrate your potential to carry out independent
research.
The proposed research should fall within the Trust’s normal funding remit.
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Applications for this Scheme are considered twice a year. For further information please
see:
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Biomedical-science/Fundingschemes/Fellowships/Basic-biomedical-fellowships/WTD004431.htm
British Academy Mid-Career Fellowships
Proposals are invited for a new scheme of British Academy Mid-Career Fellowships. The
Academy intends, through this scheme, both to support outstanding individual
researchers with excellent research proposals, and to support outstanding
communicators who will promote public understanding and engagement with humanities
and social sciences. The scheme contributes to the Academy’s strategic commitments
both to the support of ideas, individuals and intellectual resources and to public
engagement and dovetails with the Academy’s new Languages and Quantitative Skills
programme.
The aim of the scheme is to allow successful applicants to obtain time freed from normal
teaching and administrative commitments. The time bought by the scheme should be
devoted to the completion of a major piece of research and/or to the promotion of a
programme of public engagement and communication. Awards will be judged both on
the excellence of the research proposed and on the capacity of the applicant to
communicate with a broad audience.
Applicants for the Mid Career Fellowships should be intending to pursue – or, in the case
of those applying to support a programme of communication, have pursued – original,
independent research in any field of study within the humanities or social sciences. In
respect of some of the awards, the Academy will take into account the aim of providing
particular support for certain important fields, including modern languages and
quantitative and other formal skills. A small proportion of the total number of awards will
be offered specifically to contribute to the Academy’s new Languages and Quantitative
Skills Programme. All applicants are invited to state how they see their particular
programme, whether directly meeting current challenges or not, contributing to the
identification of future priorities and challenges.
These Fellowships are awards to individuals employed at UK universities or other UK
institutions of higher education, and the Academy is looking particularly to support midcareer scholars. The Academy takes no account of an applicant’s physical age or current
status in determining eligibility, but will look to provide opportunities for scholars who
have established a significant track record of publication or as an excellent
communicator and ‘champion’ in their field, and who are normally within no more than
15 years from the award of their doctorate. In considering eligibility, the Academy will
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make due allowance for applicants who have had career breaks, and for established
scholars who do not have doctorates.
These Fellowships are covered under the Full Economic Costing (FEC) regime, but the
Academy’s contribution to the salary of the Mid-Career Fellow will be capped at £80,000.
It is not expected that the total value of an award will exceed £160,000. Awards can be
held over a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months, beginning in the
autumn of 2011.
For more information see: http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/midcareer.cfm
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