EPSRC programme grant outline stage

Open UKRI funding opportunity · Grant. Open with no closing date. Opportunity page: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/epsrc-programme-grant-outline-stage/

Programme grants provide flexible funding to world-leading research groups addressing significant major research challenges.

Funding should bring together the expertise of a team of internationally recognised scientists or engineers to focus on one strategic research theme.

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC ) see programme grants as critical mass investments, which cover a diverse engineering and physical sciences portfolio . They benefit UK research through the concentration of high-performing talent.

Funding can be awarded for up to six years.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding.

Applications are paused from 1 December 2025 for energy and decarbonisation (clean growth), manufacturing and circular economy and quantum technologies. All other themes are still open for applications. See scope for more details.

What we're looking for Aim

EPSRC is looking for proposals that:

- bring together the best researchers to tackle bigger, more open-ended challenges in a coherent and holistic way

- build partnerships between universities and promote cross-disciplinary working

- provide freedom to conduct feasibility studies, cross-fertilise ideas and build up new skill sets

- create greater visibility nationally and internationally among other researchers and industry

- help to bring in other researchers, attract more funding and promote UK science

- allow early career researchers in the team to be given greater independence and responsibility, and promote their career development

- offer grant holders flexibility to allocate resources between different projects and respond quickly to new challenges

Scope

Programme grants provide flexible funding to world-leading research groups seeking to address significant research challenges across the EPSRC…