Some Funding Sources for Postdoctoral Research in the UK
Royal Society University Research Fellowships: 5 years (plus possible
extensions to 10) for EU citizens who will have 2-7 years' postdoctoral
experience at appointment, are not already in a substantive post, and
are either currently employed in the UK or have resided in the UK for at
least 3 continuous years not for full-time education. Also on this page,
Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships which are for 4 years for EU citizens with PhD
and at most 4 years' postdoctoral experience and the same other conditions.
Royal Society International
Exchanges: Schemes listed by country (click "Country Index") for visits
to the UK (of or UK scientists to your country).
EPSRC Fellowships: (i) in Mathematics and in Theoretical Physics:
2 years for EU citizens who have/will have PhD and at most 3 years'
postdoctoral experience and are not already in a permanent academic post.
(ii) Advanced Fellowships, which are for 3 years and are not restricted
to EU citizens.
Also EPSRC accept applications for research grants from researchers at
UK universities which can include requests for funding for a postdoctoral
research
assistant, who can be named in the proposal, but my current personal
perspective on these is that the work for me to write
the proposal, get the postdoc to do the proposed research rather than what
they (quite reasonably) decide they are more interested in at the time,
and write the final report, usually outweighs the benefits to me.
EPSRC also accept applications from
UK researchers to host Visiting Fellows and these are less trouble.
EC Marie Curie Individual Fellowships: 2 years for EU citizens
(or 5 years residence) not a national of host country nor worked there
for more than a certain time.
Marie Curie also supports researchers
at levels other than postdoctoral. (This second link looks more up to date)
Royal Academy of Engineering
have Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
with an application deadline of October.
Leverhulme fellowships and exchanges
British Council:
various opportunities depending on your country
London Mathematical Society:
small grants for visits (select "Grants")
Royal Commission of 1851 Fellowships: 2 years for citizens of UK,
Commonwealth, Ireland or Pakistan, about to or recently obtained a PhD.
Cambridge College Research Fellowships
Using their endowments,
colleges at Cambridge offer
a number of Post-doctoral Research Fellowships aimed at people close
to completing their PhD or recently having completed it. In total, some
200 research fellowships are available each year across all subjects. Most
of these are stipendiary and offer a salary for three years and rooms and
board in college. Normally, the only requirement is that the research fellow
spends his/her full time on research. Competition is intense and successful
candidates are usually ranked as 'outstanding' by all referees. Contrary
to widespread belief, they are mostly open to graduates of any university
and there is no preference given to Cambridge applications. Post-docs (or
PhD's close to completion) wishing to join a Cambridge Group
and apply for college research fellowships should let the group know their intention
but should apply using their own referees. Details of research fellowships
are (only) published in the Cambridge University Reporter. This
is published weekly and is available on the
internet (look for the annual Awards Special Edition). It is worth checking this throughout the year for research
fellowships are advertised at different times (though mostly between August
and December). Colleges are generally inundated with applications and you
will find that they expect you to check the advertisements and are unlikely
to agree to send you details when they become available.