Applications for Research Fellowships

Considering a Research Fellowship with Imperial Particle Physics? We're delighted you're exploring this opportunity—and we’re here to support you throughout the process.

To give your application the best chance of success, we encourage early engagement with an academic staff member in your area of research interest. This initial conversation will help you assess whether Imperial is the right environment for your goals and allow us to explore alignment and sponsorship. Fellowship applications are a collaborative effort, and early discussions allow us to provide tailored support from the start.

To maintain the high standards and competitiveness of our submissions, Imperial Physics runs an internal selection process for most fellowship schemes. If you and your prospective sponsor agree to move forward, they will guide you through the internal selection process and help you prepare the necessary documentation. Where there is a Research Community quota (always for Royal Society URF and STFC ERF) the Particle Physics Community, in turn, runs its own pre-selection process ahead of the Departmental deadlines. Please note that we are unable to consider requests received after our internal deadline—early engagement is essential.

If your nomination is approved, you will receive structured guidance and support throughout the application process, including feedback, review, and coordination with Research Services. Internal submission deadlines are set ahead of funder deadlines to ensure institutional approval time, and you will be advised of these dates in advance.

Successful applicants will be offered appropriate office or laboratory space, access to shared departmental facilities, and dedicated mentorship—typically provided by your internal sponsor or another experienced academic—to support both your research and professional development.

A Welcoming and Inclusive Research Culture

We are committed to fostering a welcoming, collaborative, and inclusive environment for all researchers. We actively encourage applications from individuals who are underrepresented in physics, including those who identify as female, Black and other minority ethnic researchers, disabled researchers, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We also welcome candidates returning from a career break or those seeking flexible or part-time fellowships due to personal or caring responsibilities. If you experience any barriers during the application process, please let us know so we can make appropriate adjustments.

Additional Support

The Early Career Researcher Institute provides a wide range of support services for fellowship applicants applying through Imperial—from application development to mock interviews. We strongly encourage you to make use of these resources in addition to the support provided by your Research Community. For more information, visit: Early Career Researcher Institute – Fellowship FAQs.

ERC Starting Grants
Status: Closed
Next nomination deadline: 1 July 2027 (expected)

European Research Council Starting Grants support early-career researchers to establish independent research programmes at the frontiers of knowledge. The scheme offers up to €1.5 million over five years. Applicants based in the EU or an Associated Country may request up to an additional €1 million to cover eligible costs such as start-up costs, major equipment, access to large facilities, major experimental costs and fieldwork. Applicants currently based outside the EU or Associated Countries who are relocating may request up to an additional €2 million for these costs and relocation.

Imperial Physics applicants are expected to commit 50% of their time to the grant. The Department will cover the remaining 50% in exchange for a small teaching load.

Key Facts

  •  Duration: Up to 5 years
  • Starting Grant applicants are normally eligible from the successful defence of their first PhD and for up to ten years thereafter. The eligibility period may be extended in eligible, duly documented circumstances. The precise eligibility dates and any application or resubmission restrictions for the ERC-2028-STG call will be confirmed in the official ERC guidance once published.
  • Department quota: 12

ERC Consolidator Grants
Status: Closed
Nomination deadline: 1 October 2026
Next nomination deadline: 1 October 2027 (expected)

European Research Council Consolidator Grants support researchers in consolidating their independence and establishing or strengthening ambitious research programmes at the frontiers of knowledge. The scheme offers up to €2 million over five years. Applicants based in the EU or an Associated Country may request up to an additional €1 million to cover eligible costs such as start-up costs, major equipment, access to large facilities, major experimental costs and fieldwork. Applicants currently based outside the EU or Associated Countries who are relocating may request up to an additional €2 million for these costs and relocation.

Imperial Physics applicants are expected to commit 50% of their time to the grant. The Department will cover the remaining 50% in exchange for a small teaching load.

Key Facts

  • Duration: Up to 5 years
  • Eligibility: For the 2027 call, applicants must have successfully defended their first PhD more than 5 and no more than 15 years before 1 January 2027—normally between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2021 inclusive. The eligibility period may be extended in eligible, duly documented circumstances. Applicants should consult the official ERC guidance for the complete eligibility, extension and resubmission provisions.
  • Department quota: 12

Imperial Research Fellowships (IRF)
Status: Closed
Next application deadline: July 2027 (expected)

The ICRF is a prestigious four-year fellowship supporting outstanding early-career researchers in establishing independent careers at Imperial with up to £30,000 for research/travel (up to £45,000 in justified cases)

Key Facts:

  • Duration: 4 years
  • Start Date: Between 1 August and 1 December the year after application
  • Eligibility: Up to 5 years’ postdoctoral experience, calculated from the date of PhD award to the proposed fellowship start date, excluding career breaks
  • Department quota: None

MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowships
Status: Closed
Next Internal finalisation deadline mid August 2027 (expected)

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Postdoctoral Fellowships are prestigious, EU-funded awards supporting talented researchers in developing independent careers through advanced training and international mobility. Fellowships last 12 to 24 months and are open to researchers of any nationality, provided they meet the mobility rule. Please note that we are not hosting Global Postdoctoral Fellowships.

Imperial guidance

Key Facts:

  • Duration: 12–24 months
  • Eligibility: Doctoral degree + no more than 8 years’ full-time research experience; must not have resided or worked in the UK for more than 12 of the 36 months before the call deadline
  • Resubmission restrictions: From 2026, applicants whose proposal scored below 80% in the previous call are not eligible to apply.
  • Department quota: None

Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships
Status: Closed
Nomination deadline: 1 October 2026
Next nomination deadline: 1 October 2027 (expected)

The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 awards Research Fellowships to support early career scientists and engineers of exceptional promise. These fellowships are open to candidates in any branch of the physical or biological sciences, mathematics, applied science, or engineering.

Key Facts:

  • Duration: 3 years
  • Eligibility: hold a PhD or be completing one in year of application and normally with no more than 2.5 years postdoctoral experience by 31 January in the year of applying, normally move to a different institution from both their PhD institution and their current host institution.
  • Department quota: Five

Royal Society Career Development Fellowship
Status: Closed
Next Nomination deadline: early August 2027 (expected)

The Royal Society Career Development Fellowship (CDF) supports outstanding early-career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. The fellowship provides funding to help establish an independent research career and is open to researchers across the Royal Society’s scientific remit.

Key Facts:

  • Duration: Up to 4 years
  • Eligibility: You self-identify as being from a Black heritage, including mixed Black background; you are a UK national, or have completed part of your education in the UK (Undergraduate, Master’s, or PhD), or hold/have held a postdoctoral researcher position in the UK; you have a PhD, or will have one by the time the funding starts, with less than 24 months postdoctoral experience
  • Department quota: None

Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships
Status: Closed
Next Nomination deadline: mid July 2027 (expected)

The Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship supports early-career scientists who require flexible working arrangements due to personal circumstances such as parental or caring responsibilities or health conditions. The fellowship provides funding to help establish an independent research career and is open to researchers across the Royal Society’s scientific remit.

Key Facts:

  • Duration: Up to 8 years
  • Eligibility: Early-career researchers with up to six years of research experience post-PhD (excluding career breaks) and have or will have by the start of the fellowship a need for flexible support due to personal circumstances
  • Department quota: None

Royal Society Newton International Fellowships 
Status: Closed
Next Nomination deadline: 14 January 2027 (expected)

The Newton International Fellowship programme provides support for outstanding early career researchers to make a first step towards developing an independent research career through gaining experience across international borders. The fellowships enable researchers to access expertise, gain new perspectives and build long-lasting collaborative relationships.

Key Facts:

  • Duration: 2 years
  • Eligibility: Applicants must have been awarded their PhD or successfully defended their doctoral thesis by the closing date for applications; have no more than five years of active full-time postdoctoral experience (excluding career breaks but including teaching and industry research), be based outside the UK, and not hold UK citizenship.
  • Each UK academic Sponsor can only support one application in any round.
  • Department quota: ten

Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF)
Status: Closed
Next Nomination deadline: 1 June 2027 (expected)

The Royal Society University Research Fellowship supports outstanding early-career researchers in the natural sciences who have the potential to become leaders in their field. The scheme offers up to 8 years of funding, enabling awardees to build an independent research career in a UK institution.

Key Facts:

  • Duration: Up to 8 years
  • Eligibility: Early-career researchers with three to eight years of research experience (excluding career breaks).

Given the expected level of interest, Imperial Physics operates a competitive internal selection process for this scheme. Expressions of Interest will first be reviewed by the relevant Research Communities, with shortlisted proposals progressing to the Department Research Committee, which will confirm the applicants supported to submit a full proposal.

STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowship (ERF)
Status: Closed
Next Imperial Nomination deadline: To be confirmed

The Ernest Rutherford Fellowship, funded by STFC, enables early-career researchers to establish independent research careers within STFC’s core science programme, including astronomy, solar and planetary science, particle physics, particle astrophysics, nuclear physics, accelerator science, computational science and quantum technologies. The scheme provides funding for up to 5 years to support ambitious scientific research at UK institutions.

STFC limits the number of Ernest Rutherford Fellowship applications that each organisation may submit. Applications hosted by Imperial will be coordinated through a competitive university-level internal selection process. Information about the next internal round, including the institutional deadline, quota and application process, will be published on Imperial's STFC ERF page when confirmed.

Key Facts:

  • Duration: 5 years
  • Eligibility: Applicants must hold a doctorate or demonstrate equivalent research experience, and show clear plans to establish their own research niche and independence. There is no time-bound eligibility criterion.
  • Imperial institutional quota: To be confirmed

UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF)
Status: Closed
Next Imperial Nomination deadline: To be confirmed

The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships scheme provides long-term, flexible support for talented early-career researchers and innovators from all disciplines and sectors to develop as influential research or innovation leaders. Fellowships support ambitious programmes, multidisciplinary questions, and new or emerging areas of research and innovation.

Imperial operates a competitive university-level managed selection process for this scheme. Information about Round 12, including the internal deadline, application requirements, selection process and institutional quota, will be published on the Imperial Future Leaders Fellowships page when confirmed.

Key Facts:

  • Duration: Up to 7 years (initial 4 years with possible extension)
  • Eligibility: Early-career researchers and innovators from any discipline or sector