Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship 2026 in UK | Fully Funded

The Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship is a five-year programme that enables UK universities and research institutions to attract and recruit outstanding emerging or established international research leaders to relocate to the UK. The fellowship offers flexible funding to support high-quality research and strengthen the UK’s scientific excellence.

The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences, jointly funds this scheme with the Wolfson Foundation. The programme aims to build critical mass in strategically important fields by bringing world-class researchers to the UK. It also includes a visiting fellowship strand and provides career development opportunities.

Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship Benefits

• Up to five years of funding
• Up to £300,000 can be requested
• Salary enhancement up to 20% of total salary
• Research expenses including consumables, travel, small equipment, and fieldwork
• Research assistance
• PhD studentship(s)
• Relocation and visa costs for fellow and dependents (partner and children) – total grant cap may be exceeded if justified
• Flexibility for part-time working for health reasons or caring responsibilities
• Provision for maternity, paternity, adoptive or extended sick leave
• Financial support for childcare costs arising from conferences and research visits
• Access to career development and engagement opportunities including training on leadership, science communication, and public engagement

Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

• You are a mid- or senior career researcher with a proven track record for high-quality scientific research (strong publication record, invited as keynote speaker, evidence of scientific leadership, supervising/mentoring junior researchers)
• You have a well-established, fully independent research programme and can demonstrate significant contributions to your field
• You are currently based overseas and will receive a firm offer of employment from the UK host organisation if an award is made
• International researchers who have arrived in the UK prior to the application deadline are eligible if they have been in the UK for not normally more than six months at the application deadline date
• Nominations will not be accepted for researchers wishing to move between UK institutions
• Your research is within the Royal Society’s remit of natural sciences (including biological research, biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics)
• Applicants can be of any nationality; those requiring a visa are eligible for a Global Talent Visa under fast-track endorsement

How to Apply for Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship?

1. Researchers must be nominated by a representative of the host institution (Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research, or Institute Director) before applying
2. The nominator contacts the Royal Society Grants Office at [email protected] to receive a link to a nomination form
3. After the nomination form is considered by the Royal Society, the nominator receives a link to invite the nominated researcher to complete and submit a full application on Flexi-Grant
4. Applications received by the deadline are considered by the Selection Panel
5. Shortlisted applications undergo independent peer review and are discussed at a Panel meeting where funding recommendations are made

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship. These answers cover eligibility, benefits, deadlines, and how to apply.