Prospective research fellowships
Get in touch
Fellowship applicants interested in joining us should contact our Director of Postgraduate Research, Dr Richard Pulsford, in the first instance to discuss their enquiry.
We also welcome enquiries from existing fellowship holders interested in transferring to Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Exeter. During any initial enquiries, it is always useful to provide a full academic CV.
Fellowship support we offer
Pre-application
- Guidance on scheme suitability and proposal writing from our many successful fellows and research support staff.
- Evaluation of draft proposals.
- Support with interview preparation.
For fellows
- Mentoring with a senior colleague.
- Peer support through our Early Career Researcher network.
- Opportunities to gain teaching experience and to supervise and UG and PGR project students.
- Personal development and training plans
- Guidance on grant proposal development from experienced colleagues and research support staff.
Career progression
- Defined criteria for progression to permanent positions.
- Prospects for proleptic appointment.
Fellowship schemes
The following table lists the main UK and EU fellowship schemes. Some other countries have their own fellowship schemes that would provide support for those seeking to work in Sport, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Exeter, and we are willing to provide support.
| Funder | Scheme | Funding requirements | Duration | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) | David Phillips Fellowships | Minimum three years' postdoctoral research experience | Five years | Annual call |
| Future Leaders Fellowship Scheme | Three years | Annual call | ||
| Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) | EPSRC Fellowship | The EPSRC fellowship is available across five different themes: Healthcare technologies; Living with Environmental change; Digital Economy; Energy; Manufacturing the future. Applicants must have completed their PhD by the funding start date. | Not specified | No application deadline |
| New Investigators Grant | Applicants must not yet have held a full-time permanent academic post in a UK university. They must not be more than four years post submission of doctorate. | Not specified | No application deadline | |
| European Research Council (ERC) | Starting Grant | For candidates 2-7* years post PhD, up to €1.5m, minimum 50% time commitment.
*Extension reasons can be maternity/paternity leave, long term illness or military service. |
Five years | Annual call, opens in August with a deadline of mid October |
| Consolidator Grant | For candidates 7-12* years post PhD, up to €2m, minimum 40% time commitment. | Five years | Annual call, opens October with a deadline of mid February | |
| Advanced Grant | For candidates with an exceptional 10 year track record at the top of their field, up to €2.5m, minimum 30% time commitment | Five years | Annual call, opens May with a deadline of end of August | |
| Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) | New Investigators Grant | 2-year fellowships to support post-doctoral (up to 2 years post-PhD) research visits to laboratories throughout Europe and the world. Fellowships must involve movement between countries. The receiving institute or the applicant's nationality must be from one of the EMBC Member States. | Maximum of three years | Open call (internal deadlines apply) |
| Medical Research Council (MRC) | Clinical, Non Clinical and Skills Development fellowships with schemes across different health-related fields | More information can be found in the applicant handbook | Variable depending on scheme | Variable depending on scheme |
| Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) | Individual Fellowships |
For researchers with a PhD or 4 years' research experience who wish to develop their skills through advanced training, international and intersectoral mobility. European and Global fellowships are possible. Mobility is a key criterion. Candidates wanting to come to Exeter to undertake a European Fellowship can be of any nationality, currently based anywhere in the world – as long as they have not lived, worked or studied in the UK for more than 12 months in the three years prior to the deadline (except candidates applying to the Reintegration or Career Restart panels, where the rule is no more than three years in the previous five) |
One to three years depending on the fellowship type chosen | Annual call, opens April with a deadline mid September |
| Leverhulme Trust | Early Career Fellowships | Applicants must not be in a permanent academic post, or more than five years post-PhD. | Three years | Internal sifting takes place for this call due to funding |
| L'Oreal - UNESCO UK and Ireland | L'Oreal UK and Ireland Women in science fellowship | Fellowships for women in science with less than 10 years postdoc experience | One year | |
|
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
|
NIHR Pre-doctoral Fellowship |
Completion of first degree, must not have registered for or completed a PhD |
One year | Annual call, first call launching February 2019, starting September 2019 |
| NIHR Doctoral Fellowship | Completion of first degree, applicants must wish to apply for and complete a PhD | Three years | Bi-annual call, first call launching October 2018, first starting September 2019 | |
| NIHR Advanced Fellowship | Applicants must be hosted by a Higher Education Institute, and their PhD must be awarded by the time the interview is attended | Two to five years | Bi-annual call, first call launching October 2018, first starting September 2019 | |
| NIHR Development and Skills Enhancement Fellowship | Must be a current member of the NIHR Academy | One year | Open call, first call launching May 2019, first starting December 2019 | |
| The Royal Society | University Research Fellowships | Scientists with three to eight years postdoc experience and leadership potential | Five to eight years | Usually annual |
| Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships | Scientists at an early stage in their career who require flexible working
Female candidates are particularly invited to apply |
Up to five years | Usually annual | |
| Newton International Fellowships | No more than 7 years of active full-time postdoctoral experience | Two years | March | |
| Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowship | Scientists who have received their PhD in the last six years who wish to conduct research in Japan | One to two years | March | |
| The Wellcome Trust | Sir Henry Dale Fellowships | Scientists with maximum seven years' postdoc experience who wish to build a UK-based biomedical research career | Five to eight years | Three grant rounds per year - usually April, August and November |
| Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships | Recently-qualified postdoctoral researchers | Four years | Two closing dates per year - usually April and September |
