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Applying to UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

This scheme supports early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential to lead ambitious research & innovation programmes across UKRI’s remit.

** UPDATED 29/01/2026: UKRI will be inviting applications for Round 11 of the Future Leadership Fellowships – full details and guidance for this call will be available on the UKRI FLF funding webpage for Round 11 once the call opens on 2 February. The University of Liverpool will be holding a demand management process to select the candidates we will put forward for this scheme – details and internal deadlines can be found further below. ** 

About the scheme 

The Future Leaders Fellowship scheme is for early career researchers who are transitioning to or establishing independence, or who may be developing plans within a commercial setting. Fellowships will provide long-term flexible funding of up to seven years (4+3) to tackle difficult and novel challenges and support adventurous, ambitious programmes. 

Fellowships will be funded for four years in the first phase, with the option to apply to renew for a further three years later on. Successful applicants are expected to be supported with an open-ended position in line with organisational employment policies and practices, after the funded period of the fellowship. 

There is no minimum or maximum award value – the level of funding requested must be appropriate to the project and justified. So far, the scheme has funded fellowships from £300,000 to over £2 million and there is no preference for lower or higher cost proposals.  

Applications are welcome from the entirety of the UKRI remit – applications from arts, humanities and social sciences are particularly encouraged. Cross-sector and organisational links, and research collaborations in both the UK and internationally, are encouraged.  

Applicants 

To help assess your suitability, please carefully check the eligibility criteria on the UKRI Round 11 webpage, once the call is open. In particular, check the ‘Guidance for Academic-based Applicants’ (document usually available under the ‘Additional Info’ heading – the Round 10 guidance can be consulted here in the meantime).

At University of Liverpool, our Institutional Peer Review College  has issued an internal FLF Self-Assessment template, consisting of a series of questions designed to encourage applicants to self-reflect on their eligibility, and which can be used for discussion with their mentor/HoD to confirm they meet the criteria of the scheme, and that the proposed research project is strategically aligned with the Host department.

In summary:

  • These fellowships are aimed at early career academics and innovators who are transitioning to or establishing independence, or who may be developing their own original and ambitious plans within a commercial setting
  • The fellowship offers flexibility to support outstanding individuals from diverse career backgrounds and/or returning from a career break or returning to research following time in other roles.
  • Applicants do not need to hold a PhD, and there are no eligibility limits on time since PhD (however, if they don’t hold a PhD, applicants must demonstrate equivalent research or innovation experience or training).
  • Researchers who have already achieved research or innovation independence (for example, by securing funding aimed at this career stage, or by already managing their own significant programme of work within a business), should not apply. Senior academics and innovators are not permitted to apply.
  • There are no eligibility rules around whether an applicant holds a permanent/open ended academic position, however, if this is the case the applicant must justify why FLF is essential to their desired career path.

Difference between this scheme and other fellowship schemes 

  • Reviewers will look for bids with the ambition to use the fellowship to add value to do something that someone couldn't do by building up a portfolio of conventional grants. 
  • Long-term (4+3 years) flexible funding, enabling fellows to tackle ambitious programmes or multidisciplinary questions, and new/emerging research and innovation areas and partnerships. 
  • Fellowships can be made up of a single programme of work or multiple or concurrent interlinked projects led by the Fellow (i.e. ‘Portfolio Fellowship’).
  • Flexibility to alter the programme once the project has started in order to react to the changing research landscape or capitalise on advances in understanding.
  • This is a cross-council scheme which supports fellowships across the whole remit of UKRI, including interdisciplinary working and working across industries/sectors. 
  • No limit to the amount of funding requested - high value awards (in the region of £2m) and lower value awards (around £300k) have been granted. 
  • Commitment from the host institution to provide open-ended employment during or upon the completion of the fellowship. 
  • Supports applicants from diverse career paths – return from career breaks or following time in other roles are taken into account and flexible working (part-time, job share) is permitted.

Applying with us for Round 11 (June 2026)

The HSS Faculty at the University of Liverpool is particularly encouraging applications in the fields of our flagship research institutes in the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, Heritage Institute, or the Digital Media and Society Institute. If candidates are interested in applying with these institutes, please get in touch with them to discuss.

Getting advice

** For candidates applying within an HSS Departments only**

The HSS Faculty is offering potential candidates bookable 1-1 slots to discuss your FLF idea/proposal with Professor Farida Vis (HSS APVC for Research & Impact) and Maeva Zimmermann (HSS Research Development Officer). These will be half hour online slots to discuss your potential bid idea, and get 1-1 advice on your proposed project, fit to the scheme and readiness to apply to the coming round. 

To book your slot please :  

  • Select a day to meet with us: Monday 9 February (9am-2pm), Monday 23 February (12-5pm), Friday 27 February (9am-2pm)
  • Email Leanne Watson (Leanne.Watson@liverpool.ac.uk) to book your individual meeting time (half hour slots will be allocated on a first come first serve basis)
  • Complete this Microsoft Online Form to provide us with more background information about yourself and your proposed idea. 

Strict demand management process

Due to application limits set by UKRI, the University of Liverpool will operate a strict selection process, which will be led by our Institutional Peer Review College.

Candidates who wish to apply with us have to take part in this compulsory process.

Key dates include:

  • **UPDATE** Deadline EXTENDED to 23 February 2026 (was 18 February originally): Internal ‘Intention to Submit’ deadline (compulsory) - Applicants to complete and submit a basic online ItS form confirming they intend to send an application (this stage is only used to gauge demand and invite suitable reviewers)
  • 9 March 2026: Internal Application deadline (compulsory) - applicants to complete our internal application form, which will be based closely on the UKRI form. Heads of Departments will also submit their HoD Support Statement

Please see details on this page (please note this page will be updated shortly for Round 11 but can be consulted for reference in the meantime).

Any queries?

For further information please contact peerrev@liverpool.ac.uk. 

Information for UoL staff and mentors

For University of Liverpool colleagues, we have put together an intranet page with extra information.