Fellowships

Interest is welcomed from early career researchers in all areas of biology, including those at interdisciplinary boundaries with other life sciences, physical or social sciences who may draw on the outstanding breadth of Oxford’s research environment. Please check your eligibility for the fellowship you intend to apply to; generally, the fellowships applicable for the mentorship programme are intended for those who have already completed their PhD and some require several years of postdoctoral research experience.

If you wish to seek the Department’s support to apply for any of the fellowships listed above, you must engage with this process.

Please note this is not an offer of a job or a guarantee that you will be successful in gaining any of these fellowships to join the Department.

Selected applicants are assigned a mentor who is a senior researcher within the department who will provide support and advice. The aim of the mentoring system is to:   

1. Aid the progression to an independent researcher and group leader
2. Identify ways in which the Department can best support and help you
3. Facilitate progression to either another Fellowship or permanent position

See the 'How to apply' section for more details. 

In many Fellowship schemes, an interview is the final step in the application process. We provide mock interview practice and have found that this has a positive impact on success rates.

Mentorship applications are advertised twice per year, with closing dates on 31 March and 31 October every year. Applicants should assess which deadline is most suitable for them depending on which fellowships they wish to apply for. 

Not all sections are actively recruiting in round 2 of the programme so please check with the fellowships team prior to submitting your application. 

The Department has several research Sections (themes); you will need to choose the most appropriate Section for your mentorship submission based on your research interests. Read more about the Sections of the Department. 

To express your interest, please send the following to fellows@biology.ox.ac.uk by the deadline:

1. a completed application cover sheet;
2. a two-page research proposal;
3. your CV (no more than five pages).

Please include all appointments, publications, and appropriate research information. Please note that all three items must be included to ensure that your application is considered. Any questions can be directed to fellows@biology.ox.ac.uk.

Not all sections are actively recruiting in round 2 of the programme so please check with the fellowships team prior to submitting your application.

Selection criteria

• Scientific excellence
• Potential readiness and competitiveness for schemes in programme
• Potential synergy or complementarity with Section and Department
• Availability of facilities for the proposed work

Next steps

We aim to notify all applicants 5 weeks after the deadline if they have been selected and who will be their assigned mentor.

From this point onward, the mentor will be your main point of contact. The mentor will advise on all aspects of the preparation of their applications and will agree a timeline for the next steps. You will also have support from research facilitation and costings officers who will help ensure your application is ready on time.

The candidates will be expected to: 

• Confirm their intent to submit an application at least 6 weeks before the intended fellowship deadline
• Finalise all aspects of the application at least 3 weeks before the funder’s deadline
• Be available to address queries for internal approvals, such as budgeting and support needs, until the application is submitted.

Once you have obtained a Fellowship, the Department can provide a wealth of support and advice to assist you in maximising the success of your Fellowship research.

• Grants: Various Fellowship schemes allow you to apply for additional research funding. Advice and information can be provided for external funding applications.
• Additional funding support: Oxford has a diverse range of internal funding schemes to support research, including pilot projects.
• Graduate students: Fellows holding Fellowships of at least three years duration are actively encouraged to supervise DPhil (PhD) students from their first year.
• Recognition: We actively nominate researchers for national and international awards, such as Zoological Society of London Scientific Medal, Michael Faraday Prize, and L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards, among others.

The Department of Biology is dedicated to upholding and developing good employment practice for women working in science, and holds an Athena Swan Award for its initiatives in this area.