The Wellcome Trust has opened applications for a major new funding call to establish Doctoral Programmes for Healthcare Professionals, aimed at developing the next generation of clinical academic leaders in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Applications are due by 10 February 2026 (15:00 GMT). The call will fund approximately 12 doctoral training programmes, each with an average award of £12 million, supporting up to five intakes of fellows beginning in autumn 2027.

Strengthening the Clinical Research Pipeline

Healthcare professionals—including doctors, nurses, dentists, clinical psychologists, midwives, and allied health practitioners—play a crucial role in advancing discovery research. Their clinical insight and close connection with patient care make them uniquely positioned to identify research questions that can transform health outcomes.

However, the number of research-active healthcare professionals in the UK has been declining. To address this, Wellcome is investing in new doctoral programmes that will offer world-class research training, access to inclusive academic environments, and structured career pathways that enable healthcare professionals to thrive both as clinicians and as researchers.

Doctoral training is the entry point into this dual career pipeline. By funding new and existing programmes, Wellcome aims to reverse the decline in clinical research participation and ensure healthcare professionals remain at the forefront of discovery science.

Funding Overview

The call is designed to support established researchers and institutions with a track record of delivering high-quality doctoral training. Applicants can either renew an existing programme or propose a new one.

Each selected programme will support three to five doctoral fellows per intake across five consecutive cohorts. Funding will cover tuition, research expenses, fellow salaries, travel, and career development activities. Each award will last long enough to support five intakes, ensuring sustainable impact and continuity of training.

Wellcome anticipates funding around 12 programmes at a total value of approximately £12 million each, depending on scope and scale.

Who Can Apply

Applications must come from teams of established researchers capable of leading a large-scale, multi-cohort doctoral programme. The lead applicant will act as the programme director, supported by up to seven co-applicants who serve as co-directors. Teams can be based within a single institution or across multiple partner organisations in a consortium model.

Eligible host institutions include:

• Higher education institutions

• Research institutes

• Healthcare organisations

• Not-for-profit or non-governmental research bodies

Commercial entities may participate as collaborators but are not eligible to administer the grants.

Programmes must be open to healthcare professionals registered in the UK or Republic of Ireland and provide flexibility to accommodate part-time fellows maintaining clinical practice.

What the Programmes Must Deliver

Successful programmes must provide outstanding research training in supportive, diverse, and inclusive environments. Proposals must demonstrate:

• A clear research vision aligned with Wellcome’s Discovery Research priorities.

• A plan for recruiting a diverse cohort of fellows and supporting their progression.

• Integration between research and clinical practice to maintain clinical competencies.

• Mentorship and career support during and beyond the doctorate.

• A strategy to foster positive research culture and inclusive collaboration.

Proposals may focus on a single discipline—such as clinical medicine, engineering, public health, or social science—or take an interdisciplinary approach that unites multiple fields under a common theme.

How Applications Will Be Assessed

Applications will be evaluated on three main criteria:

1. Training Programme Quality (50%) – including vision, training design, integration with healthcare systems, and approach to mentoring and diversity.

2. Team Experience (25%) – assessing the leadership team’s expertise, supervisory capacity, and previous success in doctoral training.

3. Programme Management (25%) – focusing on recruitment, equity and inclusion, institutional support, and plans for monitoring student progress and wellbeing.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interviews in summer 2026, with final decisions announced shortly after. Successful programmes will begin recruitment of their first doctoral fellows in autumn 2027.

For more information visit HERE.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the Wellcome Funding Platform by 15:00 GMT on 10 February 2026. Each submission should include:

• A completed online application form

• A case for support document outlining the research vision and training plan

• Additional programme information, including institutional letters of support

Organisations applying for Wellcome funding for the first time must contact fundingsupport@wellcome.org to set up an account before submission.

By supporting this call, Wellcome continues its commitment to advancing clinical research capacity, promoting inclusive environments, and ensuring healthcare professionals remain at the heart of biomedical discovery.

Stay on our website for more opportunities.