Students working on audio experiments in a laboratory

How to apply for independent research fellowships

Are you ready to direct a research programme independently?

Do you want to establish your own group in a highly dynamic and collaborative bioengineering department?

We are keen to support independent research fellowship applications from exceptionally strong candidates whose bioengineering research programmes will bring synergy with ours. We are a dynamic, collaborative, and international community that welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds!

Independent Research Fellowships are career development grants for promising future leaders of a given field to start their first independent research group. There are many schemes in the UK (for a partial list, please see below), and they tend to be open to candidates from any country. Most fellowships are externally funded and last for 4-8 years; the packages vary depending on the schemes, but they cover the applicant's salary and additional research funds (sometimes including costs for other group members).

There are many independent fellowships suitable for new group leaders in Bioengineering, for example:

Each scheme has unique criteria for selection, and each candidate is expected to consider their eligibility and suitability carefully. 

Please note that there are some schemes that we don’t support. The department will not call for standard Imperial College Research Fellowship applications in the foreseeable future. 

Details on the application process