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Pre-doctoral Research Bursary

Cancer Research UK

Key information

Career level

Clinician

Nurse

Health professional

Pre-PhD

Research area

All research areas

Final submission

25 September 2025

Committee review

November 2025

Funding period

up to 12 months

Funding amount

up to £25,000

The Research Bursary provides short-term funding to allow clinicians and other health professionals to get involved in research projects early in their career.

The bursary should be used to give you a greater understanding of research before deciding whether to undertake a PhD or MD, and/or give you the time and resources to obtain preliminary data before applying for a PhD or MD.

What is funded

Funding support is provided for:

Up to £25,000 to cover salary and/or research expenses

Funding support is not provided for:

Funding Masters courses
Supporting costs of research that will contribute towards a PhD or MD
Salary costs for applicants who have already registered for a PhD or MD.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. 🎯 Strategic Alignment with CRUK Priorities

Your research must clearly address CRUK’s strategic goals, such as early detection, hard-to-treat cancers (e.g., lung, pancreatic), immunotherapy, or novel biomarker discovery.

Demonstrate alignment with materials like CRUK’s Research Strategy and Statement of Intent.

2. 🧠 Scientific Quality & Innovation

Your proposal should articulate a strong scientific rationale, innovative methodology, and originality in your research questions.

Pilot data that supports feasibility and clear contingency planning (“Plan B”) are especially valued.

3. 🧠 Clear Research Design & Feasibility

Detail a well-structured project plan with defined aims, timelines, milestones, and risk mitigation.

Methodological clarity, including statistical plans or modeling frameworks, is essential.

4. 👥 Strong Team & Leadership

Successful applicants highlight a team with complementary expertise and institutional support.

Senior awards require robust infrastructure, mentorship and, for early/mid-career schemes, a track of growing leadership potential.

5. 💷 Value for Money & Realistic Budgeting

Budgets must be detailed, justified, and aligned with research goals.

Avoid excessive or unsubstantiated costs; demonstrate efficient resource use.

6. 📝 Effective Application Writing

Write in clear, concise English. Ensure the abstract captures objective, significance, method, timing, team, and impact.

Simple, coherent proposals often perform better than overly complex ones.

7. 🧭 Peer Review & Decision-Making Process

CRUK has shifted toward expert review panels, with in-person deliberation replacing heavy reliance on written peer-review.

Panel discussions are increasingly influential in decision-making.

8. 🚦 Scheme-Specific Guidelines & Submission Strategy

Scheme	Audience	Success Rate	Key Notes
Senior Cancer Research Fellowship (SCaRF)	Senior researchers	~36%	Lost to track record, cancer relevance, institutional support
Discovery Programme Foundation Awards	Mid‑career independent PIs	~24.5%	Up to £1.5M over 6 years; strong leadership, translational plan required
Clinical Research Funding Scheme	Trials/experimental medicine	Multiple rounds annually	Outline review stage, then full submission; PPI essential

✅ Summary of Key Success Features

Robust fit between proposal and CRUK cancer priorities

Clearly defined novel, scientifically sound research questions

Feasible plan supported by pilot data or alternatives

A strong, multidisciplinary team and institutional backing

Well-costed and justified budget that offers good value

Clear, engaging writing with simple messaging and structured aims

📌 Tips for Strengthening Your Application

Consult CRUK scheme guidance and reviewer tips early.

Get institutional pre-submission peer review, especially ~4–6 weeks before deadline.

Include patient and public involvement (PPI) when aligned with scheme.

For Clinical Research Scheme, submit EOI up to 18 months before full application.

Specialties

Cancer

Eligibility Requirements

You should be:

a clinician, nurse or other medical professional
working in any area of our funding remit
based in the UK

You should not have:

completed a PhD or MD
already received Fellowship funding to allow you to undertake research, except if you hold an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship or equivalent.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Cancer Research UK

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ.

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