External research funding opportunities 

NIHR20 Research Leaders Prizes (Deadline - 18 March 2026)

Programme Grants for Applied Research - February 2026 (Deadline - 1 April 2026)

NIHR20 NIHR Impact Prizes 2026 (Deadline - 27 April 2026)

HTA Researcher-led: primary research (Deadline - 6 May 2026)

Evidence Synthesis Programme (ESP): Researcher-Led – Evidence Synthesis (Deadline - 18 May 2026)

Research for Patient Benefit - March 2026 (Deadline - 8 July 2026)

Themed call - Prevention revolution: early action to prevent poor health outcomes

NIHR awards Applied Research Collaborations £157 million to support transformation of the health and care system

Find out more about NIHR funding opportunities

Changing Policy and Practice (Deadline - 21 April 2026)

Early origins of health and disease 2026 Emerging Leaders Prize (Deadline - 16 April 2026)

 Find out more about Medical Research Foundation funding opportunities

Joint British Geriatrics Society / Vivensa Foundation Doctoral Training Fellowship (Deadline - 20 March 2026)

Academy Ignition Fund (Deadline - 27 March 2026)

Joint MRC / Vivensa Foundation predoctoral clinical research training fellowship (Deadlines - 8 April 2026, 2 September 2026)

Public, patient and community involvement and engagement awards (Deadlines - 31 March 2026, 30 June 2026)

Conference Awards for Ageing Research (Applications accepted up to June 2026, provisional decision within approx six weeks)

Find out more about Vivensa Foundation funding opportunities

Career Development Fellowship 2027 (Deadline - expected May 2026)

Find out more about Arthritis UK funding opportunities 

Find out more about Orthopaedic Research UK funding opportunities 

MRC: partnership grant: applicant-led (Open - no closing date)

MRC: research grant: applicant-led (Open - no closing date)

MRC: new investigator research grant: applicant-led (Open - no closing date)

Find out more about UKRI funding opportunities