The UKRI MRC Career Development Fellowship 2026 is a fully funded fellowship designed to help outstanding researchers transition to research independence.
Funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the fellowship enables early-career researchers to establish their own research programmes and build independent research teams within the MRC’s remit of improving human health.
Fellowship Summary
- Host Country: United Kingdom
- Host Organization: Medical Research Council (MRC), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
- Programme Type: Research Fellowship
- Duration: Up to 5 years
- Eligible Countries: All Nationalities (through eligible UK host institutions)
- Funding Type: Fully Funded
- Application Deadline: September 15, 2026
About the UKRI MRC Career Development Fellowship
The MRC Career Development Fellowship supports researchers who have demonstrated strong research productivity and are ready to become independent investigators.
The fellowship enables recipients to lead their own research projects, establish research teams, and develop long-term research careers within the broad field of medical research aimed at improving human health.
Applicants must be supported by an eligible UK research organization throughout the fellowship.
Fellowship Benefits
Successful applicants will receive:
- Competitive salary for the fellow.
- Funding for research consumables.
- Equipment funding where justified.
- Travel and conference support.
- Funding for a small research and technical support team.
- Visa application fees and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) costs for eligible international fellows and dependent family members.
- Training and professional development funding.
- Data preservation and management support.
- Estates and indirect research costs.
- Public engagement and partnership activities.
- NHS research costs for eligible NHS-related studies.
- Support for approved research placements overseas, at another UK institution, or in industry.
Eligible Research Areas
Research proposals must aim to improve human health and fall within the MRC research remit, including:
- Infections and Immunity
- Molecular and Cellular Medicine
- Neuroscience and Mental Health
- Population and Systems Medicine
- Public Health
- Global Health
- Research Methodology
- Translational and Developmental Research
Global health projects must remain connected to biomedical discovery or early-stage translational research.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Hold a PhD or an equivalent doctoral qualification.
- Demonstrate strong research skills, productivity, and career progression.
- Have an independent research proposal that does not substantially overlap with their current supervisor’s research.
- Conduct research that falls within the MRC’s remit.
- Be supported by an eligible UK research organization.
- Not have applied for an MRC fellowship within the previous year or submitted two unsuccessful MRC fellowship applications previously.
- Not have previously received a comparable early-independence fellowship or new investigator award.
- Not be clinically active (clinicians should apply through the MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship).
- Not hold a salaried position alongside the fellowship.
Joint Funding Opportunities
Applicants may request joint funding with one of the following partner organizations:
- Diabetes UK
- Kidney Research UK
- Parkinson’s UK
- Multiple Sclerosis Society
- Macular Society
- DEBRA
- The Borne Foundation
- Addiction Healthcare Goals
Joint funding does not affect the standard MRC assessment process.
How to Apply
To apply for the UKRI MRC Career Development Fellowship:
- Visit the UKRI Funding Service portal.
- Sign in or create a Funding Service account.
- Start a new fellowship application.
- Complete all required sections of the online application.
- Upload all required supporting documents.
- Review your application carefully using the read-only view.
- Submit your application to your institution’s research office for review.
- Your research office will submit the final application to UKRI before September 15, 2026.
📋 Required Documents
- Academic Transcripts
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Completed online application
- Research proposal
- Publication list
- PhD certificate or equivalent qualification
- Host institution support statement
- Justification of resources requested
- Any additional supporting documents required by the UKRI Funding Service