The Royal Society–Research Ireland University Research Fellowship supports outstanding early-career scientists to build independent research careers at host institutions in the Republic of Ireland. The Royal Society awards the fellowships and Research Ireland meets the cost of awards based in Ireland.
Supported fields span the natural sciences, including biological and biomedical research, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics and computing. The fellowship can run for eight years, with funding for years six to eight dependent on a satisfactory mid-fellowship review at the start of year four.
Benefits & funding
- Salary contribution on the Research Ireland Research Fellow scale, Level 3, for the first five years, with annual increments.
- After a satisfactory mid-fellowship review, salary contribution on the Senior Research Fellow scale, Level 4, for the final three years.
- Research expenses of up to €90,000 per year.
- Institutional overheads equal to 30% of the award value excluding equipment.
- Flexible arrangements may include part-time working, sabbaticals, secondments and international experience.
Eligibility
- Applicants must hold a PhD; merely submitting the thesis does not meet the requirement.
- The standard eligibility band is three to eight years of actual research experience since formal approval of the PhD by the closing date, with eligible career breaks considered. Applicants below three years may be considered case by case for exceptional talent if the Head of Department submits a supporting letter and flags it to the Grants team before the application.
- Proposed research must fall within the Royal Society natural-sciences remit.
- Applicants must not hold a permanent post at a university or not-for-profit research organisation in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland.
- Applicants must not lead an independent research group or hold or previously have held an equivalent nationally competitive fellowship that establishes independent researcher status.
- Applicants of any nationality may apply; no nationality or prior-residency restriction is stated.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Education required
PhD
Experience required
≤ 8 yrs
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Application process
- 1Confirm eligibility and agree support, space and resources with a prospective host department in the Republic of Ireland.
- 2Register or sign in to the Royal Society Flexi-Grant system and complete the fellowship application.
- 3Arrange the nominated references and Head of Department statement, all of which must be submitted by the deadline.
- 4Submit the complete application by 9 September 2026 at 15:00 Irish local time.
- 5Eligible applications are assessed by the relevant scientific panel; longlisted proposals undergo independent peer review, and shortlisted applicants attend an interview.
Program timeline
Applications open
Jul 14, 2026
Research Ireland information webinar
Jul 16, 2026
Application, nominated-reference and Head of Department statement deadline at 15:00 Irish local time
Sep 9, 2026
Funding decision by this date
May 31, 2027