Independent Research Fellowships

Application Form

When applying you will need to supply the following: 

• CV - your up to date CV with a full publication list
• Research Proposal - your draft research proposal should be 2-3 or 5-6 sides of A4, with references excluded from the page limits - see below for the required length
• Candidate Statement - a short statement (max 1 side of A4) describing how your research fits within the Chemistry Research Themes and how you fit in within the remit of your chosen fellowship scheme(s) 
• Sponsor Statement - a supporting statement by a sponsor academic in the department identifying opportunities for collaboration and new skills/capabilities that the candidate and project would bring to the department

*Dependent on match funding availability

Each expression of interest is evaluated by a panel of academics on the basis of: 

• scientific merit
• alignment of the proposed research with our research themes
• eligibility of the candidate for the proposed funding scheme/s

There are many different fellowship schemes from different funders. Each scheme will have different eligibility criteria and application processes. 

If you are interested in applying to a scheme that is not listed below please contact us.

Funder	Scheme	Duration	Eligibility
	Postdoctoral Fellowships	3 years	Postdoctoral fellowships are only available in certain priority areas
	Open Fellowships	5 years
	Independent Research Fellowships	5 years
	Discovery Fellowships	3 years	<5 years post PhD
‌	Future Leaders Fellowships	4+3 years	(Please contact us directly if you are interested in this fellowship.)
	Early Career Fellowships	3 years	<4 years post PhD
	University Research Fellowships - this now includes biomedical sciences within their remit	5 years	3-8 years post PhD
	Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships	5 years	<6 years post PhD need for flexible support
‌	Early-Career Awards	5 years	<3 years post PhD (some flexibility)
	Career Development Awards	8 years	independent researcher (usually already hold a fellowship at time of application or are within three years of your first academic appointment)
	Research Fellowships	3 years	<3 years post PhD
	Ramsay Memorial Fellowships	2 years	50%+ salary match would need to be sought
	Daphne Jackson Fellowships	2 years	after a career break of two or more years
‌	Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships	2 or 3 years
	European Research Council Starting Grant	5 years	2-7 years post PhD

Other schemes

• Newton International Fellowships
• The Branco Weiss Fellowship - Society in Science
• Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowships
• The US-UK Fulbright Commission
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
• Canon Foundation Research Fellowships
• Lindemann Trust Fellowships

Excellence in research and teaching

The Department of Chemistry is a large and successful department in an attractive University with an excellent reputation for teaching and research). The excellence of Chemistry at York has been recognised in our league table rankings - 3rd in the Guardian University Guide 2019 and the Times Good University Guide 2019, and 6th in the Complete University Guide 2019

We have about 60 members of academic staff including five Fellows of the Royal Society and several national and international prize winners, contributing to a dynamic and thriving department. There are over 620 undergraduate students, over 160 graduate students (mostly studying for PhD degrees) and more than 70 postdoctoral researchers. We have a wide range of facilities and well-equipped laboratories, some very recently extended and modernised, providing an excellent environment for both teaching and research; £35M has been spent on new buildings and equipment in the last seven years.

Broad-ranging support throughout fellowship application process

The Department of Chemistry is committed to supporting our fellowship applicants at each stage of the application process. 

Assistance from an experienced academic staff member will include:

• Advice on the development of the scientific case for your research proposal, including coordinating an internal peer-review process
• Help as necessary with resource planning including the identification of available departmental equipment and resources
• Draft text for institutional letters of support and other necessary support documentation

Assistance from research support staff will include:

• Identification of funding schemes and assessment of eligibility
• Help with understanding funder requirements
• Resource planning and costing
• Liaising with the University of York research office

Letters of support from relevant staff (e.g. academic sponsor/mentor, Head of Department) will be provided.

Commitment to equality and diversity: Athena Swan Gold

The Athena Swan Gold Award for promoting women in science was won by the Department of Chemistry in 2007 and renewed in 2010 and 2015. Ours was the first Gold award made in this scheme. The Athena Swan Charter recognises and celebrates good employment practice for women working in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research. 

As a Department we strive to provide a working environment which allows all staff and students to contribute fully, to flourish, and to excel. We aim to ensure that there is a supportive and egalitarian culture at all levels and across all staff groups. We promote good practice and a strong culture of equality in higher education. We offer a set of family-friendly practices including flexible working.

Strong track record of supporting independent fellows

The Department of Chemistry at York has significant experience and history in hosting research fellowships, and many of our former fellows have gone on to successful academic careers, here and elsewhere. The Department provides support for all categories of staff in their career development and encourages the take-up of training opportunities including those provided by the award-winning University Research Excellence Training Team. 

The University of York has been successful in retaining the European Commission (EC) HR Excellence in Research Award, reviewed after six years (one of eight UK Universities to do so). The award recognises an institution’s commitment to implementing the UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers – principles that support all research staff by promoting recruitment, career enhancement, equality and diversity.