Call for Entries: Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships 2025 (United Kingdom)

Subject Covered

• Research must be within the Royal Society’s remit of natural sciences, which includes but is not limited to biological research, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics.
• Submissions from clinically qualified scientists may be considered. The Society does not support clinical or interventional research on humans at the individual or group level, social sciences or humanities, unless otherwise stated.

Funding Information

• Research expenses of up to a maximum of £5,000 are available to cover costs of consumables, equipment, travel etc.
• Fellowships are expected to commence from 1st October 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must have a PhD or equivalent and hold a permanent post at a UK university or an eligible not for profit institution.
• Applicants must be at a stage in their career when they have a well-established, fully independent research programme of their own, and would particularly benefit from a period of full-time research. The applicant should also consider how the scheme will impact their career trajectory and scientific area.
• Applicants should not have had sabbatical leave or other support relieving them from teaching and administrative duties for a total of one year or more in the three years preceding submission of the application.
• The Society appreciates that there are diverse research career paths and understands the challenges of managing a research career alongside other personal commitments. When reviewing applicants’ eligibility and research experience, the Society will consider time spent outside the research environment (e.g. time away due to personal reasons such as maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoptive leave or other caring responsibilities; ill-health or working in a non-research environment/role, such as industry).
• The Royal Society recognises that diversity is essential for delivering excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Society wants to encourage applications from the widest range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to maximise innovation and creativity in science for the benefit of humanity. They regularly review and revise policies and processes to embed EDI principles in all aspects of the grant making process and ensure all talented applicants have an equitable chance to succeed as per assessment criteria.
• Host Organisation Eligibility
  • Fellowships will be held at the applicant’s own university, or any university or not-for-profit research organisation in the UK. This includes industrial research organisations in the UK, approved by the Council of the Royal Society and the Leverhulme Trust.

Assessment Criteria

• The scientific merit and track record of the individual: past achievements, research career to date (taking= account of any career breaks), publication record, likely contribution to research field and future potential.
• Need for relief from teaching, administrative and pastoral care duties, including timeliness of the application in terms of your career and scientific area.
• The quality of the proposed research project: Strength, originality and novelty of the proposed project, definition of research plan and likelihood of achieving goals.

For more information, visit The Royal Society.