Daphne Jackson fellowship

- Funders: Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Medical Research Council (MRC), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) - Funding type: Fellowship

Last updated: 27 March 2026 - see all updates

These fellowships are for those looking to return to a research career after a break of two or more years for family, health or caring reasons. The aim is to give participants the confidence and skills they need to make a successful return to research.

They provide an opportunity to balance a personalised retraining programme with a challenging research project, in a supportive UK university or research establishment.

They are flexible, with at least 100 hours retraining per year, and part-time – usually completed over three years at 0.5 full-time equivalent.

Who can apply

Daphne Jackson fellowships are retraining fellowships open to all researchers across science, technology, engineering, mathematics, social sciences, arts and humanities, and other related disciplines.

Find out more about eligibility on the Daphne Jackson website.

How to apply

You will need to apply to the Daphne Jackson Trust.

You can view current opportunities on the Daphne Jackson Trust website. Sponsored fellowships are also advertised on university websites and on jobs.ac.uk.

Alternatively, if you know the area of research you would like to return to or have identified a potential host institution or supervisor, you can apply for a Daphne Jackson fellowship at any time. You should contact the Trust for advice.

Additional info

The Daphne Jackson Trust works in partnership with universities, research councils, learned societies, charities and industry, to support those wishing to return to a research career.

The fellowships are funded by organisations such as UKRI and learned societies. The Daphne Jackson Trust does not provide the funding but acts as a facilitator between the sponsor and the fellow, providing the infrastructure and dedicated staff to recruit and retrain fellows and administer the awards.

Daphne Jackson fellows also take part in at least three online courses during their fellowship. The courses cover subjects such as professional skills, how to publish and how to improve your confidence.