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Short Industry Fellowship in Royal Society

Royal Society

The Short Industry Fellowships scheme is open to talented researchers, especially early career researchers, in academia or industry in the UK.

The aims of the scheme are to:

Support mobility of excellent academic or industry researchers (and/or their postdoctoral researcher) between the two sectors in the UK, across the natural sciences
Enable the fellow to initiate and develop collaborative links between the academic and industry organisations, which may lead to longer term collaborations (and can seek further funding through the Industry Fellowship)
Support the career development of the fellow and/or their postdoctoral researcher gained through the working in the other sector
Enhance knowledge exchange in science and technology between industry and academia. Awards must involve mobility between sectors i.e. UK based private industry and a UK university or a not-for-profit research organisation.

Collaborations between academia and early-stage companies are particularly encouraged. It is anticipated that the personal and corporate links established by the researcher between the two sectors in the UK will seed longer-term collaborations and contribute to their long-term future development.

For longer term collaborative projects between industry and academia, see the Industry Fellowship.

The Royal Society recognises that diversity is essential for delivering excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Society wants to encourage applications from the widest range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to maximise innovation and creativity in science for the benefit of humanity. We regularly review and revise policies and processes to embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles in all aspects of the grant making process and ensure all talented applicants have an equitable chance to succeed as per assessment criteria.

See below for details of adjustments we can provide for disabled applicants.

What does the scheme offer?

Awards can be held full time for three to six months. Alternatively, they can be held at 50% part-time for up to 12 months, enabling fellows to maintain links with their employing institution more easily.

Funds can cover:

The applicant’s and/or their postdoctoral researcher's basic salary while on secondment. The employing organisation continues to pay national insurance and pension contributions
Research expenses which may be claimed up to a value of £1,000.

Full funding details can be found in the scheme notes.

We provide flexibility to accommodate personal circumstances including part-time working, sabbaticals and secondments. There is provision for maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoptive or extended sick leave, as well as financial support for childcare costs that arise from attending conferences and research visits.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

Predictor	Why it matters	Evidence / Practice
Scientific excellence & originality	The Royal Society prioritizes outstanding science above all. Successful proposals present novel, high-quality ideas with clear significance and methodological rigour.	Stated as the primary review criterion for all programmes.
Strong applicant track record	PIs or fellows with high-quality publications, prior fellowships, or emerging leadership in their field are consistently more successful.	URF and Research Grant reviewers emphasise publication quality over quantity.
Feasibility and clarity of plan	Reviewers reward clearly structured, achievable research aims with well-justified methods and milestones. Overambitious or vague plans reduce scores.	Peer-review criteria list feasibility as a major factor.
Potential for independence / leadership	Particularly for early-career schemes (URF, Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship), reviewers seek evidence that the applicant is establishing themselves as an independent investigator.	Explicit in the URF guidance: applicants must show potential to become future leaders.
Institutional commitment & environment	A strong institutional letter of support, confirming resources, mentoring, and long-term commitment, boosts success odds.	Required component of most Royal Society fellowships.
International / interdisciplinary collaboration	For International Exchanges and Newton programmes, established, active collaborations with clear benefits to both sides are critical.	Reviewer feedback highlights “two-way benefit” as key.
Clear potential for impact	While not always “applied impact,” reviewers look for how results advance the field, develop methods, or build capacity.	Especially noted in Research Grants and Wolfson Fellowships.
Adherence to guidelines & presentation quality	Well-structured, concise, jargon-free proposals that strictly follow instructions (e.g., word limits, budget rules) fare better.	Common feedback from the Royal Society’s “Tips for Applicants.”

⚠️ Common Weaknesses Seen in Unsuccessful Applications

Proposals that lack novelty or read like extensions of a supervisor’s work.

Weak or unclear independence in early-career applications.

Overly general or underdeveloped methodology.

Poorly justified budget or timeline.

Weak institutional letter (generic or missing commitment).

📊 Additional Data-Based Insights

Analysis of past funded URFs and Research Grants (based on public lists):

Success rates are typically <10–15%.

Applicants from research-intensive universities (Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh, etc.) have historically higher success rates, largely due to infrastructure and mentoring quality.

Resubmissions often succeed if reviewers’ prior feedback is addressed thoroughly.

✅ In summary

The strongest predictors of Royal Society grant success are:

Scientific excellence and innovation

Evidence of independence / leadership potential

Strong institutional support and environment

Feasible, well-structured plan with measurable outcomes

Track record of high-quality publications

Specialties

Others

Eligibility Requirements

This scheme is for you if:

You hold a PhD or are of equivalent standing in your profession
You hold a post in either a UK university, a not-for-profit research organisation or UK industry, which is either a permanent or fixed-term position with an end date after the expected end of the Short Industry Fellowship
Your research is within the Royal Society’s remit of natural sciences, which includes but is not limited to biological research and biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics. For a full list, please see the breakdown of subject groups and areas supported by the Royal Society.

Note that Royal Society-funded early career researchers, i.e. holders of a University Research Fellowship or a Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship, are not eligible for this scheme as they are encouraged to collaborate with industry partners as per the terms of their fellowships.

The applicant can request their postdoctoral researcher to work on the collaborative project at the partner organisation. Applicants in this instance must ensure their nominated postdoctoral researcher has sufficient tenure in their post to cover the duration of the fellowship. The applicant will be expected to lead the collaborative project. Postdoctoral researchers/PDRAs are not eligible to apply as the main applicant.

We encourage applications involving small companies and/or early-stage companies provided they have a well-established research team and facilities. Self-employed consultants are not eligible to apply as the industrial partner.

Applicants cannot have concurrent applications detailing similar projects submitted to both the Royal Society Industry Fellowship and the Royal Society Short Industry Fellowship rounds at the same time.

Read the scheme notes for further information on eligibility. Please ensure that you meet all eligibility requirements before applying.

Eligible Countries:

United Kingdom

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Royal Society

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 6–9 Carlton House Terrace London SW1Y 5AG

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