Springboard Awards
Springboard Awards provide small grants to support basic biomedical scientists as they develop their independent research careers. The scheme is a collaboration between the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Wellcome Trust.
Scheme at a glance
- Lead applicant career stage:
- Administering organisation location:
- UK
- Funding amount:
Up to £125,000, with research assistance and expenses
- Funding duration:
Two years
- Coapplicants:
- Not accepted
Eligibility and suitability
Who can apply
You can apply for a Springboard Award if:
- you’re within five years of being appointed to your first independent post (such as a lecturer position)
- your current post provides you with a salary
- you don’t currently hold significant research funding
- you have the support of your host organisation
- you are based at an eligible higher education institution. Review the list on the Academy of Medical Sciences website
You can find out more about eligibility for the Springboard Award on the Academy of Medical Sciences website.
Who can't apply
If you’re a practising clinician, you can’t apply to this scheme. You may be able to apply for a Starter Grant for Clinical Lecturers instead.
What we offer
A Springboard Award from the Academy of Medical Sciences offers up to £125,000 over two years. This amount can be used to cover:
- research expenses
- equipment
- research assistance
- travel costs for meetings and collaborations.
If successful, the Academy of Medical Sciences will also offer you mentoring and career support.
The Academy of Medical Sciences website has more information about costs.
What we don’t offer
Funding cannot be used to cover personal salary costs.
How to apply
Please apply to the Academy of Medical Sciences for a Springboard Award.
Key dates
The Academy of Medical Sciences considers applications once a year. New funding rounds open every spring.
Contact us
If you have a question, contact the Academy of Medical Sciences: