These schemes offer established or emerging international scientific research leaders the opportunity to be based at a UK university or research institution for five years or 12 months, respectively. The Wolfson Fellowship offers a £300,000 fellowship award to recruit international researchers to UK institutions and the Visiting Fellowship provides a flexible sabbatical period to foster international collaborative links, with an award of up to £125,000.

• Who can apply? Established researchers based overseas at the time of application, of any nationality (see page for more details). Applicants must be nominated by representative of the host institution before they are able to apply.

• Open and closing date: 6 May 2026 – 1 July 2026. Nomination forms from UK host institutions need to be submitted by 24 June 2026.

University Research Fellowship

This scheme is for outstanding scientists who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. These long-term fellowships provide the opportunity and freedom to build an independent research career in the UK or Republic of Ireland and pursue cutting-edge scientific research.

• Who can apply? Early career researchers of any nationality with between three and eight years of research experience post-PhD (excluding career breaks), who do not hold a permanent post in a university or not-for-profit research organisation.
• Open and closing date: 14 July 2026 – 9 September 2026

International Exchanges: Global, JSPS and NSTC Cost Share rounds

These grants provide support for scientists based in the UK to stimulate new research collaborations with leading scientists overseas, covering travel between the respective countries.

The Global round is for collaborations between researchers based in the UK and in any other country/territory around the world. The Cost Share rounds are for collaborations between researchers based in the UK and in the countries/territories covered by each call: in this Cost Share call, grants are co-funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan (NSTC).

We also run Global, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy (CNR) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Cost Share rounds each spring – please check the scheme page for updated details of this round.

• Who can apply? Both the lead and overseas co-applicant must have a PhD/equivalent experience and be based in their respective countries/territories at the time of application, and hold a permanent or fixed term contract there for the duration of the award, in an eligible organisation.
• Open and closing date: 30 July 2026 – 24 September 2026

Faraday Discovery Fellowships

These prestigious long-term awards support emerging research leaders to undertake high-quality, original research in the UK. The programme is aimed at outstanding mid-career STEM researchers and provides grants of up to £8m over a ten-year period.

• Who can apply? Mid-career researchers of any nationality (see scheme notes for more details on the definition of mid-career).
• Open and closing date (for stage one): 5 August 2026 – 22 September 2026

If you have any questions about these funding opportunities, please get in touch with the Grants team. Many thanks again for all your help in sharing these opportunities as widely as possible.

Best wishes