The NIHR Postdoctoral Award is aimed at anyone with a PhD or a submitted PhD thesis under assessment who hasn’t yet been appointed to a professorial post. This award provides funding to help you develop your research career across a broad range of postdoctoral career stages.
The award will support you to undertake research in any scientific discipline or sector. You’ll need to demonstrate a contribution to improving health and care within the NIHR’s remit.
It also supports individuals who wish to develop their academic careers while continuing as practitioners, including health and care professionals and PhD holders in local authority settings.
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Who can apply?
To be eligible for the award, you must:
- hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted your thesis for examination at the time of application. You must have been awarded your PhD or MD by the time you attend the interview
- if you hold a Professional Doctorate, you must contact us before you start your application and we will help to confirm your eligibility.
- propose to undertake the award at a Higher Education Institution (HEI), NHS body, Local Authority or other provider of health or social care services, either in England or a participating devolved nation
- not already hold a chair position at the point of application
- for clinical applicants, you must have completed relevant pre-registration training
Please see more details about eligibility on the Postdoctoral Award page.
Devolved nation applications
Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are not participating in Cohort 2.
What is available through a Postdoctoral Award?
The award provides funding for:
- your salary, including clinical service or practice time, where applicable
- a research project
- a support post to assist your research plus £3,000 towards their training and development
- the cost of a tailored academic and professional development programme
- annual conference budget
How much can you apply for?
Except for staff and conference costs, there are no strict budgetary caps. All costs must offer value for money and be fully justified in your application. Full details of costs for this scheme are available via the Postdoctoral Award page. Guidance about how to cost your application is available via the NIHR finance guidance.
Award duration and part-time options
This is a flexible award, and you are able to choose a duration of between 2 and 5 years Full Time Equivalent (FTE). You can also take it up on a full-time or part-time basis between 50% and 100% FTE.
If you work in a clinical or local authority setting, you will have the option to request up to 40% of your time to be dedicated to clinical practice and development work, with this time funded by the award. Find out more about how to calculate your award duration.
Visit funding web page
(https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/postdoctoral-award-cohort-2/2025443)
