Research Training Fellowships 

If your project is eligible for one of the MEC-NIHR partnership doctoral fellowships then you are not eligible to apply for the Research Training Fellowship. Applicants are advised to check our fellowships page or contact NIHR for confirmation of whether their project is eligible if unsure.

Awarded Fellowships are at the clinical pre-doctoral or entry level. To consider applying for a Research Training Fellowship you will, at a minimum, be able to demonstrate some prior research experience and the potential and ability to pursue a PhD with an intention to develop long-term research interests.

If applicants have already registered (or soon will) and started their PhD, it is expected that they would not have completed more than 12 months (pro rata for part time).

Clinically qualified applicants should be at an appropriate point in their clinical training to undertake a PhD, and should have clear plans for the completion of their specialty training where applicable. Trainees are usually expected to undertake Out of Programme Research only from the end of ST3 to the end of ST5. Before submitting an application, applicants should also consult their Training Programme Director and Postgraduate Dean about undertaking a PhD and their plans to complete speciality training.

Nurses, optometrists and members of the allied health professions must have completed their professional training and will be expected to hold a research Masters degree, equivalent postgraduate research-oriented qualification or equivalent research related experience.

The expectation is that all awardees will register for their PhD programme at UCL. If there is a request to consider registration onto a PhD programme in a different University, potential applicants must contact Moorfields Eye Charity prior to starting an application to discuss this further.

Applicants may be either currently employed by Moorfields Eye Hospital/​the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology or intending to hold their Fellowship at either institution. If neither case applies, potential applicants must contact Moorfields Eye Charity prior to submitting an application so that appropriate eligibility checks can be completed.

• Full time (3 years) or part time (5 year) salary support, commensurate with current salary level.
• Up to 2 clinical sessions per week (pro rata for part time)
• Full time basic salaries above £82,000 will not be considered under this scheme. Applicants with a current salary above this could opt to apply with the funding capped at this level
• UK PhD registration fees
• Research expenses for directly related research costs up to a normal maximum of £20,000 per year (pro rata).

Funding can be requested for a full time (3 year) or part time PhD (5 years).