See Research Fellowships | UCL Research – UCL – University College London for a full list.
Note that our lab is also at MIT (in addition to UCL) so we can also accept US based funded Postdocs.
| Funding Opportunity | Target Applicant Pool | Typical Deadline Window | Funding Duration | Key Eligibility & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellcome Early-Career Awards | Early-career postdocs (0–3 years post-PhD experience) across any discipline aiming to build independent research identity in health, psychology, or neuroscience. | Internal UCL review: May / June Funder Deadline: July (and late Autumn) | 5 | Covers full salary plus up to £400,000 in research expenses. |
| Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship | Early-career researchers with a proven research record who submitted their PhD thesis within 4 years of the application deadline. | UCL Departmental EoI: Oct–Nov Funder Deadline: February | 5 | Requires a degree from a UK HEI or a temporary academic post in the UK. UCL co-funds 50% of the salary. |
| MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships | International researchers of any nationality moving to the UK to undertake research at UCL (Horizon Europe European Postdoctoral Fellowships). | UCL Internal Review: June Funder Deadline: September | 2026-02-01 00:00:00 | Requires a PhD at the deadline date and maximum 8 years post-PhD experience. Mobility Rule: Applicants must not have resided/worked in the UK for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to the deadline. |
| British Academy | Early-career researchers in the social sciences and humanities, including social, cognitive, and affective psychology. | UCL Internal Selection: July Funder Deadline: September / October | 3 | Must be within 3 years of viva completion. UK/EEA nationals or anyone who completed their PhD at a UK university. Covers salary and research expenses (80% FEC regime). |
| UCL Excellence Fellowship | High-calibre, exceptional early-career postdocs globally in life sciences, brain sciences, and psychology. | Internal Call: Autumn / Winter | 3 | UCL's flagship internal fellowship run by the School of Life and Medical Sciences (SLMS). Provides full salary, research funds, and direct institutional support to build independent research leadership. |
| Newton International Fellowship(Royal Society / British Academy) | Early-career non-UK researchers currently working outside the UK who wish to move to a UK host institution like UCL. | Departmental EoI: January Funder Deadline: March | 2 | Must hold a PhD (or defend prior to award committee decision) with no more than 5 years post-PhD experience. Non-UK citizens only. Covers salary, research expenses, relocation, and visa costs. |
| HFSP Postdoctoral Fellowships (Human Frontier Science Program) | Early-career scientists moving to a new country to pursue frontier, interdisciplinary life science/cognitive research. | Funder Deadline: May | 3 | Encourages candidates from quantitative/computational disciplines (e.g., AI, computer science, physics) to pivot into biological, brain, or behavioral science. Requires international mobility to the UK. |
| ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship(via UBEL DTP) | Recent PhD graduates whose research falls at least 50% within the social sciences (e.g., psychological sciences, decision science). | UBEL DTP Internal: Jan / Feb Funder Deadline: March | 2026-02-01 00:00:00 | Must have completed their PhD at a UK Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) institution within 12 months of the deadline. Focuses on consolidating PhD research, publishing, and network building. |
| UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships | Early-to-mid career researchers with outstanding potential tackling complex, interdisciplinary challenges (e.g., Human-AI interaction). | UCL Central EoI: Jan / Summer Funder Deadline: Varies by round | 7 | Highly prestigious UKRI flagship award open to global applicants. Provides long-term funding covering applicant salary, research staff, consumables, and travel. |
| Royal Society University Research Fellowship | Exceptional postdocs (3–8 years post-PhD experience) in natural sciences, including computational and cognitive neuroscience. | UCL Internal EoI: June / July Funder Deadline: September | 8 | Aimed at researchers who demonstrate the potential to become leaders in their field. Provides salary and up to £90,000/year in research expenses. |
| EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship | Postdoctoral researchers in life sciences and biological mechanisms of behavior/brain function moving across borders. | Continuous calls: Cutoffs in January & July | 2 | Must have obtained a PhD within the last 2 years and move to an EMBC member state (UK). Covers full employment contract, relocation allowance, and leadership training. |
| BBRF NARSAD Young Investigator Grant | Advanced postdocs or junior faculty worldwide conducting research on psychiatric, affective, mood, or cognitive brain processes. | Funder Deadline: March | 2 | Provides up to $35,000 per year ($70,000 total). Excellent supplementary or partial-funding award for researchers focusing on affective neuroscience and decision-making. |
| Schmidt Science Fellows | Final-year PhD students or recent graduates in natural sciences/computational fields wishing to make a major disciplinary pivot. | UCL Nomination: April Funder Deadline: July | 2026-02-01 00:00:00 | Requires nomination by your PhD-granting institution. Stipend of $110,000/year plus dedicated leadership training. Ideal for researchers pivoting between AI/Computer Science and Cognitive/Brain Sciences. |