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:

• 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:

• benefits: 

• 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

Wellcome Trust

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

• eligibility: 

• benefits: 

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

Humboldt (link)

Ambizione (link)

Doctoral funding (USA):

(last updated May 2026)

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (link)

• eligibility:

• benefits:

• timeline: 

• 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:

• benefits:

• timeline: 

NSTRF

Gates Millenium Foundation