Capacity building: clinical research training fellowship
Medical Research Council (MRC) · United Kingdom
Fellowship to support registered healthcare professionals who hold a PhD and wish to reacquire research skills. Research must fall within the Medical Research Council remit.
Summary
Deadline
2 Sept 2026
Complexity
High
Time to apply
60-120 hours
Updated
9 Jun 2026
Fellowship to support registered healthcare professionals who hold a PhD and wish to reacquire research skills. Research must fall within the Medical Research Council remit.
Eligibility
Applicant types
Research, Public Sector
Business size
Research organisation
Industries
Medical research, health, clinical research across MRC remit.
Match funding
Not required
Requirements
Must be a registered healthcare professional. Must hold a PhD or equivalent awarded usually five or more years ago. Must not have undertaken substantial academic research since PhD. Must be at appropriate stage of clinical training. Must intend to be clinically active in the UK during or after award. Must have support of an eligible UK research organisation. Applicant must be a registered healt...
Eligible applicants
Must be a registered healthcare professional. Must hold a PhD or equivalent awarded usually five or more years ago. Must not have undertaken substantial academic research since PhD. Must be at appropriate stage of clinical training. Must intend to be clinically active in the UK during or after award. Must have support of an eligible UK research organisation.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
£500,000 to £5 million
Total fund available
Not specified
Funding intensity
80% of Full Economic Cost (FEC).
Payment type
Salary and project costs via host (grant)
Eligible scope
Funding to reacquire research skills and re-establish research momentum. Research must align with MRC remit and improve human health.
Eligible expenses
- Salary and project costs.
Ineligible costs
- Costs not eligible under MRC fellowship FEC terms.
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service
Competitiveness
Competitive Selection
Decision timeline
Not specified
Assessment process
Open competition. Capacity building CRTF applicants considered alongside professional doctorate CRTF applications.
Application sections
- PhD award details
- Career history
- Clinical activities and training
- Career development
- Statistical and methodological details
- Ethics
- Resources and cost justification.
Application components
Not specified
Required documents
Not specified
Appendices
- Career history template
- Clinical activities and training template
- Animal research template if applicable.
Assessment criteria
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if eligibility criteria not met.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
10 Jun 2026
Project duration
3 years
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
- Addiction Healthcare Goals (Office for Life Sciences)
- The Borne Foundation
- DEBRA
- Diabetes UK
- Epilepsy Research Institute
- Fight for Sight
- Jean Shanks Foundation and Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland (JSPS)
- Kidney Research UK
Collaboration rules
- Joint funding available with collaborating organisations. Industry collaboration permitted where relevant.
Consortium requirements
- Single applicant fellowship; joint funding from collaborating organisations may be requested.
Additional guidance
[{"label":"Application Limit","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Research Category","value":"Clinical research training fellowship."},{"label":"Subcontractors","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Subsidy Scheme","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Sanctions Rule","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Animal Research Rule","value":"If involving animals, must comply with Animals Scientific Procedures Act and relevant guidance."},{"label":"Interview Stage","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Key Requirements","value":"Must be registered healthcare professional. Must have PhD awarded usually five or more years ago. Must show plan to pursue research career. Must be clinically active."},{"label":"Renewal Rules","value":"Ongoing funding opportunity with rounds closing every January, April and September."},{"label":"Important Notes","value":"This is an ongoing funding opportunity. Application rounds close three times per year. Joint funding available with collaborating charities and organisations."}]
Quick facts
- Status
- Upcoming
- Deadline
- 2 Sept 2026
- Funding amount
- £500,000 to £5 million
- Funding band
- Mid (£500k-£5M)
- Funding type
- Fellowship
- Payment type
- Salary and project costs via host (grant)
- Audience
- Research Innovation, Public Sector, Mixed
- Industry
- Medical research, health, clinical research across MRC remit.
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2026
- Published
- 14 Jan 2026