Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Support for making fellowship and grant applications is provided centrally by the University’s Research Services, and locally in your department. 

The University’s central Research Services provide advice on finding and applying for funding, costing and pricing grant applications, managing awards, knowledge exchange, and research integrity.

Your PI or the Research Facilitator in your department will be also able to advise you on making applications for a research grant or fellowship.

College Junior Research Fellowships 

We will post here any JRF opportunities that we are made aware of, and also publicise them in the monthly MPLS Divisional Newsletter. Opportunities are also advertised on the Conference of Colleges site under 'College Academic Vacancies'. It is also worth checking the Non-Stipendiary College Associations page on the main University website. For many colleges, JRF posts are typically advertised in September.

Early Career Fellowships

Research Services provide a list of early career fellowship schemes for the most popular funders in Science Area departments, including EPSRC, BBSRC, NERCSTFCRAEng, the Royal Society, the Leverhulme Trust and major medical research funders.

Many funders also provide more senior fellowships or other schemes such as those designed to help researchers return to academia or work with industry.

Discipline-specific awards from learned societies and trusts

A number of organisations provide support to researchers, particularly those early in their career, to enable them to advance their careers as independent researchers. They are usually targeted at specific research areas or specific groups. These opportunities will usually be advertised on the MPLS website and to Research Facilitators in MPLS departments. Funders often impose restrictions on the number of applications that each university can submit to a scheme. You can also regularly check the University’s Coordinated Bids webpages, which set out the timetable and process for any internal prioritisation processes to select the Oxford candidates when restrictions apply.

Culham Fusion research fellowships (usually October/November)

London Mathematical Society, Grace Chisholm Young Fellowships: offers two fellowships each year (December and June) to mathematicians who need support when their mathematical career is interrupted by family responsibilities, relocation of partner, or other similar circumstance, making possible some continuous mathematical activity, so enabling the fellow to be in a position to apply for posts when circumstances allow.

L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowships: recognises the achievements and contributions of exceptional females across the globe, by awarding promising scientists with Fellowships to help further their research.

Royal Astronomical Society: including the Norman Lockyer and RAS Research Fellowships.

Schmidt Science Fellows, in partnership with the Rhodes Trust: fourteen-month programme to broaden scientific and societal horizons of graduate students between finishing their DPhil and starting a research career. Applications coordinated through departments and MPLS Division; advertised on the MPLS website and to MPLS departments when available.

Violette and Samuel Glasstone Research Fellowships in Science: provide the opportunity to conduct original research at Oxford for outstanding scientists at an early stage of their research career. Fellowships can be held in the departments of Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering Science, Materials, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, and in the discipline of Plant Sciences within the department of Biology. Advertised by recruiting departments through the University’s jobs pages.

General fellowships, available in all areas

Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships: for outstanding scientists in the UK at an early stage of their research career who require a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstances such as parenting or caring responsibilities or health issues. Usually September/October.

European Research Council: Starting Grants - check that UK applicants are still eligible.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie: Research Fellowship Programme - check that UK applicants are still eligible.

Schlumberger Foundation, Faculty for the Future: supports women from developing countries in their pursuit of advanced graduate studies in STEM at leading universities worldwide.

Wiener-Anspach Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB): The Foundation awards grants to postdoctoral researchers from Oxford or Cambridge University who wish to undertake research at the ULB. These grants are open to researchers in any field. 

On this page