The EPSRC Fellowship aims to provide greater support to the aspiring and current world-leading individuals who are delivering the highest quality research to meet UK and global priorities. Through links to our strategic priorities and focussing on areas where growth is required, Fellowships develop the next generation of researchers with the greatest potential across the postdoctoral, early and established career stages.
To maintain the UK’s global research standing in the context of increasing international competition and with limited funding available to us, we must focus our support on those individuals who have the most potential to deliver the highest quality research which meets UK and global priorities. The support also needs to be linked to our strategic priorities and we expect a greater proportion of our fellows to be focused on areas where growth is required and where developing leaders can integrate their work into the wider landscape. Consequently fellowships will not be open in all areas, at all career stages, at all times. We have gone through an initial exercise of identifying the areas linked to our Balancing Capability goal in which fellowships are offered.
Eligibility Criteria
Who can apply?
Applicants are expected to hold a PhD or have equivalent research experience; however, there are no eligibility rules based on years of post-doctoral experience or whether you hold (or do not hold) a
permanent academic position, as this doesn’t allow for variations of career paths across the EPS
disciplines.
There are no nationality restrictions imposed by EPSRC.
In the case of postdoctoral awards, we expect that fellows have gained their PhD by the start date of
the fellowship but consideration will be given to applicants who have taken a non-standard career path after their primary degree.
EPSRC has defined three career stages (postdoctoral, early and established career) and the attributes expected at each stage. In conjunction with your host institution, you should evaluate your track record and assess which career stage you should apply against (if that stage is open to applications) and ensure that you are able to demonstrate how you fulfil each of the expected attributes.
Applications are welcomed from candidates who wish to re-establish themselves after a career break or
other period of absence from active research.
- Eligibility conditions based on years of post-doctoral experience or permanent academic tenure will no longer apply; as this doesn’t allow for variations of career paths across the EPS disciplines
- A person specification will be used to describe the desired attributes for each career stage, shifting the focus away from eligibility defined by years of post-doctoral experience towards a competency-based approach with an emphasis on the skills and attributes that leaders (and aspiring leaders) need to be able to demonstrate
- Under this new fellowship framework, fellowship applications will be invited only in specific research areas that are linked to our strategic priorities
