Wellcome Early-Career Awards

Provides funding for early-career researchers from any discipline who are ready to develop their research identity and drive shifts in understanding of human life, health, and wellbeing. By the end of the award, recipients should have the research maturity to lead their own independent research programme. No co-applicants accepted. This is a sole investigator award.

Open to early-career researchers based at eligible administering organisations in the UK or LMICs in Africa, South Asia and South-east Asia, Malawi qualifies. From 29 October 2026 Wellcome accepts lead applicants only from the UK and these LMIC regions.

Your research must:
• Fit within what Wellcome Trust supports in Discovery Research.
• Have the potential to improve human life, health, and well-being.
Your research can be
• in any discipline - including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), experimental medicine, humanities and social science, clinical/allied health sciences, and public health.

A Wellcome Early-Career Award provides a salary for the grant holder and up to £400,000 for research expenses.

On top of the £400,000 research expenses limit, you may also be able to ask for:
• Direct Costs: Overheads, overseas allowances, and the cost of macaques purchased from the
Centre for Macaques.
• Adjustment Support: Assistive technology and support staff.

Submit via the Wellcome Funding platform. No pre-proposal or letter of intent required. Submit a full application directly. The application must be approved by UNIMA (as the administering organisation) before the deadline. A sample application form is available on the scheme page. Three rounds per year: Wellcome Career Development Awards 2026