Royal Society UK University Research Fellowship 2026

The Royal Society UK University Research Fellowship 2026 (URF) supports exceptional early-career scientists with up to eight years of salary, research costs and career development funding. Among the most prominent early-career funding programs in the natural sciences in the United Kingdom is the Royal Society’s University Research Fellowship (URF). The URF gives exceptional researchers the freedom, time, and support required to undertake high-impact, independent research in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, therefore enabling the next generation of scientific leaders. The 2026 call opens 15 July 2025 and closes 10 September 2025. Winners begin between 1 October 2026 and 1 January 2027.

Why Royal Society UK University Research Fellowship 2026?

Advantage	Impact
Long-term security	Up to 8 years of funding (5 + 3 extension)
Competitive salary	80 % of salary costs (host pays 20 %) + estates & indirects
Generous research budget	Up to £90 000 research expenses & £40 000 equipment over award
Prestige & visa fast-track	Global Talent Visa endorsement; alumni include Nobel laureates
Career development	Mentoring, leadership programmes & policy-engagement days

Fast Facts

Item	Detail
Call opens	15 July 2025
Deadline (stage 1)	10 September 2025, 15:00 BST
Notification (stage 2 invite)	December 2025
Panel interviews	April – May 2026 (London or MS Teams)
Offers issued	June 2026
Fellowship start window	1 Oct 2026 – 1 Jan 2027
Number of awards	Quality-dependent (recent rounds: 40–45)
Primary keyword density goal	6–8 uses

Funding Package

Category	Year 1–5	Year 6–8 (post-review)	Notes
Salary	80 % of basic salary + on-costs	Continues	Host pays remaining 20 %
Estates & indirects	Paid at RS fEC rates	Continues
Research expenses	Up to £90 000 (avg £18 k / yr)	Additional requests allowed	Consumables, travel, training
Equipment	Up to £40 000 total	Further bids possible via RS Research Grants
Professional development	Leadership & media training	Ongoing

Awards are portable within the UK or the Republic of Ireland, giving you bargaining power when negotiating lab space and start-up packages. (Royal Society)

Eligibility Requirements

Criterion	Details
Career stage	3-8 years research experience post-PhD by 1 September 2026 (career breaks discounted).
Nationalities	Open to all nationalities, but research must be hosted in the UK or ROI; applicants needing a visa qualify for Global Talent fast-track.
Field	Natural sciences (incl. engineering, maths, computer science, but not clinical medicine).
Current position	Must not hold a permanent academic post; fixed-term contracts are fine.
Host support	UK/ROI university or eligible research institute must guarantee lab space, 20 % salary and mentorship.

Application Timeline & Key 2025–26 Dates

Date	Task	Action
15 Jul 2025	Stage 1 opens in Flexi-Grant®	Register & start form.
10 Sep 2025	Stage 1 deadline	Submit 2-page CV, 2-page research outline & host letter.
Nov 2025	Peer review (subject panels)	External referees score proposals.
Dec 2025	Stage 2 invites	12-page proposal, full budget, 2 support letters.
Feb 2026	Stage 2 deadline	Upload by 15:00 BST.
Apr – May 2026	Interviews (Royal Society HQ or online)	10-min talk + 25-min Q&A.
Jun 2026	Final decisions	Accept award within 2 weeks.
Oct 2026 – Jan 2027	Fellowships start	Induction & mentor assignment.

Step-by-Step Application Guide

1. Check eligibility with Flexi-Grant tool.
2. Secure host institution & mentor; agree on lab space, salary top-up and career-development plan.
3. Draft Stage 1 outline (≤ 2 pages). Focus on:
   • Big problem → knowledge gap → innovative solution
   • Feasibility data (pilot plots, pre-prints).
4. Upload concise CV (2 pages, include ORCID).
5. Submit Stage 1 by 10 Sep 2025.
6. If shortlisted, expand to Stage 2:
   • 12-page proposal (background, aims, methodology, Gantt, risk + mitigation, outputs, open-science plan).
   • Detailed budget across eight years.
   • Two supporter statements (Head of Dept + external expert).
7. Practise interview – 10-minute chalk-talk + mock panel questions.

Required Documents Checklist

Stage	Document	Length
1	CV	2 pages
1	Research outline	2 pages
1	Host letter	1 page
2	Full proposal	12 pages (template)
2	Budget spreadsheet	Flexi-Grant
2	Head-of-Dept statement	Online form
2	External supporter letter	2 pages
2	Data-management plan	1 page
All	Publication list	Up to 20 items

Selection Criteria & Peer-Review Process

Criterion	Weight	Panel Looks For
Scientific excellence	40 %	Ground-breaking question, robust methods, preliminary data.
Researcher potential	25 %	Independence, leadership, publication trajectory, awards.
Host environment	15 %	Resources, mentorship, fit with strategic goals.
Impact & dissemination	10 %	Open science, societal benefits, outreach plan.
Career development plan	10 %	Training, management of team, equality/diversity.

Budget Planning: Salary, Research & Equipment

Category	Typical Request (per year)	Tips
Personnel	RA 0.5 FTE: £18 k + NI	Seek co-funding from host/industry for full RA.
Consumables	£7 k	Justify via pilot data.
Travel & conferences	£3 k	2 int’l meetings + collaborator visits.
Training	£1 k	Leadership, statistics courses.
Equipment	£40 k total	Itemise > £10 k kit, justify ‘unique capability’.

Five Tips to Strengthen Your Proposal

1. Use the keyword strategically – place “Royal Society UK University Research Fellowship 2026” in your abstract and conclusion for SEO and reviewer clarity.
2. Think eight years, not five – outline vision through to Year 8 extension.
3. Highlight independence – show senior-author papers and sole PI mini-grants.
4. Embed EDI & open science – preregistration, data sharing, and outreach to underserved schools.
5. Mock-review before submission – swap proposals with peers and score against RS criteria.

Conclusion

The Royal Society UK University Research Fellowship 2026 is one of the most competitive—but transformative—early-career awards in Europe. Securing it means eight years of stable funding, prestige and the freedom to pursue your boldest ideas.

Action Checklist

1. Block writing weeks in June & July 2025 for the Stage 1 outline and host letter.
2. Please open Flexi-Grant on 15 July 2025 and complete the eligibility checker.
3. Submit Stage 1 by 10 Sept 2025—avoid last-day traffic.
4. If you are shortlisted, please proceed to expand to Stage 2 over Christmas and kindly solicit support letters early.
5. Practice interviews in March 2026 using mock panels.
6. Negotiate a lab space & start-up package with multiple institutions before accepting.

Follow this roadmap and your proposal for the Royal Society UK University Research Fellowship 2026 will stand out—bringing you eight years closer to becoming a leader in your field. Good luck!