MRC Research Grant: Applicant-Led
Supports United Kingdom biomedical teams through applicant-led grants that build discovery innovation capacity.
The MRC Research Grant (Applicant-Led) is the Medical Research Council's primary open-submission instrument for discovery and early translational research, accepting applications on a continuously rolling basis with no fixed closing date as of 7 April 2026. The scheme funds ambitious research within MRC remit that advances understanding of disease causes and mechanisms, accelerates diagnosis, advances treatment, or prevents illness. Eligible project types include focused research projects of flexible duration, longer-term work addressing interrelated scientific questions, and proof-of-principle studies testing feasibility. Later-phase clinical trials, PhD studentships, infrastructure-only proposals, publication costs, and bridge funding are explicitly out of scope. UKRI funds 80% of full economic costs (fEC), with 100% for permitted exceptions; there is no upper limit on award size, and projects may run for up to five years, with project starts expected nine to eighteen months after submission.
Eligibility is restricted to researchers employed by UKRI-eligible UK research organisations with standard eligibility status. Business employees and most charity or third-sector staff cannot lead applications. International researchers may participate as project co-leads where they bring unique expertise, with established exceptions for MRC units in Gambia and Uganda. Applications involving industry partners must complete Industry Collaboration Framework (ICF) questions covering research type, IP arrangements, and dissemination plans. Applications are submitted via the UKRI Funding Service; Je-S has been decommissioned for this scheme.
Shortlisting panels convene twice yearly, with first interviews for the current open window anticipated in November to December 2026. The scheme is well suited to established research groups with a hypothesis-driven programme that does not fit more targeted calls. Given the absence of a fixed deadline, applicants should allow for shortlisting panel timing when planning submission, and should contact the applicantleddiscovery@mrc.ukri.org team for scheme-specific queries.
Discovery and early translational research within MRC remit addressing the causes and mechanisms of disease, and accelerating diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness.
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