Applications for 2026/27 funding schemes are now open! 

The schemes provide targeted investment across key stages of the research and training pipeline, helping to accelerate progress in understanding, preventing and treating sight‑threatening conditions.

The charity’s funding portfolio for this round includes five programmes.

These awards support researchers who are ready to take the next step towards independence by covering salaries and research costs for up to 2 years. 

The scheme is aimed at individuals with significant postdoctoral experience who are developing a competitive track record and are on a clear trajectory towards becoming future leaders in ophthalmic research.

These studentships fund high‑quality doctoral research projects that advance knowledge in vision science and eye health. 

Each award supports a PhD programme of up to four years, enabling early‑career scientists to undertake rigorous training while contributing to impactful research across the Moorfields and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology partnership.

Designed for early‑career researchers, a springboard award offers flexible support to generate pilot data, strengthen preliminary findings and build the foundations for future fellowship or project grant applications. 

The scheme helps researchers establish momentum at a critical stage in their development.

These grants provide funding for essential equipment that enhances research capability and infrastructure. 

Awards support items that enable new techniques, expand capacity or improve the quality and efficiency of ongoing research across Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.

Aimed at clinicians and allied health professionals, these fellowships support individuals undertaking research training as part of their academic development. 

The scheme enables clinicians to build research expertise, develop new skills and contribute to studies that directly inform patient care.

Together, these programmes reflect the charity’s commitment to investing in people, ideas and infrastructure that drive innovation in eye health.

By supporting researchers at every stage of their career, the charity helps ensure a strong and sustainable pipeline of talent dedicated to improving outcomes for people with sight loss.

Applications for all schemes are now open until 25 June 2026.

Moorfields Eye Charity is currently developing a new grants strategy that will shape how we invest in research and training over the coming years. 

The strategy will be published in the summer, and we anticipate it will introduce further updates to our existing programmes and new funding opportunities. 

These changes are expected to take effect from awards made in 2027/28 onwards. 

As part of our new grants strategy, we’re pleased to share several significant improvements to our PhD studentship programme — changes designed to strengthen support for doctoral researchers and ensure our funding remains competitive across the sector.

Following a full review, we have increased the stipend for London‑based PhD students to match the 2025 London Living Wage. This is a substantial increase from previous levels and reflects our commitment to helping students meet rising living costs while they focus on their research.

PhD studentships will now support up to four years of funding, bringing the scheme in line with the duration and cost of contemporary doctoral training.

To ensure fairness across the programme, we have supplemented all active PhD studentships so that current students also benefit from the new stipend levels. This avoids inequity between existing and future award holders and reflects our commitment to supporting every researcher we fund.