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Find details of funding calls that require a UCL internal selection process or other internal coordination managed by our Research Coordination teams, and information about the application process.
Sometimes funders will limit the number of applications an institution can submit for a particular call, or require applications to undergo an internal review and approval process before submission. UCL has an internal selection process for such calls.
Details of upcoming internally managed funding calls are listed below along with supporting guidance for applicants. Also listed are calls where other internal selection activities have been put in place to support UCL staff interested in leading or participating in a funding bid. Closed calls over the past 12 months can also be viewed using the link below for reference.
If you are aware of an external funding opportunity where the number of proposals UCL can submit is limited, and which isn’t listed here, contact a member of your local Research Coordination team supporting your faculty.
Open calls
- MRC Equip-4 and BBSRC ALERT 24 Equipment Funding | UCL deadline: 23 October 2024
Scope
The Medical Research Council (MRC) mid-range equipment for biomedical research (Equip-4) call and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) mid-range equipment for biomedical research (ALERT 24) offer funding to support the purchase of strategically important research capital equipment. It is expected that some of the successful applications will be for major equipment managed within multi-user facilities such as the UCL Science Technology Platforms or other existing core facilities.
Details
- Funding: £100,000-£800,000 (Equip-4), £200,000-£1,500,000 (ALERT 24)
- Application deadline: 23 October 2024
Further information and how to apply
Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full details on the Equip-4 and ALERT 24 calls and eligibility criteria.
UCL applicants need to submit an expression of interest form by the application deadline.
- UCL Neuroscience - Neuroscience Center Zurich ZNZ Joint Research and Networking Funding | UCL deadline: 2 November 2024
Scope
UCL Neuroscience and Neuroscience Center Zurich ZNZ are providing short-term seed funding to support joint neuroscience research or networking activities, which are intended to represent a priming step towards seeking comprehensive joint external research funding. Awards will be made to enable investigators to obtain data to support larger-scale applications for external research funding. This category will fund staff, postgraduate student exchange or short stays of group leaders at the partner institution as well as research consumables. Funding can alternatively be used to host seminars, events, workshops or a symposium to develop research collaboration through the exchange of knowledge and skills.
Details
- Career stage: Early career
- Funding: Up to £20,000 per award (£60,000 in total available)
- Duration: 1 year
- Application deadline: 4pm, 2 November 2024
Further information and how to apply
Applicants should complete an intention to submit by 4pm, 25 October 2023. Applicants will also need to complete and submit an application form. Completed forms should be sent by email to Ruth Wainman (r.wainman@ucl.ac.uk) and Wolfgang Knecht (wknecht@neuroscience.uzh.ch) with the subject line 'UCL Zurich Funding Call 2024' by the application deadline.
Applications need to involve at least 1 group leader affiliated with UCL Neuroscience and at least 1 group leader affiliated with Neuroscience Center Zurich ZNZ.
The deadline for full applications is 4pm, 2 December 2024.
Supporting documents
- MRC/BBSRC/EPSRC and NC3Rs Novel human in vitro models of complex disease | UCL deadline: 11 November 2024
Scope
Funding is available to lead a cluster in a coordinated network for novel human in vitro models of complex disease. Clusters should be focussed on:
- Development, validation, and adaptation of human in vitro disease models for ready adoption by end-users in academia, industry, or both
- Specific disease areas of high unmet need or addressing common needs with relevance to multiple disease domains.
Clusters need to integrate interdisciplinary teams comprising diverse expertise appropriate to the proposed work.
Details
- Funding: Total fund available £10m to fund 3 clusters for 4 years.
- Internal deadline: 4pm, 11 November 2024
Further information and how to apply
Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for the full call details, including eligibility criteria.
UCL applicants should submit a UCL Expression of Interest Form by the internal deadline to enable identification of any potential synergies between UCL’s bids. For any queries contact k.groot@ucl.ac.uk with ‘Novel human in vitro models of complex disease’ in the subject line.
- EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure | UCL deadline: open
Scope
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Strategic Infrastructure scheme supports research infrastructure in UK universities. There are 2 routes within the opportunity:
- Funding for new strategic infrastructure of value over £400,000
- Resources to support existing strategic infrastructure when invited by EPSRC.
Expressions of interest (EoI) from academics or research technical professionals are welcomed. Proposals need to benefit the UK research community, including those beyond UCL. Infrastructure should be unique in the UK or proposed to be used in a unique way. Proposals need to be:
- Strategically important to the department(s) involved
- Evidenced by meaningful support (cash/in-kind).
Engagement with the appropriate Heads of Department and/or Research Directors is required as part of the EoI process. Where multiple EoIs are received from a department they will be asked to rank them by priority.
UCL may only submit a limited number of applications between June 2024 and June 2025 and will run an internal process with a focus on the number of submissions put forward and the timing of submissions. Institutional oversight at an early stage will facilitate later stages of the process where the Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) (RIGE) is required to attend the final interview.
Details
- Funding: Over £400,000, including VAT
- Number of UCL applications allowed: Up to 6 by 18 June 2025
- Deadline: Open (until June 2025)
How to apply
EoIs may be submitted at any time via the EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure - UCL internal EoI Form. Contact Jon Williams (BEAMS Research Coordination team) at jon.williams@ucl.ac.uk if you have any queries about the scheme.
Further information
Visit the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) website for full call details and eligibility criteria.
Selection process
Submissions will be batched quarterly and considered at the next batching meeting by a small representative panel of Vice-Deans (Research), convened by the Research Coordination Office (BEAMS). They will assess the strategic case made by the applicant and whether the ideas are appropriate to prepare for submission to EPSRC, before deciding which submissions to put forward.
To ensure a spread of applications across UCL areas of expertise and interest the panel will look at:
- The competitiveness of the proposal against the scheme criteria
- Fit to department, faculty and central strategic priorities
- Whether the proposal has already been considered by EPSRC
- The range of remits and type of equipment being proposed.
The panel will then make one of 3 recommendations:
- EoI to go forward as an outline proposal
Applicants will be given a submission deadline to enable UCL to manage the flow of applications. Applicants will receive support from the BEAMS Research Coordination team, alongside faculty and department input. - EoI not yet ready
Applicants will be given feedback on why the EoI was considered not yet ready for submission. Applicants can resubmit to the internal EoI process again when ready. Ideas can only be resubmitted once unless explicitly invited by the panel. - EoI not suitable to go forward
If an application is out of remit for EPSRC, not appropriate for the scheme, or is an internal resubmission which is not sufficiently improved it will be rejected.
Panel recommendations will be shared with applicants as soon as possible, following approval from the Vice-Provost (RIGE).
Proposals submitted to EPSRC as an outline are sometimes rejected and invited to resubmit by EPSRC. EPSRC-invited resubmissions will need to go through the internal EoI process again. The panel will take into account that EPSRC-invited resubmissions have been encouraged to reapply by the funder.
- Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowships | UCL deadline: open
Scope
The Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowships offer talented international research leaders the opportunity to undertake a flexible 12-month sabbatical in a UK university or research institution.
The scheme aims to enable the Visiting Fellow and host UK organisation to develop ongoing collaborative research links, and to share ideas and best practices.
The scheme generally has 3 rounds per year, with varying deadlines usually in autumn, spring and summer. For each round, the Royal Society require UCL to manage the number of proposals it puts forward.
Details
- Career stage: Senior career
- Funding: Up to £125,000
- Duration: Up to 12 months full-time, with a minimum stay of 3 months, or flexibly over 2 years
- UCL deadline: At least 6 weeks before the call deadline
How to apply
Expressions of interest for a scheme round should be submitted to the BEAMS Research Coordination team via email (ovpr.beams@ucl.ac.uk) at least 6 weeks before the Royal Society's deadline.
Host UCL departments that wish to nominate a candidate for the scheme should submit the candidate’s CV, as well as a supporting statement signed by the Head of Department (2 sides of A4 maximum), highlighting the:
- Strategic case for the nomination and fit to institutional research strengths and strategies
- Mutual benefit to UCL and the researcher, including the potential to develop ongoing international collaborative links, share ideas and practice
- High quality and originality of the candidate’s proposed research vision and the contribution that the researcher can make to the furtherance of UK research in their field
- Suitability of the host Department/Division/Institute/School for the candidate, and its commitment to supporting the researcher during the sabbatical period.
Should a high volume of planned applications for any given round, a prioritisation process may be put in place centrally or at faculty level, with proposals considered by a small, representative academic panel against the scheme criteria.
Further information
Visit the Royal Society website for full call details and eligibility criteria.