Ernest Rutherford Fellowship 2025 Open

Are you an ambitious early-career researcher ready to launch your independent scientific career? The Ernest Rutherford Fellowship 2025, funded by the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), is now accepting applications! This prestigious five-year fellowship is designed to support emerging leaders in astronomy, physics, quantum technologies, and computational science to establish themselves as future scientific trailblazers.

About the Fellowship

The Ernest Rutherford Fellowship (ERF) provides early-career researchers with the platform to pursue innovative and independent research aligned with STFC’s core science programmes. With a total fund of £6 million, this highly competitive fellowship allows recipients to develop their own research agenda at a leading UK institution.

Fellowship Funding & Benefits

The Ernest Rutherford Fellowship offers robust financial and institutional support to early-career researchers. The fellowship runs for up to five years, during which 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) is covered by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), while the remaining 20% is contributed by the host institution.

Fellows can undertake their research on either a full-time or part-time basis (minimum 50%), with full salary support provided. In addition to salary, fellows receive up to £5,000 to cover minor equipment and consumables essential for their project.

A travel allowance of approximately £2,200 per year is also included to support participation in conferences, fieldwork, and collaborative visits. Those relocating from outside Europe can claim up to £3,000 in relocation support, and all visa and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) costs are covered under directly incurred costs, ensuring international fellows have the necessary resources to comfortably establish their research careers in the UK.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Hold a PhD or have equivalent relevant experience.
• Be early in their research career (but no minimum years of postdoc experience is required).
• Not hold a tenured academic position or equivalent (such as lecturer level).
• Be hosted by a UK-based research institution with an STFC ERF quota.
• Applicants of any nationality are welcome and can apply for the UK Global Talent Visa.

Note: Contact your host department early as internal selection processes may have earlier deadlines.

Fields of Research

Proposals must be within STFC’s remit, including:

• Nuclear physics
• Astronomy, solar, and planetary science
• Accelerator science
• Particle physics and astrophysics
• Computational science and quantum technologies.

Special Support Features

• Applications from those returning from career breaks (due to illness, caring, or non-academic work) are highly encouraged.
• Support for disability-related adjustments, flexible working, and part-time research careers is provided.
• Institutions must submit an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Statement to ensure a fair selection process.

Apply: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/ernest-rutherford-fellowship-2025/

The last date to apply for the Ernest Rutherford Fellowship 2025 is 1 October 2025 at 4:00pm UK time.
Applications must be submitted via the UKRI Funding Service (not Je-S).

Visit daadscholarship.com for More Fully-funded Scholarships 2026 News.