Funding and opportunities

Resources

Help inspire future health and care researchers: the NIHR has launched career development posters to raise awareness of research opportunities across health and care. Designed for staff rooms, notice boards, and communal spaces, these posters aim to reach professionals and practitioners who may not see our digital content. Please access and share widely. Contact academy.comms@nihr.ac.uk to request copies to be sent to you directly. 

Webinar on the NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR): Research Inspired by Under-Represented Disciplines and Specialisms: this funding scheme prioritises research from disciplines that are building their evidence base, including speech and language therapy. A video of the webinar is available here. More details on the grant scheme can be found on the NIHR website. The closing date for outline applications is 2 December 2025. 

Explore SAGE Research Methods: this is a powerful online resource for RCSLT members. It offers tools, videos and podcasts to support you at every stage of the research process. Start exploring SAGE research methods today. 

NIHR evidence review on Artificial Intelligence: 10 promising interventions for healthcare. Available online. 

NIHR evidence webinar showcasing ways to provide hospital care in the community: hospital at home and virtual wards: what works? Available online. 

Videos from the ‘Could you be a research delivery leader?’ event on 12 March 2025 about the NIHR Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework are now available. The videos introduce the framework, review course information from participating universities, and outline next steps for undertaking study. If you have any questions about the framework or available bursaries please email credentials@nihr.ac.uk. 

NIHR guidance on reporting public and patient involvement (PPI) in publications, with an easy to use checklist.  

Inclusive research opportunities and resources

The NIHR has signed a joint statement alongside other major UK research funders, committing to greater inclusion of older adults in health and care research. This builds on the announcement made in November 2024, calling for inclusion to be considered in all applications for NIHR funding. 

Nuffield Foundation Racial Diversity UK Fund. Research funding to understand the barriers and pathways to a racially just and inclusive society. Closes 6 October 2025. 

Behavioural Research UK has prepared a range of documents that provide a detailed overview of how Equalities, Diversity, Inclusion and Intersectionality practices can be supported and consolidated, which may be of interest to researchers who are looking for practical guidance in this area.   

Explore The Centre for Ethnic Health Research resources for increasing participation and diversity in research.

Researchers in NIHR ARCs who are completing an Equality Impact Assessment may benefit from attending a free NIHR workshop offering support. Workshops are being held on various dates throughout the year. Find out more about the workshops.

Project / programme grants and funding

HSC R&D Division Northern Ireland

Enabling Research Awards (ERA): ERA’s support the completion of preparatory and/or developmental work that will improve the outcomes of a subsequent grant application. The scheme is open to experienced Northern Ireland-based investigators working in research relevant to health or social care. Research studies which actively involve patients/public/carers/healthcare staff and/or their data will be prioritised. More information can be found on the HSC NI website. The maximum value of an award will be £50,000. Closes 4pm, Friday 17 October 2025.

National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)

All funding opportunities from NIHR can be found online. Open calls include:

• Senior Research Leader Programme for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. Supports AHPs in England to grow as research leaders and drive improvements in health and social care through research. The NIHR would particularly welcome applications from the smaller, underrepresented AHP professions. You can apply for funding to take part in this 3-year programme, which provides protected time for research for 2 days a week. Opens 3 September, Closes 22 October 2025.  
•  Development and Skills Enhancement (DSE) award for postdoctoral level applicants. Supports early to mid-career researchers who want to gain specific skills and experience to underpin the next phase of their research career. Closes 4 November 2025. 
• The Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme is inviting outline applications for research proposals that are concerned with the day-to-day practice of health service staff, and that have the potential to have an impact on the health or wellbeing of patients and users of the NHS. Closes 5 November 2025.  
• Themed call on prevention revolution: early action to prevent poor health outcomes. Various funding opportunities available – see the above NIHR website link for details.  
• James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships rolling funding opportunity (EME Programme). This call focuses on palliative and end of life care. Closes 2 December 2025. A reminder that the JLA PSP research priorities for palliative and end of life care were revisited and refreshed by Marie Curie earlier this year – do take a look.  
• James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships rolling funding opportunity (HSDR Programme). A call that also focuses on palliative and end of life care. Opens 14 October 2025. Closes 28 January 2026. 
• Programme Grants for Applied Research October call. Includes underrepresented health and care disciplines, including speech and language therapy. Opens 7 October. Closes 2 December 2025. 
• The Public Health Research (PHR) Programme is inviting applications on research topics that continue to be an area of interest, including the health of children and young people in contact with the criminal justice system. Closes 9 December 2025.
   

Medical Research Council (MRC)

All funding opportunities from MRC can be found online. Open calls include:

• Regional accounts for clinical researchers. Up to four years of funding will be provided to successful regional consortia (spanning medical schools, institutions and NHS trusts) to give flexibility in funding clinical researchers at key career points. Opens 14 October. Closes 14 December.  
• Developmental pathway funding scheme. Apply for funding to develop and test novel therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics and other interventions. Stage 1 closes 19 November 2025.  
• Collaborate with researchers in Norway, or Luxembourg. No closing date.  
• Researching ME/CFS priority area. No closing date.  

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

All funding opportunities from ESRC can be found online. Open calls include:

• ESRC responsive mode: research grants round two. No closing date.
• ESRC responsive mode: new investigator grants round two. No closing date.
• ESRC responsive mode: secondary data analysis round two. No closing date.

Wellcome  

All funding opportunities from Wellcome can be found online. Open calls include:

• Wellcome Career Development Awards. Closes 20 November 2025.

Leverhulme Trust 

All funding opportunities from Leverhulme Trust can be found online.

This includes their Research Project Grants, which you can apply for throughout the year. Detailed proposals will be invited. Deadline  December 2025.

Nuffield Foundation 

All funding opportunities from Nuffield Foundation can be found online. Open calls include:

• Research, Development & Analysis Fund. Closes 6 October 2025.  
• Racial Diversity UK Fund. Closes 6 October 2025. 
• POST Fellowship for PhD student to complete a 13 week fellowship at The Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST). Opens October 2025.

Other funders and charities

• Parkinson’s UK Rosemary Maguire educational bursary. For health or social care professionals who are based on Scotland and want to attend a conference or undertake training.
• BBC Children in Need Grants. A new grant making system will be launched online by the end of October 2025.

Fellowships and clinical academic opportunities

National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)

Find all NIHR fellowships under the Research career development funding programmes. Highlights include:

• Principal Investigator Pipeline Programme (PIPP). Offers AHPs in England the opportunity to develop as Principal Investigators on NIHR portfolio studies. Opens September 2025. 

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Fellowships

• Daphne Jackson fellowship. For researchers returning after a career break. No closing date.

Wellcome Trust

• PhD Fellowships for Health Professionals. Various Dates.

PhDs

We now share only funded project-based PhD opportunities, sourced from findaphd.com 

Note, that there may be opportunities to apply for funding with institutions to pursue other PhD topics and we encourage you to contact relevant universities and browse Find a PhD to explore this. 

Latest opportunities: 

• Same Day and Urgent Care Workforce: Retaining and supporting staff to thrive. University of West England, Bristol. Closes 12 October 2025.  
• Adapting to a Bilingual Environment: Investigating how shifts in language and experience shape language processing and cognitive functions. University of Greenwich. Closes 30 October 2025.