University Awards for Research Staff
SCHEME TO BE DISCONTINUED

Purpose

Important changes are being made to the Trust’s biomedical science grant programmes, which will affect this scheme.

This scheme allows universities to attract strategically important research staff who will take up academic positions within a university department by providing support for an individual for up to five years, after which time the recipient takes up a guaranteed permanent post in the university.

What's included

We normally provide the recipient's full salary for three years, 50 per cent in the fourth year and 25 per cent in the fifth year.

Travel expenses to attend meetings are provided for five years but research expenses are provided for only the first three years of the award.

If the institution wishes to insist that the final commitment to take over funding the University Award holder is contingent upon a progress review, the Trust should be involved in this review. During any such review, we would wish to be able to compare any decision not to take over the salary of an individual funded by us under the University Award scheme, with decisions being taken on renewal or termination of the salary of other members of academic staff of the same institution.

Eligibility

You must be nominated by your head of department and have an undertaking from the head of the institution, vice-chancellor or dean that your personal support will be taken over by the institution at the end of the Trust's grant.

Support is available at all levels from lecturer to professor, and you do not have to be based in the UK at the time of applications.

Researchers who hold established positions may not apply to move institutions by way of this scheme.

Application process

A preliminary application should be submitted by email only to the appropriate stream inbox (see ‘Contacts’) and include:

• a brief CV and a full publication list
• details of research proposed in the first three years (a maximum of one A4 page)
• a letter of support from the head of department, providing details of why your appointment would be strategically important to the department. (Letters should be scanned and attached as a PDF)
• a letter from the head of the institution, vice-chancellor or dean guaranteeing that the institution will pay 50 per cent of your salary in year four and 75 per cent in year five, and that, subject to satisfactory progress, you will be given a permanent position at the end of the Trust's grant. (Letters should be scanned and attached as a PDF)
• approximate costs of the proposal broken down into staff salaries, equipment and project running costs.

Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application.

See ‘Deadlines’ for details of final closing dates.

Applicants will be given the opportunity to comment on referees’ opinions before the meeting of the Funding Committee at which their application will be considered.

Deadlines

This scheme is being discontinued. See Investigator Awards for more information.

The following closing dates for full applications apply:

Applications can continue to be submitted on a rolling basis before the closing date.

Applicants are advised that the Trust may take up to four weeks to assess a preliminary application before a full application can be invited.

Contacts

Enquiries may be directed to the appropriate funding stream, or by telephone to the Grants Management Helpdesk: +44 (0)20 7611 2020.

Immunology and Infectious Disease
E iid@wellcome.ac.uk

Populations and Public Health
E pph@wellcome.ac.uk

Neuroscience and Mental Health
E nmh@wellcome.ac.uk

Physiological Sciences
E phs@wellcome.ac.uk

Molecules, Genes and Cells
E mgc@wellcome.ac.uk

See our postal address and general contact details.