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University Research Fellowship

The Royal Society

The University Research Fellowship (URF) programme aims to support the next generation of research leaders to undertake cutting-edge research. The objectives of the URF programme are to enable outstanding early career scientists with the potential to become leaders in their field to:

Build an independent research career at a UK university or research institution
Gain the freedom, time, and long-term flexible support to pursue high-quality and innovative lines of scientific research
Develop as research leaders by offering tailored high-quality professional development, networking and engagement opportunities.

Fellowships are for eight years, with years six to eight being subject to satisfactory progress demonstrated in a mid-fellowship review at the start of year four.

The Royal Society recognises that diversity is essential for delivering excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and 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 the assessment criteria.

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

Changes to the scheme

In May 2025 the Royal Society announced up to £30m in funding over the next two years to attract global talent to the UK. As part of this announcement, an allocation of £10m will be used to attract early career researchers from overseas, including through the University Research Fellowships and Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships. We anticipate making additional awards through the scheme standard rounds. If you wish to apply, please submit your application to the current rounds as advertised on our website.

Host Organisation Support – More detailed guidance provided to host organisations regarding expectations of their support for the applicant. From this round onwards, the Head of Department statement of support will be visible to applicants.

We recommend reading the information in full and contacting your host organisation Research Office in the first instance with any questions.

What does the scheme offer?

Applicants can apply for up to a maximum of £1.87 million over eight years.

Funds can cover:

Contribution to the award holder’s salary
Indirect and estate costs
Equipment costs and research expenses including consumables, travel, etc.
Contribution towards research assistance salary and associated indirect and estate costs
Support for a new four-year PhD studentship(s)
Relocation and visa costs for the applicants and their dependants (partner and children). The total grant cap may be exceeded in order to cover relocation/visa costs if this is well justified in the application.

Full funding details can be found in the scheme notes and in the Royal Society Funding Guidance.

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.

Royal Society Research Fellows also have the opportunity to access a range of career development and engagement opportunities including training on leadership, science communication and public engagement, and activities coordinated by our science policy and schools engagement teams. For further detail on these additional benefits, read our opportunities page.

Royal Society awards have made a significant impact on many researchers’ careers. Case studies from grant-holders can be found elsewhere on this page, or read an in-depth report on the careers of our alumni on our Career Pathway Tracker page.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Investigator Excellence (Most Important Factor)

Royal Society funding is people-focused, not project-heavy.

Strong predictors include:

A high-quality publication record relative to career stage

Evidence of original contributions (not incremental work)

Intellectual independence from PhD/postdoc supervisors

Clear trajectory toward international scientific leadership

🔑 For fellowships (URF/Dorothy Hodgkin): the person matters more than the project.

2. Original, Curiosity-Driven Science

The Royal Society prioritizes:

Fundamental research questions

High-risk, high-reward ideas

Long-term scientific value (not short-term application)

Projects that are:
❌ overly applied
❌ narrowly translational
❌ framed mainly around impact metrics

…are typically less competitive.

3. Career-Stage Fit to the Scheme

Each Royal Society scheme targets a very specific career window.

Examples:

URF → early-career researchers with exceptional promise and independence

Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship → excellent researchers needing flexible working

Research Grants → established investigators with strong track records

International Exchanges → collaborative, bilateral research

🎯 Mismatch between applicant stage and scheme is a common reason for rejection.

4. Clear Scientific Vision (Not Over-Detailed Methods)

Successful proposals emphasize:

Big scientific questions

Why the problem matters fundamentally

Why you are uniquely placed to solve it

Royal Society reviewers prefer:
✔ conceptual clarity
✔ intellectual ambition
✔ long-term vision

…over exhaustive experimental detail.

5. Independence and Leadership Potential

Especially for fellowships, reviewers look for:

Clear distinction from previous supervisors

Evidence of initiating ideas, collaborations, or techniques

Mentoring, supervision, or leadership activities (as appropriate)

🔑 Future Fellow of the Royal Society potential is an implicit (but real) consideration.

6. Host Institution Strength & Commitment

For fellowships:

The host department must provide a strong research environment

Clear institutional support (space, facilities, integration)

No expectation of teaching overload during fellowship

Weak or generic host support letters reduce competitiveness.

7. International Standing or Potential

The Royal Society is globally focused.

Predictors include:

International collaborators

Invitations, talks, or visiting positions

Publications with global visibility

Strong case for international leadership (for UK-based schemes)

8. Discipline-Agnostic Excellence

Unlike many funders, The Royal Society:

Does not prioritise thematic calls

Does not require societal impact narratives

Evaluates purely on scientific excellence

This favors:
✔ theoretical work
✔ blue-sky research
✔ cross-disciplinary science

Specialties

Others

Technology Development

Eligibility Requirements

This scheme is for you if:

You have between three and eight years of research experience, excluding career breaks, since the award of your PhD by the closing date of the round; please refer to the scheme notes for further detail about the review of career breaks
You do not hold a permanent post (including proleptic appointment) in a university or not-for-profit research organisation
You do not hold, or have not previously held, an equivalent fellowship that provides an opportunity to establish an independent research group and therefore independent researcher status
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.

Applicants can be of any nationality and those requiring a visa are eligible to apply for a Global Talent Visa under the fast-track process of endorsement.

Read the scheme notes or FAQs (PDF) for further information on eligibility. Those applying from Ireland (ROI) are funded by Research Ireland and will need to read the eligibility requirements in the Research Ireland-specific scheme notes.

Please ensure that you meet all eligibility requirements before applying.

Eligible Countries:

United Kingdom

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: The Royal Society

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG

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