Yorkhill Research Support Scheme
Information for applicants
The Yorkhill Research Support Scheme (YRSS) is a conduit for Yorkhill Children’s Charity (YCC) to support high
quality research with the ultimate aim of improving children’s health. The phrase ‘children’s health’ has been
used in its broadest sense to include the health and well-being of the foetus, neonate, infant, child,
adolescent as well as the long-term outcome of a person with a condition originating in childhood. YCC has
made generous contributions to the support of students and young researchers in Glasgow and the West of
Scotland over several years, in particular, the funding of research projects, PhD studentships, clinical
research fellowships and summer student bursaries. This portfolio of research support has enabled a
number of students and young researchers to undertake clinical and scientific projects, and in many cases
has been the start of academic careers. YRSS awards are advertised widely and should attract the best
scientists. All applications over £5000 shall be subjected to external peer review and shall be prioritised on
scientific merit and research strategy. The costs will require to be approved by the finance department of the
employing institutions who will need to agree to administer them.
Through the YRSS, Yorkhill Children’s Charity is accredited by the Association of Medical Research Charities
and the scheme follows the AMRC good practice guidelines.
Conditions of the Grant
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Only applications submitted by a recognised Higher Education Research Institute and/or Medical
Institution will be considered.
For project grants, one of the co-applicants must be directly involved in academic research and/or
health care of children or pregnant women in the West of Scotland.
YRSS will require a written report from the applicant demonstrating how the grant benefited
themselves and the home institution and enabled significant advances in science/medicine and
children’s or pregnant women’s health.
The report must be submitted to the YRSS office no later than 24 months after receipt of grant. The
report should also include details of any publications resulting from the grant.
Failure to provide a satisfactory report will exclude the applicants from making further applications
for a minimum of 5 years from the date the report is due.
Grants awarded are final and do not include overheads.
Grants cannot be awarded retrospectively.
All unspent funds must be returned to YCC within 6 months of the award end date.
The decision of the YRSS office is final and not subject to appeal.
YRSS will not accept resubmissions of the same project in the following year.
YRSS reserves the right to publish brief details of the successful applicant’s project on its website and
in any appropriate YCC publications.
Incomplete applications will not be considered
Yorkhill Children’s Charity must be acknowledged in any publication that arises from the funding.
The award holders shall be encouraged to present their work at the annual Paediatric Research Day
YRSS will monitor progress of the award holders - enquiring about publications, further grants, original and
invited presentations and career development.
Assessment criteria
Applications are assessed by expert peer reviewers on the basis of the following criteria:
For All Applications
 Benefit to main applicant's career
 Benefit to institution
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Benefit to the health of newborns or children
Overall scientific value
Likelihood of achieving desired goals if supported
Additional criteria for fellowships, studentships and scholarships
 quality of the candidate
 scientific quality of project
 quality of supervisor
 appropriateness of research environment
Detailed reviewer’s guidance and scoring criteria for fellowships and studentships are available on the YRSS
website (http://www.yorkhill.org/about/about-us/the-yorkhill-research-support-scheme)
Types of award
Applications are considered under the following categories in two calls per year (one for fellowships and the
other for projects). Funds are awarded in each category only if sufficiently high calibre applications are
received for consideration.
 Clinical Research Fellowships of two year’s duration, to support clinical trainees who intend to pursue
an academic career in a field related to paediatrics. The intention is to generate data with which to
apply for a further 1 or 2 year research fellowship leading to a PhD. Maximum value £130,000. At least
one of the supervisors has to be a member of staff delivering clinical paediatric care in the West of
Scotland. One award per year.
 PhD Studentship of three year’s duration for an early career graduate in the fields of health, social,
biological, nursing and midwifery to undertake a supervised research project in children’s health. Parttime PhDs are eligible subject to specific conditions. Maximum value £60,000. At least one of the
supervisors has to be a member of staff at a higher education institute in the West of Scotland. One
award per year.
 Summer Scholarship of six to eight week’s duration for an undergraduate student at a higher
education institute in the West of Scotland in a medical or biological field aiming to conduct a summer
project related to children’s health. Maximum award £1440. Two awards per year.
 Project Support Grants for research proposals aimed at improving children’s health and which is likely
to lead to a successful application for external, peer reviewed research project funding. Grants will be
awarded to a maximum of £40,000. At least one of the applicants has to be a member of staff in a
higher education or health care organisation in the West of Scotland. Approximately four awards per
year.
 Small Project Grants for research proposals in the field of children’s health. Grants will be awarded up
to £5,000 for preliminary research that that has the potential to lead to a peer reviewed publication.
At least one of the applicants has to be a member of staff in a higher education or health care
institution in the West of Scotland. Approximately four awards per year.
 St Andrews Society/YCC Visiting Fellowships of up to 6 weeks duration, for visits by Greater-Glasgow
based researchers in the field of paediatrics to a New York-based institute to complete a short
research project or learn a new technique that demonstrates a benefit to children’s health. Maximum
value £5000 for a 6 week visit. Ad hoc submission.
Indicative Timetable
Application calls and deadlines are staggered throughout the year for the different grants, approximately:
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Grant
PhD studentship
Clinical fellowships
Call
February
February
Deadline
April
April
Outcome
June
June
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Summer scholarship
Project Support Grants
Small Project Grants
St.AS/YCC fellowships
February
September
September
open
April
November
November
ad hoc
June
February
February
1 month of receipt
See call text for deadlines for submission.
For further information please contact
Jillian Bryce, Yorkhill Research Support Scheme Office,
Child Health , University of Glasgow, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow G3 8SJ.
Direct Line: +44 (0) 141 201 0509. E-mail: Jillian.Bryce@glasgow.ac.uk
Website: http://www.yorkhill.org/about/about-us/the-yorkhill-research-support-scheme
YRSS Information for Applicants version 260814