Deadline: September 17, 2025
Applications for the Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships 2025/2026 are now open. The Royal Academy of Engineering offers Research Fellowships each year to outstanding early-career researchers to support them to become future research leaders in engineering. The scheme’s objectives are to:
- support the best early-career researchers in establishing their independence and international reputation.
- provide long-term support enabling the pursuit of an ambitious programme of engineering research and impact.
- develop ambassadors for the Academy and advocates for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines.
Benefits
- Each application is capped at a maximum contribution from the Academy of £625,000 over the five-year period, at 80% of full economic costs.
Eligibility
- Open to early-career researchers worldwide who have been awarded their PhD in the last four years.
- Research Fellowships must be held at one of the following eligible institutions that can show it is capable of fully supporting an engineering-focused research project and researcher:
- a UK higher education institution/university or
- a UK research organisation that is eligible to receive UKRI funding.
- The host institution must agree to provide the Research Fellow all the support normal for a permanent employee.
- The proposed research project must be in an engineering subject area. Engineering is defined in its broadest sense, encompassing a wide range of diverse fields.
- There are no nationality and age restrictions for applicants. The host institution is responsible for securing all necessary work permits and related costs for the Research Fellows.
- Applicants who have applied to this scheme before and were unsuccessful are eligible to reapply. These applications will be considered as new applications.
- Research Fellowships must begin between 1 August 2026 and 31 October 2026. The duration of a Research Fellowship is five years full time, calculated on a pro-rata basis for part-time awards. Requests for a shorter Research Fellowship are not accepted.
- There is a limit on the number of applications each host institution can submit.
Application
Read the Applicant Guidance Notes 2025/2026 for full details of the research fellowship schemes and how to apply.
For more information, visit Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships.
