Capacity Building: Clinical Research Training Fellowship
Medical Research Council (MRC) · United Kingdom. Fellowship must be based at an eligible UK research organisation. (UK Research and Innovation)
Fellowship funding to support registered healthcare professionals with a PhD who wish to reacquire research skills and return to a clinical academic research career. Research must fall within the Medical Research Council (MRC) remit to improve human health. (UK Research and Innovation)
Summary
Deadline
2 Sept 2026
Updated
16 Oct 2026
Fellowship funding to support registered healthcare professionals with a PhD who wish to reacquire research skills and return to a clinical academic research career. Research must fall within the Medical Research Council (MRC) remit to improve human health. (UK Research and Innovation)
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Clinical research, biomedical sciences, healthcare.
Match funding
No institutional match funding beyond the standard FEC contribution.
Eligible applicants
Registered healthcare professionals with a PhD who have been working outside research (usually five or more years) and wish to reacquire research skills. Must intend to pursue a clinical academic research career and be based at an eligible UK research organisation. Applications from all nationalities are welcome. (UK Research and Innovation)
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Not specified
Total fund available
Not specified
Funding intensity
80% FEC plus permitted exceptions funded at 100%. (UK Research and Innovation)
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Research may cover infections and immunity, molecular and cellular medicine, population and systems medicine, neurosciences and mental health, translational research, global health, methodology and public health. Clinical work should strengthen the proposed research programme. (UK Research and Innovation)
Eligible expenses
- Salary; research consumables; equipment; travel; training activities; data preservation, sharing and dissemination costs; permitted exceptions. (UK Research and Innovation)
Ineligible costs
Not specified
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service
Competitiveness
Not specified.
Decision timeline
Shortlisting expected February 2027. Applicants informed within 10 working days of the March 2027 funding decision meeting. (UK Research and Innovation)
Assessment process
Eligibility check, expert peer review, shortlisting, applicant interview and final funding decision by MRC. (UK Research and Innovation)
Application sections
- Vision; Approach (including reproducibility, statistical design and data management); Career Development; Applicant Capability; Support for Applicant; Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation; Resources and Cost Justification; Project Partners (if applicable). (UK Research and Innovation)
Application components
Not specified
Required documents
Not specified
Appendices
- Animal Research Technical Plan (if applicable); Project Partner Letters; Joint Funder documentation (where applicable). (UK Research and Innovation)
Assessment criteria
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications that fail eligibility, demand management, or assessment requirements may be rejected. Applications cannot be amended after submission. (UK Research and Innovation)
Timeline and partners
Opening date
10 Jun 2026
Project duration
Usually 3 years (minimum 2 years). Patient-oriented projects requiring additional follow-up may request up to 4 years. Part-time awards permitted under eligible circumstances. (UK Research and Innovation)
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
- Additional Health Categories (Office for Life Sciences); The Bourne Foundation; DEBRA; Diabetes UK; Epilepsy Research Institute; Fight for Sight; Jean Shanks Foundation; Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland; Rosetrees Trust; Kidney Research UK; Muscular Dystrophy UK; Motor Neurone Disease Association; Multiple Sclerosis Society; Parkinson's UK (joint funding available where applicable). (UK Research and Innovation)
Collaboration rules
- Joint funding with collaborating organisations is available where applicable. Collaborating organisations participate in assessment where relevant. (UK Research and Innovation)
Consortium requirements
Not specified
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-03.
Minimum Award
Not specified
Application Limit
Subject to MRC demand management policy. Capacity Building CRTF applications are considered alongside Professional Doctorate CRTF applications. (UK Research and Innovation)
Research Category
Clinical research training fellowship.
Subcontractors
Not specified.
Subsidy Scheme
Not specified.
Sanctions Rule
Not specified.
Animal Research Rule
Projects involving animals must comply with UK legislation, UKRI policies and animal welfare guidance. (UK Research and Innovation)
Interview Stage
Shortlisted applicants interviewed by the Clinical Training and Career Development Panel. Interviews expected 17–18 March 2027. (UK Research and Innovation)
Key Requirements
Must explain why the fellowship is the appropriate mechanism to reacquire research skills, present a clear clinical academic career plan, demonstrate strong applicant capability and host support, and propose research within MRC remit. (UK Research and Innovation)
Important Notes
Capacity Building CRTF applications compete alongside Professional Doctorate CRTF applications. Generative AI may be used in preparing applications in accordance with UKRI guidance. Part-time awards are permitted only under eligible circumstances. Applicants must follow UKRI Funding Service guidance and institutional deadlines. (UK Research and Innovation)
Application deadline in source document
2 September 2026, 4:00 PM UK time (UK Research and Innovation)
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 2 Sept 2026
- Funding amount
- Not specified
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Fellowship
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Clinical research, biomedical sciences, healthcare.
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- 28 May 2026