Below is an overview of Postdoctoral Fellowships primarily based in the United Kingdom. These fellowships vary in scope, duration, and eligibility, so it’s important to review the current scheme notes, as they may be updated. The dates for the current or previous year have been included where applicable, but please refer to the specific links for the most up-to-date information, as deadlines may change annually.
This list is not comprehensive list but includes many UK funding sources. Ask colleagues in your department if they know of additional funding sources in your field. International colleagues might know of fellowships available in other countries.
Imperial College London
Imperial College Research Fellowships (ICRF) – Early Career researcher
Annually – https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/funder-information/research-fellowships/icrf/
This call will open in March 2025 with a deadline of 18 August 2025
Government
NIHR Postdoctoral Fellowships
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/career-development/research-career-funding-programmes/postdoctoral/postdoctoral-fellowships
Advanced Fellowship round 13 – previous deadline Jan 2025
Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship round 6 – previous deadline Nov 2024
Advanced Fellowship round 12 – previous deadline Jul 2024
Research Councils/Academies
British Academy Postdoc fellowship
https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/british-academy-postdoctoral-fellowships
Deadline (annually): The call will open on 2 July 2025 with a deadline of 01 October 2025
UKRI future leader fellowship
https://www.ukri.org/our-work/developing-people-and-skills/future-leaders-fellowships/
The next call is now open with a deadline of 18 June 2025
College is launching the internal process early in January to allow Departments sufficient time to select their candidates for this scheme. Imperial has a limit of 8 candidates we can support. All potential applicants for the FLFs, internal or external, must complete the application process: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-fellowships/ukri-flf/information-for-applicants/.
MRC career development award
https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/career-development-award/
The call is now open with a deadline of 16 April 2025
NERC Independent Research Fellowship
https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/developing-people-and-skills/nerc/nerc-fellowships/
The call is now open with a deadline of 3 April 2025
BBSRC Fellowships
https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/developing-people-and-skills/bbsrc/fellowships/fellowships-available/
The call is now open with a deadline of 07 May 2025
LISS ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship
https://liss-dtp.ac.uk/esrc-pdf/
Expression of Interest Application Deadline: 5pm 6 January 2025
ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships
https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/esrc-postdoctoral-fellowships/
The call is now open with a deadline of 25 March 2025
ERC Starting Grant
https://erc.europa.eu/funding/starting-grants
Deadline (annually): Previous deadline 2024
ERC Consolidator Grant
https://erc.europa.eu/funding/consolidator-grants
Deadline (annually): on 14 January 2025
Charities
Wellcome Early-Career Awards
https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/early-career-awards
Three times a year – Upcoming deadline on 25 February 2025
Wellcome Career Development Award
https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/career-development-awards
Three times a year – Upcoming deadline on 03 April 2025
Wellcome Discovery Award
https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/discovery-awards
Three times a year – Upcoming deadline on 08 April 2025
Daphne Jackson Fellowship [requires career break]
https://daphnejackson.org/
Regular fellowships can be applied for at any time
Alzheimer’s Society Postdoctoral Fellowship
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/research/researchers/our-funding-schemes/postdoctoral-fellowships
The call is now open with a deadline of 28 March 2025
Stroke Association Fellowship
https://www.stroke.org.uk/research/our-funding-schemes/postdoctoral-fellowships
This call has closed on 31 January 2025
Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (ECF)
https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/early-career-fellowships
The call is now open with a deadline on 20 February 2025
ARUK research fellowships [Dementia only]
https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/grants/research-fellowship/
https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research/for-researchers/grant-schemes/
There are a number of different schemes (see second link), for main fellowships rounds open approximately three months before deadline
Jacobs Foundation Fellowship
https://jacobsfoundation.org/en/activity/jacobs-foundation-research-fellowship-program/
Deadline (annually): on 07 February 2025
Human Frontiers Fellowship
http://www.hfsp.org/funding/postdoctoral-fellowships
The call will open with submission of a Letter of Intent by 1 PM (Eastern Time US) by 14 May 2024 with a deadline to submit a full proposal on 26 September 2025
Societies
Royal Society University Research Fellowship
https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/university-research/
Deadline (annually): next call opens on 15 July 2025
Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship [for those who require flexible working]
https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/dorothy-hodgkin-fellowship/
Deadline (annually): next call opens on 02 September 2025
Newton International Fellowships
https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/newton-international/
The call is now open with a deadline on 18 March 2025
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships in Science or
Engineering
https://www.royalcommission1851.org/awards/?award=research
Deadline (annually): January. Fellowships held from October in year of award.
Miscellaneous
Marie Curie Postdoctoral fellowship
https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-postdoctoral-fellowships-2025
Deadline (annually): Deadline 10 September 2025
NARSAD Young Investigator Grants [US based but can be spent in UK]
https://www.bbrfoundation.org/grants-prizes/narsad-young-investigator-grants
The call is now open with a deadline on 12 March 2025
AXA Research Fellowship
https://axa-research.org/fund-your-research/post-doctoral-fellowships
Deadline (annually). Previous deadline May 2024
Swiss National Science Foundation – Postdoc.Mobility fellowships
https://www.snf.ch/en/mfGgKYOjM35XPnH5/news/call-for-postdocmobility
Deadline (annually)