Early Career Researcher Grant

The 2023 Early Career Researcher Grant call is closed.

Early Career Researcher Grants are available to help newly-established Early Career Researchers develop their own independent programme of research. They can be used for new research projects, critical pilot studies, critical replications, proof-of-concept work or to supplement other research programmes, whether funded by other grants or not.

Early Career Researchers who have started a recently-awarded independent research position at a Scottish University or Scottish Research Institute are eligible. These could include inter alia lectureships or other tenured/tenure-track positions, or wholly independent postdoctoral Fellowships. Researchers can apply within two years, from the closing date for applications, of taking up their post. If the post is fixed term an award will not be made within two years of the end date, from the closing date for applications. Anyone working for a higher degree is excluded from applying. If you are in doubt on your eligibility, please contact applications@medicalresearchscotland.org.

There is no requirement or restriction on the subject or nature of the research, provided it addresses a question relevant to human health – the causation, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness or the development of medical or surgical appliances. If a new device is being developed, there must be a clear plan for meeting regulatory standards.

You can contact us at applications@medicalresearchscotland.org to check if you are eligible before making an application.

The maximum value of each award is 20,000. We will support direct costs and consumables. The grants cannot be used for salary costs or ad hoc payments to students or maintenance costs for equipment. Awards will be made on the basis that applicants can purchase any necessary materials and invoice MRS to recover the costs.

A set-up report and a short final report on each project must be submitted on the approved Report Forms, within 3 months after the agreed start date and within 3 months after the end date of the project, respectively. The final report must be submitted and approved as satisfactory before final invoices are paid. The final report should describe the scientific outcomes, impact or pathway to impact, consequential further awards and personal development benefits of the award.

Awards are for immediate use from the agreed start date and will normally be of 12 to 24 month duration.

Following our current regulations, applications should come from within a Scottish University or Scottish Research Institute.

Permissions: if ethical approval is required for the proposed project, please check with your local Ethics Committee that your project can be reviewed and considered quickly.

Authorisation: any relevant authorisation for research work, including animal research, must be obtained before any research requiring authorisations is conducted.

Applications must be made on the forms provided, which can be downloaded at the right hand side of this page, and submitted as PDF documents, with signatures.

Payments: Costs must be met initially by the Administering Institution, which should submit fully itemised quarterly invoices in arrears to MRS for reimbursement. Invoices must include the award reference number, the claim period and a fully identifiable description of the items being claimed.

We aim to notify applicants by email of the outcome of their application by the end of November.