NIHR 2026 INSIGHT Competition

This funding opportunity is for institutions to deliver regional INSIGHT programmes that will offer engagement activities and research masters studentships in 2027, 2028, and 2029. Regional INSIGHT programmes play a key role in attracting students and recent graduate clinicians and practitioners into research. 

In 2023, we awarded funding to 12 institutions through the first INSIGHT competition. These collaborative programmes are delivering innovative engagement activities and research masters studentships for registered health and care professionals, excluding doctors and dentists, in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

UK-wide funding for engagement activities

The INSIGHT Programme aims to promote research and the full range of research careers to registered health and care professionals at an early stage in their career. From 2027, the INSIGHT Programme will also incorporate the INSPIRE scheme, founded by the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS).

This is possible through a UK-wide partnership between the NIHR, devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Academy of Medical Sciences. As part of this expansion, funding for engagement activities will include the devolved nations, and doctors and dentists.

Regional INSIGHT programmes supported through this competition will receive £20,000 a year for engagement activities that promote the benefits of research and research careers to students within all registered health and care professions, including doctors and dentists.

Research masters opportunities remain available to students and recent graduates within registered health and care professions, excluding doctors and dentists, in England only.

Devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will each fund a regional engagement programme within their nation. This joined-up approach will enable regional INSIGHT programmes to deliver innovative engagement activities that promote research and continued skills development to students and recent graduates across the whole health and social care system. It will create a comprehensive, multi-professional approach to attract undergraduate practitioners and clinicians into research across the UK, irrespective of location.

Eligibility criteria

Applications will need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• support the development of careers involving research within the NIHR remit
• have a lead organisation that is a Higher Education Institution (HEI) based within the UK. The lead organisation should be located within the geographical area covered by the programme
• be collaborative with co-applicants based at multiple organisations within the region including, but not limited to, NHS bodies, local authorities, HEIs or other third sector providers of health or social care services
• include engagement activities available to all registered health and social care professionals
• programmes in England only must offer research masters courses that meet the masters specification criteria in the guidance. These should be offered by more than one HEI within the region

What funding is available?

Funding is available to support 12 regional programmes in England and 1 engagement programme in each of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The funding available depends on the location of the programme.

Programmes based in England may apply for engagement, project management and masters funding as outlined below.

Programmes based in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may apply for engagement funding only.

Regional INSIGHT programmes

Regional programmes start on 01 April 2027. They consist of:

• a lead organisation that is a registered Higher Education Institution (HEI) based within England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
• collaborating organisations: These should be organisations involved in the training and/or delivery of health and social care within England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales. Eligible partners include, but are not limited to, HEIs (universities), NHS organisations, local authorities, industry partners and research institutes

Applicants are also strongly encouraged to collaborate with other parts of the NIHR, and equivalent infrastructure in the devolved administrations, wider research infrastructure to avoid duplication and leverage existing funding and opportunities available.

A lead applicant will be responsible for the submission of the application, as well as the delivery of the programme of activities if successful. Programmes may also include a co-lead in their application.

Programmes are expected to be highly collaborative, fostering the development of partnerships between organisations and networks at a regional level. While the activities should have a regional focus, collaborating organisations may be located outside of the geographical area.

Applications should also include a detailed plan for delivery, with clearly defined objectives and success criteria, supported by appropriate leadership and governance arrangements.

Engagement activities

For the 2026 INSIGHT competition, engagement activities are supported by:

• NIHR INSPIRE funding to promote research to doctors and dentists
• NIHR INSIGHT funding to inspire all other registered health and social care professionals into research

There will be a total of £20,000 per year engagement activities. We expect regional programmes to develop integrated approaches to engage all early career clinicians and practitioners from the start of their careers. This will facilitate a more streamlined and coordinated delivery of engagement activities for all registered health professionals within each region.

Applicants should be innovative with their engagement programmes, incorporating activities that excite and capture the imagination of students at an early stage in their training. In line with the programme aims, engagement activities should be collaborative, involving a breadth of professions as well as active student involvement in planning and delivery.

We also expect regional programmes to consider the full breadth of health and care settings within their activities, with a particular emphasis on social care and community settings, which are strategic themes for the 2026 competition.

Applicants are also strongly encouraged to collaborate with other parts of NIHR (and equivalent infrastructure in the devolved administrations) and wider research infrastructure to avoid duplication and leverage existing funding and opportunities available.

Activities should cater to a range of aspirations; while some participants may seek to be fully immersed in a research career, others may use the opportunity to become more familiar with research and its delivery within health and social care.

Veterinary schools may collaborate with regional programmes, though are not considered within the scope of NIHR INSPIRE funding for this competition. Any involvement of veterinary schools in engagement activities therefore requires separate funding through other sources.

Research masters studentships

Research masters studentships support fully-funded research masters qualifications. By masters qualifications we mean an MSc, MRes, or equivalent. The masters qualification should enable individuals to gain academic training and develop the necessary skills to access the full range of research careers, from research delivery to academic. They provide an important role in embedding research within training and developing critical research skills across registered health and social care professions.

Funding for research masters studentships include funding for course fees and a contribution towards living costs for the time undertaking the course. They are held full-time over 12 months or part-time over 24 months. INSIGHT masters students are NIHR Academy Members for the duration of their award.