Funding

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Coordinated call: RS Faraday Discovery Fellowships AIR

Internal Deadline: 20th October 2025

The Royal Society has announced the second round of the Accelerated International Route Faraday Discovery Fellowships. It aims to provide a fast-track option for attracting mid-career researchers looking to relocate to the UK from overseas. It is intended for outstanding international researchers nominated by their UK host organisation and will run for two years. The fast-track programme will provide grants of up to £4m over a five-year period to support the development of world-leading research groups in the UK. It is expected that institutions will use these awards to make strategically important appointments, attracting leading researchers from overseas. Please note that concurrent applications cannot be made to the Faraday Discovery Fellowship standard route and accelerated international route.

The first stage of the application process requires a nomination by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research. To nominate a candidate, you will need to complete our online form which compiles all the information and documents needed to be submitted with the nomination to the Royal Society (if asked to log-in, please use your crsid/Raven details) by 20^th October 2025. Please find all the related documents on their website here.

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk. 

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The Activator: 25-26 Cohort

Application Deadline: 20th October 2025

Start Your Biotech Journey

The Activator is the world’s largest open-access, equity-free biotech accelerator for early-stage founders. Our structured program guides founders through team formation, venture-building workshops, and expert mentorship—culminating in pitch showcases and global community connections. Participants gain access to our network of 2000+ industry leaders and partners across biotech, pharma, and VC. To date, Activator alumni have launched over 100 companies, raised $400M, and are transforming human and planetary health with biology.

Calling all innovators! Are you an academic trainee with a scientific idea or a contributor looking to join a founding team? Applications are now open for the Nucleate Activator, the flagship equity-free programme that helps scientists launch life sciences ventures from their academic research.

Nucleate is a global non-profit dedicated to helping academics spin out their research. Our programme offers hands-on workshops, long-term mentorship from expert founders, and a strong network of industry veterans and investors. Activator alumni have raised over $550 million globally in the last six years.

Don't have an idea yet? Join a team as a scientific, business, or clinical contributor. Individuals and pre-formed teams are welcome! Applications close on October 20th, 2025. Want to learn more about Nucleate and see if the programme is right for you? Join their event on the 9th October https://luma.com/l68ys6sf.

Apply here

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EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure

Internal Deadline: 21st October 2025

EPSRC’s Strategic Infrastructure scheme offers funding to purchase strategic infrastructure, including equipment, resources, or a combination of both. The funding aims to improve UK scientific capability and enable cutting-edge research of high priority to EPSRC. The minimum funding threshold is £400,000 at full economic cost (FEC).  More information on EPSRC’s definition of strategic infrastructure can be found here.

University Internal selection:  

The scheme operates as a rolling, open-ended opportunity with no set submission deadlines – however, EPSRC expects no more than six applications from each institution in their annual cycle, which begins each June. Due to increasing interest in this call at Cambridge, it will now be managed according to the University’s restricted calls procedure. Your Department’s Research Grants Team and/or Departmental Administrator (or equivalent) must be made aware of your internal application, and a support letter signed by the Head of Department is required.

To take part in this new annual internal selection, please complete our online form (NB: if asked to log-in, please use your crsid/Raven details; note that a Form cannot be saved and returned to) by 21 October 2025.

If you wish to submit an application to EPSRC before 21 October 2025, please complete the online form and contact us directly to discuss your proposal and the timeframe for internal assessment.

You will need the following documents and information to complete the Form:

• A summary document (max. 800 words) covering the following:

• 1. Purpose & vision: Why is this infrastructure needed and what transformative research will it enable that cannot be achieved elsewhere? How will it enhance and complement the existing regional or national research capability and what is the evidence of user demand? (approx. 250 words)
  2. Approach, accessibility and sustainability: Summarise what professional/technical support will be in place, and outline the proposed approach to financial, technical and environmental sustainability. How will users be identified, prioritised and supported? (approx. 300 words)
  3. Applicant and host institution capability to deliver: What experience does the team have in managing strategic infrastructure and why is the University of Cambridge the best place to host the proposed infrastructure? (approx. 250 words)

• Letter of Support from the Head of Department, indicating that the department is aware of and supportive of the application.
  
  • Provide an indication of institutional support agreed or in discussion and how the department will use its existing capacity to best complement the proposed infrastructure. Contributions can come in many forms e.g. direct contribution towards the infrastructure; in-kind investigator time; funding a research technical professional; contributing refurbishment costs.
• Approximate value of the infrastructure required (quotes not required for this internal EoI). 
• Target submission date for the application to EPSRC.

Applicants are encouraged to speak to relevant teams in advance of their EoI, for help with initial planning. These include the West Cambridge equipment sharing team (wcsp@admin.cam.ac.uk), the Research Relations team (cdb29@cam.ac.uk), and for applicants from the School of the Biological Sciences the Scientific Research Facilities Strategic Lead (stc46@cam.ac.uk), as well as any local research facility leads in their department.

Review and Selection:

• If more than six applications are received by the stated deadline, a full internal selection process will be undertaken. The six selected applicants will receive advice on next steps for developing the application for submission to the funder. Proposals deemed suitable but not selected for submission in the current year (June 2025-June 2026) will be carried forward to the next annual selection cycle.
• If fewer than six applications are received by the internal deadline, they will be reviewed at that point, and applicants will be offered feedback and guidance on how to proceed. The internal deadline will then be extended, and additional applications will continue to be considered on a rolling, case-by-case basis.

Internal Assessment Criteria: 

Please note that the assessment of internal applications will focus on the following core funder criteria: 

• Purpose and vision
• Approach, accessibility and sustainability
• Applicant and host institution capability to deliver

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk

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MRC Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) Round Four

Internal Deadline: 21st October 2025

The MRC intends to open a call for outline proposals to round four of their Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) opportunity on 1^st October 2025. We have recently received confirmation from the MRC that only one application per institution will be permitted for this round. Since the full call details are not yet available, the below information is based on the guidance for MRC CoRE Round 3 and may be subject to change.

The MRC CoRE programme provides funding to enable UK research organisations to tackle complex and interdisciplinary health challenges. MRC CoREs will support bold and ambitious research focused on a defined challenge with the potential to prove transformative to biomedical research, health research or both. They must address substantial unmet needs in understanding or modifying human health and disease and have major strategic objectives achievable within a 14-year timeframe.  This challenge-led approach supports distinct and disruptive research that drives breakthrough advances and addresses specific bottlenecks through knowledge generation, technological or methodological innovation, with clear translational relevance. MRC CoREs will harness and network the best expertise in the UK, to bring together creative and diverse approaches for cross-sectoral and multi- or interdisciplinary working.

MRC CoRE awards provide support for up to 14 years, and only one or two new CoREs will be funded each year. The initial duration of an award is seven years with review in the sixth year to approve release of the second period of funding. The maximum full economic cost (FEC) of a project for the first seven years may be in the region of £26 million (subject to confirmation for round 4) and MRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Applications can be from a single research organisation or in partnership across multiple organisations and may include project partners. International co-investigators can be included if they provide expertise that is not available in the UK.

Outline proposals will need to explain the importance of the research challenge, describe the research approach and also address a number of areas listed in the call guidance (see link above) under the ‘How to apply’ section. Proposals will require clearly defined institutional support, including: provision and maintenance of lab space, access to existing facilities and digital support infrastructure, HR services, and underpinning of key staff positions. Details of approaches to environmental sustainability and enhancing a positive research culture will also be needed.

University Internal selection:

Institutions may lead only one application in round 4 of this funding call. Therefore, this call will be managed according to the University’s restricted calls policy.

To take part in the internal selection process please complete our online submission form (if asked to log-in, please use your University SSO details) by 21 October 2025.

You will need to prepare the following documents to complete the form submission:

• A document listing the project co-leads, collaborators, and external partners on the proposal with details of their departments and institutions
• A summary of the proposed MRC CoRE (max. 1200 words), covering the following:

a) Distinctive research challenge and approach: provide a clear, concise statement that articulates the challenge and outline (i) the gap/opportunity/unmet need the that the challenge addresses, (ii) the top level aims and objectives for the CoRE, and (iii) innovative approaches to delivering the challenge, with reference to knowledge transfer/exchange and research translation. 

b) Leadership, operations and decision-making: describe (i) the track record of the Project Lead, (ii) the proposed make-up of the leadership team and approach to inclusive management of the CoRE, and (iii) approach to decision-making and agility in response to new scientific developments. 

c) MRC CoRE environment and opportunities for transformational impact: summarise your plans for (i) cross-sectoral and multi- or interdisciplinary working; (ii) approach to training/careers; and (iii) external stakeholder activities including public engagement and involvement. As part of this summary describe how you will embed principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in all activities. 

• Resume for Research for the Project Lead (PL) – see here for guidance
• Head of Department support letter, addressing the following:
  
  (a) If successful, what institutional support the department will provide for the proposed CoRE - including space, access to facilities, HR services, underpinning key staff, research culture, environmental sustainability, etc.
  
  (b) Where external collaborators/partners are involved, how will these collaborations bring benefit to the MRC CoRE, to the University more broadly and to the collaborative institutions or partners.

The internal selection panel will assess against the following criteria: 

• Importance of, and approach to, the challenge - including research approach, translation and knowledge transfer
• Capability to deliver - including leadership team and partnerships & collaborations
• MRC CoRE environment - including training, careers and capacity building

Funder timeline for outline stage:

• Outline stage opening date: 01 October 2025
• Outline stage closing date: 04 February 2026
• Outline decisions communicated: April 2026

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk

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Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships

Internal Deadline: 23rd October 2025

The Leverhulme Trust has pre-announced the Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships call, due to open on 3^rd November 2025. Ten awards of up to £5 million will be made to UK universities in this round, with each award to fund up to 30 Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships in a priority research area for that institution.   

The Trust and the scheme have a focus on funding interdisciplinary research, and it is therefore expected that topics will involve more than one discipline.  

For further information about the call, see the funder’s guidance and the attached bid guidance document from the Postgraduate Research Office.   

University Internal selection process 

A university may submit only one application as lead but may partner in multiple applications, provided they are in different disciplinary areas. Therefore, this call will be managed according to the University’s restricted calls policy for both Cambridge-led applications and those where Cambridge would be the non-lead partner.    

To take part in the internal selection, please complete the online form by 23^rd October 2025 (if asked to log-in, please use your University SSO details). You will need the following information and documents to complete the form: 

• Name(s) and affiliation(s) of principal applicant and co-applicant(s) at the University Cambridge and any partner institution, plus brief biographical details about the principal applicant (max 200 words) 

• The title and disciplinary area of the proposal 

• If the proposal is collaborative with another institution, whether the University of Cambridge would be the lead or non-lead partner 

• A programme synopsis covering the following (max 1200 words): 

• An outline of the topic and fields of study, and alignment with strategic priorities of the University/Schools/Departments. For collaborative applications, please also outline the basis and history of the partnership and how the programme will be managed.  
• An overview of plans for the supervision of doctoral scholars, including the arrangements for selecting supervisors and monitoring student progress.  
• A brief overview of the proposed training and cohort-building activities.  
• An outline of how the proposed programme would utilise and administer the post-doctoral support element.  
• A brief summary of the relationship between the proposed Doctoral Scholarship programme and any current doctoral training awards in this area, if applicable.  
• How the Leverhulme Scholarships would provide added value in the chosen research subject area and to the university/universities and how the University might sustain a legacy of the Scholarships in the chosen area.   

• A letter of support from the principal applicant’s Head of Department, countersigned by the relevant Head of School.

Applications will be assessed against the following subset of the funder’s general criteria and specific criteria for this call:  

1. The originality, importance and significance of the programme.  

2. The strength of the case for the choice of subject area identified as a priority for doctoral training.  

3. The quality of the proposed plans for the supervision of doctoral scholars, and the training and cohort-building activities.  

4. How well the proposed scholarships fits within the current institutional provision for doctoral training (at both universities, where applicable) and the extent to which the award would add value and deliver a legacy for the research in the chosen area  

The outcome of the internal selection will be announced in November 2025 and support will be available to the selected application(s) to develop the proposed programme.  

Funding call information session (online) 

To support prospective applicants and Departmental colleagues in understanding this call and applying to the internal selection, we plan to hold an information session together with colleagues from the Postgraduate Research Office via MS Teams on Friday 26 September at 11:00-12:00. Please register to attend the session and you will then receive the joining link.  

Funder’s timeline 

• Scheme Opens: 03 November  
• Funder deadline: 06 March 2026  
• Decision: July 2026  

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk 

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MRC Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers

Internal Deadline: 24th October 2025

The MRC has pre-announced a call for regional accounts for clinical researchers.  

This is a £6 million trial initiative to address gaps in support for clinical researchers at critical career pinch points. Funding up to four years will be provided at 100% full economic cost (FEC) to successful regional consortia spanning medical schools, institutions and NHS trusts. These consortia will have the flexibility to identify and fund clinical researchers at key career points, while providing support to enable their longer-term success. The initiative was designed in response to the Clinical researchers in the UK: reversing the decline report recommendations to address identified gaps in support for clinical researchers at the following pinch points:

• the immediate postdoctoral period, enabling research activity while completing clinical training
• research re-entry, enabling clinicians to re-enter research and develop proposals for follow-on support

Applications should demonstrate direct alignment with MRC’s core remit, a strong regional partnership, or clear plans to develop one, and complementarity with existing local and regional initiatives.

For more information, please see the call website.

University Internal selection:  

The University will be coordinating one institutional application to this scheme, led from the School of Clinical Medicine, but welcoming involvement from others across all relevant Schools to express interest to join. Please disregard the restricted calls process outlined in the original circulation email, and if you are interested in joining the institutional bid, Alasdair Coles would be very pleased to hear from you (ajc1020@cam.ac.uk).

As the University can only be involved in one application to this call, if you are considering joining any applications being prepared with other organisations which might be affected by this decision, please email researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk by the 2^nd October 2025.

You will need the following documents and information to complete the Form:  

• Lead PI Name and Institution and/or Cambridge PI Name, Department, and email
• A project summary (750 words max) addressing the below internal assessment criteria
• A support letter from the Head of Department that will host the award confirming their support for the project and agreement to host the award.

Internal Assessment Criteria: 

Please note that the assessment of internal applications will focus on the following core funder criteria: 

• Strength of the regional partnership (or plans to develop) and commitment to sharing best practice
• Robust, targeted plans to address career pinch points
• Complementarity with existing local and regional initiatives

Funder deadline: 4pm UK time, 18^th December 2025 

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk. 

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Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and Engagement

Deadline for applications: 14th November 2025

The Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and Engagement were established in 2016 as the Vice Chancellor's Awards for Public Engagement. These focus on the processes and partnerships required to create significant economic, social and cultural impact from, and engagement with, research.

Timeline

Winners and runners-up will be announced live at our award ceremony. This will be held on Wednesday 4 February 2026 from 3pm in the Combination Room in Old Schools in the centre of Cambridge. All award applicants and their guests will be invited, please hold this date in your diary. 

Scope of the awards

It is recognised that excellence in research impact and engagement spans a wide range of activity and involves many relevant parties. Applicants are encouraged to include the full breadth of their impact and engagement activity in their submission.

Applications which demonstrate impactful long-term collaborations and/or original and inventive approaches that have secured the participation of new communities and partners are encouraged. 

For the purpose of the Cambridge Awards, ‘impact’ is understood as:

‘An effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy  or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia.’

For the purpose of the award, the National Coordinating Centre’s definition of public engagement with a focus on public engagement with research.

‘Public Engagement with Research describes the myriad of ways in which the activity and benefits of research can be shared with the public. Engagement is a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.’

The key principles of impact and public engagement with research are that it:

• must be underpinned by contemporary research
• must involve elements of genuine interaction, e.g. through dialogue, participation, collaboration, co-production
• must engage people and/or organisations from beyond academia

We welcome applications which involve external relevant parties, organisations, and/or individuals anywhere across the world

This is includes, but is not limited to, partnerships, consultation, collaboration, co-production and involvement with:

• communities, charities and NGO’s
• policy makers and government
• business and industry
• arts, heritage and cultural and community organisations
• public services including the wider education sector and schools, NHS, social care, local government, government agencies, and other public bodies

Applications could involve:

• commercialisation through spin outs and licensing
• participatory research with communities and relevant parties and citizen science activity
• patient and public involvement and engagement
• development and delivery of festivals, exhibitions and performances
• policy change
• communication of research to external audiences through a variety of media
• major impacts on curricula and teaching pedagogy which extend significantly beyond the University of Cambridge

Impact on research or the advancement of academic knowledge within the higher education sector (whether in the UK or internationally) is excluded.

Award categories and eligibility

Early Career Researcher 

Open to PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, or research fellows. Applicants must show significant achievements in research impact and engagement with the potential to become future champions in these areas. Candidates must be based at the University of Cambridge University at the point of submission and must evidence a strong link to research conducted at the University.

We use the UKRI definition of ECR:

• within eight years of their PhD award or equivalent professional training
• within six years of their first academic appointment (the first full or part time paid employment contract that lists research or teaching as the primary function)

These periods exclude any career break, for example due to:

• family care
• health reasons

Established Academic Award

Open to academic staff who have demonstrated excellence in impact and engagement as an integral part of their research career. A strong link to research conducted at the University of Cambridge must be evidenced.

This category includes awards for both individual academics and for research teams including professional and technical staff.

Collaboration Award

This team award recognises collaborative partnerships between University researchers, professional services staff and external relevant parties engaged in impact and engagement activity. Applications must be submitted jointly with collaborators and teams can include members at all career stages and can be led by academic, professional or technical staff. A strong link to research conducted at the University of Cambridge must be evidenced. 

College researchers and College professional staff are eligible to apply for all of these awards.

Application and award process

• Applications must be submitted on the appropriate online form
• Applications can be made in multiple categories
• Applicants from previous years are welcome to apply again with further developed projects. Previous award winners may apply again but with new projects. They will not be judged again on the same project.
• Applications will be judged by an interdisciplinary panel including internal and external professional staff, collaborators and researchers.
• Please submit images of yourself, your team and of the project. These will be used for the ceremony and any linked case studies so please ensure you have permission to use the images and for the University to share them.
• There may be opportunities to present your project at a future Cambridge Festival
• If specific details about your project cannot be shared or should be kept confidential, please let us know on the application form and through email to PublicEngagement@admin.cam.ac.uk 

For any questions please contact the public engagement team: PublicEngagement@admin.cam.ac.uk