Funding 

As an academic, I've spent an inordinate amount of time searching for funding. I've taken these notes for my own funding searches and am just publicly posting them here:

Postdoctoral funding:

(last updated May 2026)

International: 

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions fellowship (link) - general research excellence

• eligibility: less than eight years of post-PhD research and cannot have resided in the proposed country for more than 12 of the last 36 months 

• benefits: two years (up to 2.5 years with a non-academic placement) with exact living and mobility allowance calculated based on country

• timeline: opens in April, deadline early September, announcement early Feb

Human Frontiers Science Program (link) - transformative, interdisciplinary research in life sciences (novel approaches addressing a barrier to progress)

• eligibility: final fellowship proposal deadline must not be more than three years following submission of PhD

• benefits: three years of funding for living allowance and research funding

• timeline: letter of intent due early May, full proposals invited in August, full proposals due mid September

Branco-Weiss Society in Science (link) - for research outside the mainstream that could not be funded by other organizations

• eligibility: fellowship proposal deadline must not be >5 years following the submission of PhD and cannot have already held a faculty equivalent position 

• benefits: five years of funding (for 2027 fellowships: 600k CHF total) that does not expire if the fellow accepts a tenure track position

• timeline: opens in October, due in mid January

Schmidt Science Fellowship (link) - interdisciplinary natural science from trailblazers

• eligibility: receiving PhD between the current May and following June (i.e., applying in final year of PhD study)

• benefits: two years of funding (for 2027 fellowships: 110k USD per year), can move internationally

• timeline: nomination by PhD institution mid May, full application mid July, selection by March

United Kingdom:

Royal Society University Research Fellowship (link) - for outstanding early career researchers to build an independent research career

• eligibility: 3-8 years following PhD defense and cannot have already held a permanent position

• benefits: up to 1.87m GBP (as of 2026) over eight years for salary, research budget, studentships

• timeline: call opens mid July, closes early September, and decision comes at the end of May

Royal Academy of Engineering (link) - enabling exceptional early career researchers to pursue ambitious research and establish themselves as leaders

• eligibility: expression of intent deadline must not be more than 4 years 6 months after PhD award

• benefits: up to 800k GBP (as of 2026) over five years

• timeline: submit expression of interest late June (maximum four hosted by one university)

1851 Foundation (link) - early career researchers in physical or biological sciences to pursue research of their own instigation

• eligibility: up to 3 years following PhD defense

• benefits: three years of funding

• requirements: two letters of rec (one must be from PhD supervisor, one must be from a UK source, none can be from host university). Need a support letter from the host head of department who will be required to rank candidates if there are multiple

• timeline: opens in October

UKRI Future Leaders (link)

• eligibility: UK institution without already having status as an independent researcher

• benefits: no min or max cost, UKRI will fund 80% and the host institution will fund the last 20%

• timeline: opens start of Feb, closes mid June

• university must transition recipient into a full-time position at the end. some universities (e.g., Cambridge) will thus only support applications from those already with full-time positions

Leverhulme Trust (link)

• eligibility: must have submitted PhD thesis by the application deadline, application deadline up to 4 years following PhD defense, cannot already have held a permanent position

• benefits: one year of full funding (up to 56k as of 2026), two subsequent years of half funding during which the host institution will pay the other 50%

• requirements: research must not be a straight continuation of doctoral research, research area cannot be studying disease, clinical/medical

• timeline: deadline mid Feb, announcement mid May

Wellcome Trust (link)

• eligibility: must have completed PhD or have four years of research experience, application deadline up to 3 years following PhD defense, cannot already have held a permanent position

• benefits: salary plus up to 400k for research expenses, usually up to five years

• requirements: research area must have "clearly defined link to human life, health, and wellbeing"

• timeline: deadline mid July

Other

Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science fellowship (link) - for outstanding researchers to move to Japan to conduct research

• eligibility: must be a citizen/resident of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan

• benefits: 12-24 months fellowship (for 2026 fellowships 362k JPY per month), 200k JPY relocation fund

• timeline: must be nominated by host institution (i.e., subject to internal deadlines); first call deadline late August, second call deadline late April

Burroughs Welcome Fund Career Awards at the Scientific Interface (link) - for engineers looking to transition into biological sciences research (USA/Canada)

• eligibility: no more than 60 months of scientific work post PhD, USA/Canadian citizens and residents

• benefits: five years funding ($560k) to cover transition between postdoc and tenure track faculty (three years)

• timeline: letter of intent due mid August, full proposal invited mid November and due mid January, interviews mid April, notifications in June

Humboldt (link) - Germany

• eligibility: no more than 60 months of scientific work post PhD

• benefits: 6-24 months of funding to work in Germany, 3k Euro per month stipend with other benefits, language course, etc.

• timeline: calls open mid March, July, November and close once 800 applications have been received

SNSF Postdoc Mobility (link) - Switzerland

• eligibility: must be Swiss citizen, permanent resident, or received doctorate from Swiss institution, must be receiving PhD within six months of the fellowship submission or be within three years after receiving PhD

• benefits: 24 months of funding outside of Switzerland, 3-12 months return phase

• timeline: due mid August. one call in 2026 and one call in 2027; the program will be reconfigured starting with the 2028 call

Ambizione (link) - Switzerland

• eligibility: must be of Swiss nationality, hold a graduate degree from Swiss institution, or have done 12 months of research in Switzerland prior to the fellowship submission

• benefits: salary and project funds for a maximum of four years

• timeline: call opens start of Aug, deadline start of Nov, phase 1 result in April/May, interviews June, phase 2 decision July/Aug. last call in 2026; the program will be reconfigured starting with the 2028 call

Doctoral funding (USA):

(last updated June 2026)

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (link)

• eligibility: US citizen, national, permanent resident, STEM area, completed less than one year of graduate degree program (final year bachelors or first year graduate student)

• benefits: three years funding (37k stipiend, 16k tuition fees)

• timeline: due beginning of Nov, announcement April

• Alex Lang's helpful website (a few years out of date) with advice on applying and sample statements

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (link)

• eligibility: US citizen or national, within first two years of gradute degree program

• benefits: 42k stipend, full tuition, 5k travel

• timeline: opens mid Aug, due mid Nov, announcement April

NASA Space and Technology Graduate Research Opportunities formerly NSTRF (link)

• eligibility:

• benefits: 

• timeline: 

Gates Millenium Foundation