The Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship, run by the Royal Society, is a first step into an independent research career for early-career scientists with a current need for flexibility, such as primary carers or people with a diagnosed health condition.
Fellows lead their own natural-science research at an eligible UK university or research institute, full-time or part-time. Funding for years six to eight depends on a mid-fellowship review at the start of year four.
Benefits & funding
- Up to £1,907,400 over eight years for salary (80% contribution), research expenses, research staff and new PhD studentships.
- Up to £8,000 for public engagement; justified relocation and visa costs for you, your partner and children, with visa costs allowed above the cap.
- Part-time working, parental and extended sick leave, and childcare costs for fellowship-related travel.
Eligibility
- Any nationality; the fellowship must be held at an eligible UK research organisation.
- A PhD and no more than six years of actual research experience since it by 29 October 2026; career breaks, leave and part-time work are taken into account.
- A current, ongoing need for flexibility, e.g. being a primary carer or having a clinically diagnosed health condition.
- No tenure-track, permanent or proleptic post at a university or not-for-profit research organisation.
- No current or past equivalent UK independent fellowship (e.g. UKRI Future Leaders); Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdocs may apply.
- Natural-sciences research only; no clinical or interventional research on humans, social sciences or humanities.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Education required
PhD
Experience required
≤ 6 yrs
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Application process
- 1Agree the plan, eight-year budget and host support with the proposed UK department and research office.
- 2Submit on Flexi-Grant® by 29 October 2026, 15:00 UK time, with the host organisation’s approval.
- 3Before the deadline, a Head of Department statement and two nominated referees’ references, in English, must be in; referees cannot be named collaborators or both from the host.
- 4Longlisted applications go to independent peer review; shortlisted applicants are interviewed in June 2027.
Program timeline
Applications open
Sep 3, 2026
Deadline, 15:00 UK time
Oct 29, 2026
Interviews
Jun 16, 2027 to Jun 17, 2027
Outcomes by end of July
Jul 31, 2027
Fellowships start
Oct 1, 2027 to Jan 1, 2028