1851 Research Fellowship 2027: Funding, Eligibility & Application Timeline

1851 Research Fellowship 2027 at a Glance

The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships support early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate exceptional promise and want to pursue a research project of their own instigation.

The Commission currently states that around eight awards are normally made each year.

Eligible Research Fields

The Research Fellowship supports projects across a broad science and engineering remit.

Eligible areas include:

• physical sciences;
• biological sciences;
• mathematics;
• applied science; and
• engineering.

Eligibility for the 2027 Research Fellowship

Early-career requirement

The current Royal Commission guidance states that candidates should normally have no more than 2.5 years of postdoctoral research experience by 31 January in the application year.

For the 2027 competition, applicants should therefore assess their postdoctoral research experience as of 31 January 2027.

Research experience is counted from the date the candidate passes the PhD viva, including where only minor corrections remain.

Career breaks

Career breaks and non-standard career paths can be taken into account. The application system provides space for candidates to explain relevant circumstances.

Applicants completing a PhD

Final-stage doctoral candidates may apply. They do not need to hold the PhD on the application date.

Applicants cannot commence the fellowship until they have completed their PhD. The normal start date is 1 October 2027; the Commission’s FAQ also specifies 31 December 2027 as the final PhD-completion limit for the 2027 award year. Applicants completing after 1 October must clarify their permissible start arrangements with the Commission and host: the December limit does not authorise starting the fellowship before PhD completion.

Nationality

The current 2027 FAQ discusses overseas candidates but does not publish a nationality restriction. Applicants based outside the UK should review the linked 2027 Terms and Conditions and confirm host and immigration arrangements.

Choosing a Host Institution

Research independence and institutional mobility are important parts of the 1851 Research Fellowship.

The Commission generally prefers candidates to move away from the institution where they completed their PhD and may also favour movement from a long-term current postdoctoral institution.

Remaining at your PhD institution

Applicants seeking to remain at their PhD institution should normally move to a different research group and provide a strong explanation showing that the proposed work represents an independent and genuinely new research programme.

Remaining at your current postdoctoral institution

Candidates can explain why remaining at their existing institution is scientifically or personally appropriate. The current application guidance indicates that a 250-word justification is available for this purpose.

Salary, Payroll Support and Research Expenses

No fixed fellowship salary

The Royal Commission currently states that there is no fellowship salary cap.

Where the fellow is employed by the host institution, the Commission makes a grant designed to cover eligible full payroll costs. The fellow is expected to be appointed at an appropriate point on the host institution’s postdoctoral pay scale according to experience.

£10,000 annual expense allowance

Fellows currently receive a £10,000 per year research-expense allowance.

The allowance may support eligible costs such as:

• books and research materials;
• laptops and software;
• laboratory consumables;
• conference travel; and
• other research-related expenditure approved under the fellowship rules.

Employment arrangements

Current programme guidance allows fellows either to be employed by their host institution or, where appropriate, to operate as self-employed visiting researchers.

Applicants should review the linked 2027 Terms and Conditions before choosing an employment arrangement in the application.

Research Proposal and References

Two-page research proposal

The current 2027 FAQ states that the detailed research proposal should be presented over two A4 pages and should contain approximately 750 words.

The proposal should remain clearly readable in both printed and electronic form.

Two referees

Current guidance refers to two referees. The Commission normally expects one reference to come from the applicant’s PhD supervisor because that person is usually well positioned to assess the candidate’s previous research and potential.

At least one UK-based academic referee is recommended where a suitable person knows the applicant’s research, but this is not an absolute requirement.

2027 Application and Selection Timeline

How to Apply for the 2027 Research Fellowship

1. Check your postdoctoral research experience against the 2.5-year eligibility guideline.
2. Define a research project that is clearly independent from your PhD and current work.
3. Identify the institution and research environment best suited to the project.
4. If remaining at your current or PhD institution, prepare a strong scientific justification.
5. Develop the two-page, approximately 750-word research proposal.
6. Identify two strong referees, normally including your PhD supervisor.
7. Obtain agreement and guidance from the proposed host department, including any internal eligibility review, institutional endorsement or earlier internal deadline.
8. Read the 2027 Terms and Conditions linked on the official programme page; check the current Flexi-Grant form for all required attachments.
9. Register or sign in at Royal Commission Flexi-Grant, select the available 2027 Research Fellowship programme and submit before 20 January 2027 at 12:00 GMT. The submitted form proceeds directly to assessment, without an additional university approval step in the portal; this does not waive host-institution requirements or earlier internal review.

Focus on research independence

The programme is explicitly designed to support a research project of the applicant’s own instigation. The proposal should therefore show a distinct scientific direction rather than simply extending the PhD project.

Explain why the host is necessary

A convincing application should connect the proposed institution’s expertise, facilities and research environment directly to the project’s scientific objectives.

Avoid an unnecessary budget section

The current FAQ states that applicants are not asked to provide project budgets or costings at the application stage.

Researchers comparing related opportunities can browse CareerAidHub’s current postdoctoral fellowships and Postdoctoral Fellowships.