The Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s largest biomedical research funders, invites early-career researchers to apply for its prestigious Wellcome Early-Career Award. This award supports researchers looking to establish themselves as independent investigators, providing both salary and generous research funding to pursue innovative, curiosity-driven science in any area relevant to human life, health, and wellbeing.
Key Details
- Funding: Covers the applicant’s full salary plus up to £400,000 in research costs over the award period
- Award Duration: Typically 4–5 years
- Eligible Disciplines: Any field related to human health and wellbeing, including basic science, clinical research, population health, social sciences, humanities, and public engagement
- Eligibility: Must have passed your PhD viva (or equivalent), or have at least 4 years’ equivalent research experience; normally no more than 3 years of postdoctoral experience at time of application; must commit at least 80% of research time to the proposed project
- Open To: Researchers at eligible institutions globally (including UK, low- and middle-income countries); check Wellcome’s list of eligible institutions
- Application Deadline: 21 July 2026 at 15:00 BST
- How to Apply: Apply via the Wellcome funding portal
The Wellcome Early-Career Award is designed to give outstanding early-career researchers the freedom and resources to develop bold, independent research programmes. Recipients join a vibrant community of Wellcome-funded scientists and benefit from Wellcome’s extensive support network and career development opportunities. With the deadline just days away, eligible researchers should prioritise submitting their applications immediately.
Always verify deadlines and details on the official Wellcome Trust website before applying.