UK's Royal Society - Grant Funding Opportunities
Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship
- Type: Research Fellowships (both five-year relocation and one-year Visiting Fellowship)
- Application for: Mid-career or senior researchers from any nationality (must be based overseas), with a firm or conditional UK host employment offer.
- Field: Natural sciences (covering biological sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, and closely related disciplines in Royal Society’s remit).
- Funding & Benefits: Five-Year Fellowships: Up to £300,000 (excluding visa and relocation costs). Covers salary enhancement (max 20%), research expenses, research assistance, PhD studentships, relocation and visa costs. Flexible arrangements include part-time, caregiving-related leaves, and childcare support.
- Deadline: 4 September 2025, 15:00 UK time
For full details about this call, please visit the Royal Society’s website on theRoyal Society Wolfson Fellowship.
Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship
Type: Visiting Research Fellowship (12-month sabbatical, flexible up to 24 months)
Application for: Established international research leaders (any nationality), currently based outside the UK, with a firm offer from a UK host institution
Field: Natural sciences, including but not limited to biological/biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics.
Funding:
Up to £125,000 (excluding visa/relocation costs; cap may be exceeded if well-justified)
Bursary: Up to £80,000 p.a. full-time (pro-rata for part-time). Cannot supplement existing salary if already ≥£80,000 overseas
Research expenses: Consumables, travel, fieldwork, visa costs, small equipment up to £10,000, plus justified subsistence or accommodation
Relocation & visa support for Fellow and dependents; may exceed grant cap if justified
Flexibility: Full-time or part-time, spread over 1–2 years (minimum continuous stay of 3 months). Includes support for maternity/paternity/shared parental/extended sick leave and childcare during conferences or research visits.
Deadline: 4 September 2025, 15:00 UK time
For full details about this call, please visit the Royal Society’s website on theRoyal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship.
Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF)
- Type: University Research Fellowship (up to 8 years of funding for independent research leadership)
- Application for: Outstanding early-career researchers (3–8 years post-PhD, excluding career breaks), who do not hold a permanent academic position or an equivalent independent research fellowship. Any nationality is welcome; applicants requiring visas may apply via the Global Talent Visa fast-track process.
- Field: Natural sciences—including (but not limited to) biological/biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics.
- Funding: Up to £1.87 million over 8 years, covering: Salary support (contribution toward your appointment), indirect/estate costs, equipment and research expenses (consumables, travel, etc.), research assistance (e.g., PhD students, staff), new 4-year PhD studentship(s), relocation and visa costs for applicants and dependents—can exceed cap if well-justified, flexibility for part-time work, sabbaticals, parental leave, and childcare support during research travel
- Benefits: Fellows also gain access to career development and engagement opportunities such as leadership training, science communication, and public outreach.
- Deadline: 10 September 2025 at 15:00 UK time
For full details about this call, please visit the Royal Society’s website on theRoyal Society University Research Fellowship (URF)
Royal Society International Exchanges
- Type: International Exchanges grants—seed funding to initiate or strengthen new research collaborations between UK-based and overseas scientists.
- Application for: UK-based scientists (lead applicants) with a PhD (or equivalent experience), holding a contract (permanent or fixed-term) at an eligible institution, seeking to collaborate with overseas scientists at institutions abroad (each co-applicant must meet similar criteria).
- Field: Natural sciences—including biological/biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, and related areas within the Royal Society’s remit
- Funding & Duration (Global Rounds):
- One-off visit (≤ 3 months): up to £3,000
Multiple visits (within 1 year): up to £6,000 (with up to £1,500 for consumables)
Multiple visits (within 2 years): up to £12,000 (with up to £3,000 for consumables)
Eligible consumables include visas, fieldwork, software, stationery, reagents, and licenses; ineligible items include publication fees, hardware, conference fees, and overheads
- Deadline: 25 September 2025
For full details about this call, please visit the Royal Society’s website on the Royal Society International Exchanges.
Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowships
- Type: Investigator-led Fellowship (up to 10 years of funding; Accelerated International Route up to 5 years)
- Application for: Outstanding mid-career researchers (approx. 10–20 years post-PhD, inclusive of career breaks), already leading independent research groups, of any nationality. Applicants must conduct their research at a UK host institution. The Accelerated International Route is available specifically for those based overseas seeking fast-track relocation.
- Field: Natural sciences and engineering such as biological/biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, interdisciplinary STEM disciplines within the Royal Society’s remit.
- Funding & Duration:
Standard Route: Up to £8 million over 10 years, for transformative research programmes. Funding beyond £6 million requires strong justification.
Accelerated International Route (AIR): Up to £4 million over 5 years for overseas-based applicants with urgent relocation needs.
- Benefits: Both routes offer flexibility including part-time working, sabbaticals, caregiver leave, and support for childcare during conferences. Fellows also gain access to mentoring, leadership training, science communication, and public engagement opportunities.
Deadline & Timeline (2026 Round):
Stage 1 (Outline): 23 September 2025 (15:00 UK time)
Stage 2 (Full Application): Opens 27 November 2025 and closes 5 February 2026 (15:00 UK time)
For full details about this call, please visit the Royal Society’s website on the Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowships.