Wellcome Discovery Awards
Wellcome Discovery Awards fund ambitious, innovative research across any discipline to advance understanding and solutions in human health and wellbeing.
Funder: Wellcome Trust
Due Dates: November 25, 2025 | March 31, 2026 | September 22, 2026
Funding Amounts: Average award £3.5 million; typical range £3–5 million; up to 8 years' duration
Summary: Supports established researchers or teams pursuing innovative, high-impact research across any discipline to advance health and wellbeing.
Key Information: From October 29, 2026, eligibility for lead applicants will be restricted to the UK and low- and middle-income countries in Africa, South Asia, and South-East Asia.
Description
The Wellcome Discovery Awards are aimed at established researchers or teams seeking to drive significant advances in understanding, or to develop new methodologies, frameworks, tools, or techniques that benefit health-related research. The scheme is open to all disciplines, including STEM, humanities, social sciences, and public health, with the goal of improving human life, health, and wellbeing. The awards prioritize bold, creative, and high-quality proposals, supporting both individual investigators and collaborative teams. Funding covers a broad range of research expenses, including staff, training, equipment, materials, travel, and more, for projects lasting up to eight years.
