NIHR Three Schools’ Dementia Research Programme Post-Doctoral Fellowships
The NIHR Three Schools’ Dementia Research Programme Post-Doctoral Fellowships provide up to £160,000 of funding over 2 years to support early post-doctoral researchers committed to developing independent careers in dementia research.
The NIHR Schools for Primary Care Research (SPCR), Public Health Research (SPHR), and Social Care Research (SSCR) – collectively known as the “Three Schools” – have forged a unique collaboration among leading academic centres in England. This collaboration is dedicated to three distinct Programmes funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR): one on mental health hosted by SPCR, the second on dementia hosted by SSCR, and the third on prevention hosted by SPHR. This research call specifically pertains to the Dementia Research Programme.
The Dementia Research Programme is dedicated to developing the evidence base for dementia-related practice in England. Our mission is to fund and support high-quality research that improves the wellbeing, independence, dignity, and quality of life of people living with dementia, their carers, families, and communities. The Dementia Research Programme also aims to build capacity in dementia research, supporting early- and mid-career researchers to become experts in their field and strengthening links between research, policy, and practice.
As part of this mission, the Dementia Research Programme is offering Post-Doctoral Fellowships to support early-career researchers committed to developing independent careers in dementia research. These Fellowships will enable applicants to establish collaborations across NIHR schools, undertake independent research, publish findings, develop new methodological skills, and prepare for future funding opportunities (e.g. NIHR Advanced Fellowships). Fellows will also benefit from training, mentoring, and integration within the Three Schools’ vibrant research community and the NIHR Academy.
- Applicants should hold a PhD awarded no more than 3 years (FTE equivalent) prior or have submitted their PhD thesis for examination and confirmed their viva date.
- Awards will be available for up to 24 months full-time and up to £160k will be available. These awards can fund salary including overheads, plus research consumables, conference travel and training in research skills and methods.
- Applicants do not need to be employed by one of the Three Schools’ member institutions at the time of application, however, the Fellows must be appointed at one of the Three Schools’ member institutions (SPHR, SPCR, SSCR) by the start of the award.
The call opens on Monday 2nd February 2026.
Closing Date: 5pm Friday 1st May 2026
More information website/URL: https://sscr.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-programme/postdoctoral-fellowship-scheme/
Visit funding web page
(https://sscr.nihr.ac.uk/dementia-programme/postdoctoral-fellowship-scheme/)
