Royal Society Career Development Fellowship

Check your fit and build a clear application plan.

Source checked Checked about 21 hours ago Verify deadline

Date to verify 18 Nov 2026

About this opportunity

Quick Overview Host Organisation The Royal Society Host Country United Kingdom Research Location Eligible UK research institution Opportunity Type Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Career Stage Early Career / Postdoctoral Degree Requirement PhD completed or expected before fellowship funding begins Research Fields Natural Sciences / STEM within the Royal Society remit Funding Status Funded – up to £703,800 over four years Duration Four years Number of Fellowships Up to eight, with potential for additional awards subject to funding;

one additional Alzheimer’s Society-supported award for eligible dementia research Eligible Applicants Researchers from Black heritage backgrounds meeting the programme's UK connection, PhD and postdoctoral-experience requirements Nationality Any nationality, subject to all other eligibility requirements Application Fee Not specified IELTS/English Requirement No IELTS score is specified in the fellowship eligibility criteria; certain application materials and references must be submitted in English Applications Open Yes Opening Date 22 September 2026 Deadline 18 November 2026 at 3:00 PM UK time Decision By 30 June 2027 Expected Fellowship Start Between 1 October 2027 and 1 January 2028

The Royal Society Career Development Fellowship (CDF) is a four-year postdoctoral research programme designed to help talented early-career scientists from underrepresented backgrounds establish strong research careers in the United Kingdom. The current pilot focuses on researchers from Black heritage backgrounds, including mixed Black backgrounds. It particularly supports researchers making the transition from doctoral study into the early stages of postdoctoral research.

Successful fellows undertake their own research project at an eligible UK host organisation. The fellowship is intended to help researchers develop greater scientific independence while receiving access to mentoring, professional training, networking and career-development support. The programme supports curiosity-led research within the Royal Society's natural-sciences remit.

Relevant areas include biological sciences, biomedical research, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, environmental and Earth sciences and related disciplines. The Royal Society does not normally support social sciences, humanities or clinical/interventional research on humans under this scheme. The fellowship is funded through the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and Royal Society charitable funds.

There is also a Royal Society and Alzheimer’s Society Career Development Fellowship for eligible research directly relevant to dementia, excluding clinical and interventional studies on humans. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must self-identify as being from a Black heritage background under the current pilot. Eligible Black heritage categories include Black African, Black Caribbean, Black Other, Mixed White and Black Caribbean, Mixed White and Black African, and other mixed backgrounds that include Black African, Black Caribbean or Black Other.

Applicants must either be UK nationals, have completed part of an Undergraduate, Master’s or PhD degree in the UK, or hold/have previously held a postdoctoral research position in the UK. Applicants may be of any nationality provided they meet the programme's other eligibility conditions. Applicants must have a PhD or expect to have completed their PhD by the time fellowship funding begins.

Final-year PhD candidates may apply, but they must have completed their PhD examination with no or minor…