Research funding: Applying for a postdoctoral fellowship

"During a fellowship, we expect you to expand your research horizons and develop your scientific independence so that you can become a leader in the field."

- The Wellcome Trust, 2020

Course overview

A career in research is exciting, varied and gives you the opportunity to be at the cutting edge of discovery in your chosen field, but it is a highly competitive environment and researchers from all over the world aspire to reach the top of the profession. If you are aiming for a career in research it is crucial to publish regularly, be independent and attract your own funding. You can start to do this early in your research career: if you are awarded a postdoctoral fellowship, not only will you stand out from the crowd, but you will demonstrate that you can propose innovative projects that attract research funding - this is a key requirement for a successful academic career.

This mini course is designed to introduce early career researchers to research fellowships: including what they are, when and how to apply, funder expectations and the application process. The course focus is on fellowships for academic research, though other types of fellowships are mentioned and signposted in the course.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed specifically for early career researchers working in universities and institutes who are interested in finding out more about applying for postdoctoral fellowships. The content of the course is for staff and students from any field of study, though we think it will be of particular interest to mid to late stage PhD students (2nd year and beyond) and postdoctoral researchers.

What do I need?

All of the content is contained within the course, so all you will need is a quiet space, a computer or mobile device and an internet connection. The course contains images, visual explanations of concepts, text and quizzes. We hope you enjoy it.

What previous participants say about the course:

"Excellent introduction to things to think about for postdoc fellowship applications."

"It was great because it made me think of new aspects I should stress in my proposal. The course was just straight to the point."

"Clear, interesting and very useful."

What they say about the full course (live Zoom session + online course):

"It was an excellent introductory workshop on research fellowship applications. Attending it made me understand that fellowship applications are about more than just the research project proposal."

"Informative and from an authorative facilitator. Useful tips and practical exercises to get you going on things that are easy to put off."

"“Competent, encouraging and inspiring! Thank you for sharing your own experience of getting a fellowship too, very useful!”

“Approachable, knowledgeable, well delivered and facilitated. Thank you!”

100% of students would recommend the course.