Professional doctorate: clinical research training fellowship
The MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship funds healthcare professionals to pursue PhD-level research in any area of medical science to advance human health, with integrated clinical and research training in the UK.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: September 2, 2026: Full application submission deadline
Funding Amounts: Covers full salary, tuition (home rate), and up to £25,000/year for project costs for up to 3 years (extensions possible for specific projects); no fixed upper limit but all costs must be justified.
Summary: Fellowship for registered healthcare professionals to undertake a PhD or similar degree in any area of medical research to improve human health, with integrated clinical and research training.
Key Information: Fellowship must be hosted at an eligible UK research organisation; international applicants welcome if based in UK for the fellowship.
Description
This fellowship supports registered healthcare professionals—including doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, pharmacists, clinical psychologists, and veterinarians—to pursue a PhD or equivalent higher research degree in any area within the Medical Research Council (MRC) remit. The scheme is designed to develop clinical academics by providing protected research time, a competitive salary, tuition fees at the home student rate, and up to £25,000 per year for research expenses (with potential for justified additional costs). The program is flexible, allowing integration of clinical duties and research, and encourages applications from a broad range of health professions and from all nationalities, provided the research is hosted at an eligible UK institution.
Opportunities exist for joint funding with various partner organisations, offering additional networking and career development benefits. The fellowship aims to foster future leaders in clinical research, supporting both basic and translational projects that contribute to the improvement of human health.
