New Lecturer grant

This grant is to help new lecturers, researchers and fellows establish their careers as independent investigators in human nutrition, animal nutrition or crop science.

To apply, you’ll need to have been in your role for under two years, and have your salary paid by your university or an external funder. And you’ll have to be doing your own research (rather than doing it under supervision). Applicants tend to be between three and nine years from their PhD, but we make allowances for career breaks.

We welcome applications from research staff at UK universities. We also consider applications from clinicians who are working in a clinical role or who hold a fellowship.

The grant covers research costs up to £25,000.

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The new lecturer grant really helped me when I was setting up my lab to work on wheat genetics. The award allowed me to hire my first member of staff to get projects off the ground, and also to buy essential equipment for my research. This support provided a springboard to launch larger projects to study gene expression in wheat and grain nutrient content.

Dr Philippa Borrill

How to apply

The 2023 round of this grant is now closed. Applicants will be updated on the outcome of their applications shortly.

Eligibility of applicants

1. To be eligible for a grant you must be:

A: a UK resident when you apply
This means you spend at least 183 days in the country during the tax year.

Or

B: about to move to the UK for a role at an eligible institution
You must stay in the UK until the project is over.

Eligible institutions are UK universities and other eligible organisations (like research institutes that can receive UKRI funding).

2. You should also:

A: be an academic at an eligible UK university or research institution
You’ll be a lecturer or the equivalent. Your salary will be paid by the institution you work at or by an external award, or you hold an honorary university appointment that will last longer than the grant, you work at a research institute, or you’re a postdoctoral research fellow, or

you receive a lecturer-level internal university fellowship, or a lecturer-level postdoctoral fellowship from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) on behalf of the research councils, or from an award-giving body like:
• the Royal Society
• the Academy of Medical Science, or
• the Wellcome Trust.

Or

B: Have an agreement with the organisation if you aren’t an employee
This needs to be in writing, and confirm that you’ll conduct the research as though you were an employee at lecturer level but won’t claim a salary. This way, the organisation takes responsibility for the research and its governance, and you get the support you need.

Or

C: Have plans to move to the organisation before the grant starts
These plans shouldn’t depend on whether the proposal is successful.

In this situation, your new affiliation should be the organisation that will get the grant.

3. When you apply you must have either:

A: a contract of employment at lecturer level or the equivalent
If you aren’t an employee of the organisation, a formal non-salaried agreement is also fine. The end date on your contract or agreement needs to be after the end date of the grant.

Or

B: an assurance that the organisation will extend your current contract or agreement if your application is successful
Your contract or agreement needs to be at lecturer level or equivalent. And the end date needs to be later than the end date of the grant.

4. Your application needs to include:

A: Details about your position
You should include information on the type of position you have, the end date, and the funding it gives you.

B: A letter from the head of the department or the director of the organisation where the research will take place
This should confirm that your contract will extend at least until the end date for the work proposed in your application, that they will support you and your research, and that they’ll give you access to the facilities you need to do your research.

5. We make any final decisions on eligibility.