Fellowship opportunities
Join a vibrant, dynamic community of postdoctoral and early career researchers at King's College London, a world-leading institution in the heart of London.
We welcome outstanding applicants to external research funding schemes. Click below for more information and details on how to apply.
Please contact us for the latest deadlines and scheme details if you are interested in applying for any of these opportunities.
Current Opportunities
UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Round 10
The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships scheme is designed to support outstanding early career researchers and innovators to complete an ambitious programme of research and innovation which allows them to transition to independence, across the UKRI research remit. The scheme is open to those who currently hold a position but have not yet received substantive grant funding as PI. The scheme potentially offers up to seven years of funding (on a 4 & 3 model), with a budget in the first four years which reflects the project (no minimum or maximum); in the past, UKRI has funded projects valued from £300k to £2m at FEC. The scheme allows applicants to apply to hold their FLF award at King's, moving from other HEIs or from industry and we welcome conversations with potential applicants not currently affiliated with King's.
King's is running an internal process to select candidates to put forward for Round 10 (which has a funder deadline of 18th June 2025). We are capped at a maximum of 8 applications as an institution. For this round, each Faculty's selection process will take place by the end of February 2025, with a final College-level decision in March.
Expressions of Interest will include a narrative CV & publication list; and an expression of interest setting out the core components of the proposed research project.
Applicants will also need to provide email confirmation from local leadership (Head of Department or Head of School) that the application is approved, and that the requirement for % salary and long-term position will be met.
For full details on how to apply and who to contact, please see the guidance document below - you must speak to the Research Development Manager for your Faculty to obtain the application templates and confirm deadlines.
Some Faculty deadlines: IoPPN & NMES - 5pm, 13th Feb 2025 | SSPP - 5pm, 14th Feb 2025 | KBS - 5pm, 10th Feb 2025.
King's Prize Fellowships, including the Professor Anthony Mellows Medal & Fellowship
The King’s Prize Fellowship is awarded bi-annually to outstanding post-doctoral scientists. The award seeks to encourage individuals with a strong research interest to become leaders in their field. The award is supported by the Anthony and Elizabeth Mellows Charitable Settlement, in association with King's College. One of the fellowships per year will be awarded the Professor Anthony Mellows Medal.
The awards may be held in any part of King’s College London but must be focused on biomedical or health-related research.
The King’s Prize Fellowship is awarded twice a year and provides 18-24 months of funding including a generous salary and running expenses. The award aims to support the Fellow's transition to an independent research career. It is awarded through an annual competition, advertised widely and open to both internal (King's) and external candidates.
The next deadline is 28th November 2024
Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research Senior Research Fellowship
This scheme provides a five-year fellowship of up to £2million to promising independent researchers with a proven track record of excellence in the field of rheumatology or related musculoskeletal or inflammatory disease. King's is allowed to submit one application to the Trust, therefore we will hold an internal selection process to select our applicant for this round. External applicants (including overseas) are welcomed; internal deadline for completed applications is 12th January 2024.
Marie Curie Individual Fellowship
Individual Fellowships (IFs) are a great option if you are an experienced researcher looking to give your career a boost by working abroad. There are two types of IFs: European and Global. Internal candidates: more detail about the scheme can be found through the Research Support intranet pages. The current round is now closed; the internal deadline was 28th June. The internal guidance can be found below for information.
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship
This scheme provides funding to cover a 3 year fellowship. The purpose of the award is to enable the award holder to pursue an independent research project, towards the completion of a significant piece of publishable research. The deadline for the internal selection process for the 2025 round was 15th July 2024). Please see the guidance document below for information only.
Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships
These fellowships are for three years, on a full-time basis. They are intended to assist those at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, and it is hoped that the appointment would lead to a more permanent position for the individual, either in the same or another institution. The internal selection process for the 2025 round was 7th October 2024.
We expect that the 2026 round will involve similar deadlines and you can see the 2025 guidance document for information, below.
British Academy International Fellowships
The International Fellowships enable researchers to work for two years at a UK institution with the aim of fostering long-term international collaborations; they aim to attract the most promising early career postdoctoral researchers from overseas in the fields of natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities. The British Academy deadline for the 2024 round was 13th March 2024; our internal selection deadline was therefore 19th February 2024.
We expect dates for the 2025 round to be similar and details will be update early in the new year.
The internal guidance document for the latest round can be viewed below, for information.
Wellcome Early Career Awards
This scheme provides funding for early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity. Through innovative projects, they will deliver shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. By the end of the award, they will be ready to lead their own independent research programme. The deadline for the next round of this scheme will be 25th February 2025; please inform your Research Development Manager, if you'd like to apply.
Contact us
Susie Cornick-Willis, Research Development Officer, Arts & Sciences Research Office
susanna.cornick-willis@kcl.ac.uk
Kate Smith, Research Development Officer, Health Faculties