In the field of healthcare research, funding plays an important role in supporting the development of discoveries and the growth of future scientific leaders. The Wellcome Trust, a renowned global charitable foundation, has been instrumental in providing scholarships and career development awards to enable researchers to pursue their scholarly endeavors.
The Wellcome Career Development Awards is a scholarship program designed to support early and mid-career researchers in advancing their scientific careers. The awards offer full funding, including salary support and research expenses, to ensure that scholars can dedicate their time and resources to conducting impactful research.
For the year 2024, the Wellcome Career Development Awards are open to researchers pursuing post-doctoral degrees in several key areas of focus, which include discovery research, climate and health, infectious disease, and mental health. The awards usually last for 8 years but may be less for some disciplines and can be held on a part-time basis for longer duration.
Criteria for application for the Wellcome Career Development Awards
The scholarship is open to applicants of all nationalities, making it a truly global opportunity. In terms of geographical considerations, the scholarship can be pursued at universities and research institutions in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, as well as low- to middle income countries, with the exception of India and mainland China.
Applications are open to mid-career researchers ready to lead a substantial and innovative research programme. Candidates must be ready to generate significant shifts in understanding and develop methodologies and conceptual framework that could be beneficial to health-related research. Researches can be conducted in any discipline including STEM, experimental medicine, humanities and social sciences, allied and public health sciences with the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing.
Candidates will be assessed on the quality of their research proposal, skills and experience, and research environment. Candidates who hold or have held an equivalent award at this career stage cannot apply.
Application process
Before applying, candidates are advised to research more on the awards and the requirements for successful application. Applicants are required complete an application form on the Wellcome Funding webpage and submit the application to the host institution for approval. The award providers review the scholarship application after it is approved by the host institution.
Shortlisted applicants will be required to produce an external written expert review of their research proposal. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview conducted both in person and remotely.
The deadline for submission is 25th July 2024. More information on the programme, eligibility requirement and application process can be found on the Wellcome Trust website.