This fellowship supports clinician scientists who have gained a higher research degree, have some postdoctoral experience and are ready to make the first step towards developing their own research niche.
The applicant is eligible to complete your training, practices medicine in the UK and holds GMC registration (or will hold, if currently practicing outside the UK)
has a higher degree (MD/PhD)has a national training number (NTN or NTN(A)) with clear plans for obtaining your Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) by the end of your fellowship, or has already obtained your CCT or equivalenthas the support of an appropriate research group and supervisor at an eligible UK university or research institute (or Cancer Research UK core-funded institute, provided you don’t receive core funding)can demonstrate that you meet the range of skills and experience outlined in the ‘Develop independence’ section of our competency framework
You may not apply if you have previously held another postdoctoral fellowship similar to a Clinician Scientist Fellowship (with the exception of NIHR Clinical Lectureships) or if you hold a permanent academic position at a higher education institute or research institute that supports your salary.
Host institutions
All our fellows are hosted in UK universities, medical schools, hospitals or research institutes. Most UK university departments are eligible, but if unclear please contact us before applying to check your host institution is eligible. You can be hosted by one of our institutes as long as your salary is not core funded at the time of application.
At the outline application stage, you will have to identify a host organisation for your award.
You may request to undertake a period of postdoctoral research training outside of the UK for a period of your fellowship, as long as it fits with your research proposal and career ambitions. To do this, please name the proposed institution and group you plan to work with alongside a strong justification for this request as part of the research proposal. This shouldn’t normally be anywhere you’ve previously worked.
Successful CRUK applications tend to have the following strengths:
✔ 1. Clear Scientific Merit & Innovation
Applications must articulate a compelling research question with robust methodology and novelty. Innovative approaches that could lead to substantial advances in cancer biology, therapy, imaging, prevention, or data science are favoured.
✔ 2. Relevance to Cancer and Translational Potential
Projects should clearly relate to understanding, preventing or treating cancer. Translational impact — e.g., potential to improve diagnosis, treatment or patient outcomes — is particularly valued in clinical and translational schemes.
✔ 3. Strong Applicant Track Record & Environment
Reviewers assess the investigator’s prior achievements, training, and evidence of independence (especially for fellowships), as well as institutional support and access to resources necessary to complete the project successfully.
✔ 4. Feasibility & Deliverables
CRUK reviewers look for realistic timelines, achievable milestones and a clear plan for measuring outcomes within the funding period. Strong proposals use preliminary data effectively to support feasibility.
✔ 5. Collaboration & Multidisciplinarity (when appropriate)
Collaborative or multidisciplinary plans — especially those integrating physical sciences, engineering, computational/data science or clinical networks — are often competitive in relevant schemes like Multidisciplinary Project Awards.
✔ 6. Engagement with Funding Mechanisms
Understanding the specific aims and review priorities of each scheme (e.g., translational emphasis for clinical schemes) and carefully aligning the application narrative with these priorities improves chances of success.
✔ Register in Flexi-Grant early and ensure host institution endorsement before submission. Cancer Research UK Flexigrant
✔ Align with CRUK’s mission — link research goals to cancer outcomes and patient benefit. Cancer Research UK
✔ Budget judiciously — justify requested resources relative to deliverables.
✔ Provide robust preliminary data where possible to strengthen feasibility arguments.
✔ Demonstrate institutional support and mentorship for fellowships.
| Category | Examples of Schemes | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Fellowships | Career Development; Clinical Future Leaders | Research independence, leadership |
| Clinical/Translational | Clinical Research Funding Scheme | Patient-oriented and translational studies |
| Collaborative/Project Grants | Multidisciplinary Project Award | Collaborative cancer research |
| International Fellowships | AACR–CRUK Transatlantic | Postdoc international collaborations |
| Training Fellowships | CRTF (centre-specific) | PhD training for clinicians |
Our core eligibility criteria are outlined below. You may contact us for an informal and confidential discussion of your proposal prior to submitting your application. We’ll advise on your eligibility and provide guidance on submitting your application.
If you would like to enquire about a potential application, please submit a CV and an eligibility enquiry form.
Eligible Countries:
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Cancer Research UK
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ
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Mar 26, 2026
Mar 26, 2026
$1,340,000
£1m
Affiliation: Cancer Research UK
Address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ
Disclaimer:It is mandatory that all applicants carry workplace liability insurance, e.g., https://www.protrip-world-liability.com (Erasmus students use this package and typically costs around 5 € per month - please check) in addition to health insurance when you join any of the onsite Trialect partnered fellowships.