Career development funding opportunities

Find out about the different ways the SSCR supports research careers

• Post-Doctoral Fellowships

  Our Post-Doctoral Fellowship schemes are aimed at researchers who have completed or nearly completed their PhDs and are committed to developing independent research careers in their respective fields. Fellowships enable applicants to establish collaborative teams, undertake independent research, publish findings, develop new methodological skills, and prepare for future funding opportunities.

  These schemes have now closed but you can still click the links below to read the guidance and scope in full:

  • Three Schools Dementia Research Programme Post-Doctoral Fellowships
  • SSCR Post-Doctoral Fellowships  

• Career Development Awards

  These training-based awards are open to applicants at any career stage, from practice, academia and education. The goal of this funding is to enable people to undertake training and development activities, allowing them to:

  • Make transition into social care research, or
  • Be a more competitive candidate for future NIHR Academy schemes, or
  • Enhance their research skills to support evidence-informed practice, or
  • Undertake a career pathway that’s unique to them and their research aspirations. 

  Applicants do not need to be based in SSCR member organisations but they need to identify an individual with strong adult social care research expertise to provide mentorship and support during their award. Each awardee will also benefit from connection to a cohort of past and present awardees, and will receive bespoke training and events coordinated by the career development team.

  Our third and final round of funding opened in June 2026 with a deadline for applications on Thursday 24 September. Visit the funding webpage to read the guidance in full and download application documents. 

• Doctoral Studentships

  Our PhD students all have a strong academic record and a commitment to study aligned with our core research themes. SSCR PhD students are based in our member organisations and recruitment for new posts will be advertised nationally. Our cohort of PhD students benefit from a peer support network across the school, and opportunities to attend tailored training and networking events.

• Research Trainees

  This opportunity is aimed at attracting excellent early career researcher (ECR) with interest in social care research and driving strong future PhD applications. Early career researchers are hosted at our member organisations and work alongside established teams, supporting projects and gaining practical research skills. 

• Internships

  Our summer internships are hosted at our member organisations. These opportunities are open to undergraduate students with an interest in social care research.

  Interns can undertake a paid placement for 6-8 weeks at the end of their second year, where they will be supported by early career researchers, SSCR fellows and PhD students. 

• Practice Evaluation Scheme

  The Practice Evaluation Scheme is a unique opportunity for practitioners to pioneer change in adult social care. Evaluative projects are led by practitioners, with support and guidance from academic partners, to identify and answer real-world questions in their settings. 

  Read more about the awards funded through this scheme. 

• Capacity Building in SSCR member organisations

  Each of our SSCR member organisations has a pot of flexible funding available to provide a stable environment for early and mid-career individuals. This funding may be used for: 

  • Supporting writing grants and fellowships,
  • Undertaking PhD study,
  • Undertaking impact and knowledge exchange, 
  • Dissemination work. 

  This allows SSCR membership to maintain and develop stakeholder engagement in future ECR work, as early career colleagues often have the most established connections with stakeholders at the local level. It also provides dedicated time and space for contract research staff to develop their careers.