The Royal Society
The UK’s national academy of sciences. Funds individual researchers rather than institutions, through University Research Fellowships, Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships, Research Grants and international exchange schemes. Fellowships are prestigious and highly competitive.
- Kind of funder
- National academy or learned society
- Where it funds
- UK-wide
- Indicative award size
- £5k – £1.5m
- Approx. annual research spend
- £90m
- Who can apply
- Universities, Research institutes, Individual researchers
- Career stages
- Postdoctoral, Early career, Established researcher
Research Grants up to around £20k; URFs cover salary and costs over eight years.
Research areas
Named schemes (6)
Career Development Fellowships ↗
Open18 Nov 2026pulled from Royal Society 2026-09-11Faraday Discovery Fellowships – Stage 2 ↗
Open3 Feb 2027pulled from Royal Society 2026-09-11Paul Instrument Fund ↗
Rolling / recurringCheck funder site for current roundpulled from Royal Society 2026-10-16Royal Society Research Grants ↗
Small equipment and consumables grants, usually up to around £20k, aimed at scientists in the early stages of building an independent programme.
Rolling / recurringCheck funder site for current round£1k – £20k per awardchecked 2026-05-01Royal Society Research Professorships ↗
Rolling / recurringCheck funder site for current roundpulled from Royal Society 2026-10-19University Research Fellowship ↗
Eight years of salary and research support for outstanding early-career scientists building an independent group. Extremely competitive, with a single annual round.
Rolling / recurringCheck funder site for current round£500k – £1.5m per awardchecked 2026-05-01