Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2028 in UK

Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2028 in the UK

The Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2028 at the University of Oxford is a major research fellowship for exceptional early-career medical and biomedical researchers who are transitioning to, or have recently achieved, research independence. The fellowship is designed to help researchers establish substantial independent research programmes while advancing biomedical knowledge for the benefit of human physical or mental health.

The fellowship provides a comprehensive funding package, including the Fellow’s full salary and substantial research support. The University of Oxford states that the maximum funding available is approximately £500,000 per year in direct costs, including the Fellow’s salary but excluding overheads. The initial fellowship is awarded for five years, with the possibility of extension up to eight years following a review.

What Is the Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2028?

The Nuffield Medical Fellowship is a senior research development opportunity hosted within the University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division. It is intended for researchers who have demonstrated the ability to lead an independent research programme but have not yet become fully established leaders in their fields.

Successful Fellows become employees of the University of Oxford and receive a salary aligned with the appropriate Oxford pay scale. Alongside their salary, the fellowship supports the development of a research team and can fund research staff, postgraduate students, equipment, consumables, facilities and other approved expenses.

The programme is particularly relevant to researchers working in areas that can contribute to human physical or mental health, including clinical medicine, neuroscience, epidemiology, population health, primary care, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathology and other biomedical research fields.

Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2028 Benefits

The fellowship offers extensive financial and professional support. According to Oxford, the funding package can include:

Full salary of the Nuffield Medical Fellow
Employer contributions to tax and pension
Research assistant salaries
Postgraduate DPhil studentships
Research equipment
Laboratory consumables
Facilities access charges
Training and professional development
Research travel
Conference attendance
Visa and work-permit costs
Eligible relocation expenses
Certain visa costs for partners and dependent children
Departmental overheads at 80% of the Full Economic Cost (FEC)

The maximum direct-cost funding is approximately £500,000 per year, including the Fellow’s salary and excluding overheads. Oxford notes that the distribution may vary between years but is expected to average approximately this amount over the fellowship.

The £500,000 figure should not be interpreted as a personal salary or cash payment. It represents the maximum direct funding available for the Fellow and their approved research programme.

Fellowship Duration

Nuffield Medical Fellowships are initially awarded for five years. During the fourth year, the Fellow’s progress is reviewed by the host department and Nuffield Medical Trustees.

Following this review, Fellows may request an extension, with the fellowship potentially continuing for up to eight years in total. Applicants are required to present a research proposal with a five-year timeline when applying.

Flexible working is also supported. Fellows can undertake the fellowship at a minimum of 0.8 full-time equivalent (FTE), with the duration adjusted accordingly.

Who Can Apply?

The Nuffield Medical Fellowship is aimed at researchers who are moving toward, or have recently achieved, full research independence.

Applicants must have:

A relevant PhD, DPhil or equivalent research qualification, or a postgraduate medical degree with significant post-qualification research experience
Evidence of leading an independent research programme
A record of securing and managing external research funding, including experience as a Principal Investigator
Important contributions to their research field through publications, patents, health practice, policy impact or similar achievements
Experience supervising graduate students and/or managing staff
A clear research vision that fits strategically with a department in Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division
An existing collaboration with a partner institution in a Commonwealth country outside the UK, or a clear commitment to establish such a collaboration

There is no age limit and no fixed number of years since completing a PhD. However, applicants need significant postgraduate research experience and should be at the appropriate career stage for a first senior fellowship.

Researchers who already hold a Professorship-level award or have achieved full research independence well before their current position may be less suited to the fellowship.

Clinical and Non-Clinical Researchers

Both clinical and non-clinical researchers can be considered, provided their work fits the fellowship’s medical research remit.

Clinical applicants have additional requirements, including appropriate GMC registration or eligibility for registration, and relevant specialist qualifications. Non-UK trained clinical applicants may need to demonstrate equivalence to UK training requirements.

The fellowship is not limited strictly to applicants currently working within a medical sciences department. Researchers from other disciplines may be eligible if their research has a strong strategic fit with Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division and aims to benefit human health.

Eligible Research Areas

The fellowship supports biomedical research that can advance knowledge and improve human physical or mental health.

Potential research areas include:

Clinical Medicine
Surgery
Neuroscience
Epidemiology
Population Health
Primary Care
Physiology
Biochemistry
Pharmacology
Pathology
Psychiatry
Experimental Psychology
Discovery Medical Research
Other biomedical fields relevant to Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division

The proposed project must fit strategically with at least one department within the Medical Sciences Division.

Commonwealth Collaboration Requirement

An important feature of the fellowship is international collaboration. Applicants must have a collaboration with a research institution in a Commonwealth country outside the UK, or demonstrate a commitment to establishing such a partnership as part of their fellowship.

The collaboration should be mutually beneficial and contribute to the proposed research programme.

This requirement makes international research partnerships an important part of the fellowship proposal.

How to Apply for the Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2028?

The application process consists of two stages, with shortlisting and interviews at each stage.

For the current fellowship cycle, Stage 1 opened in July 2026 and closes on October 19, 2026, at 12 noon BST. Eligible applications are reviewed internally, and shortlisted candidates are then matched with a suitable host department.

The Stage 2 application is expected to open in January 2027 and close in April 2027. Shortlisted applicants work with their prospective Oxford host department to develop the detailed research programme and five-year costing.

Candidates shortlisted after Stage 2 are expected to attend an in-person interview in Oxford, with interviews expected in July 2027. Reasonable interview travel costs are reimbursed.

Nuffield Fellowship 2028 Application Deadline

The current Stage 1 deadline is October 19, 2026, at 12 noon BST. Applicants must submit their applications through the official online portal before the deadline. Late or incomplete applications are not considered.

Fellowship Detail	Information
Fellowship Name	Nuffield Medical Fellowship
Host University	University of Oxford
Country	United Kingdom
Research Area	Medical and Biomedical Research
Career Stage	Early-career/transition to research independence
Initial Duration	5 years
Possible Duration	Up to 8 years
Salary	Full salary covered
Research Funding	Approx. £500,000/year maximum direct costs
Host Division	Oxford Medical Sciences Division
Application Process	Two stages
Stage 1 Deadline	October 19, 2026, 12 noon BST
Stage 2	Expected January–April 2027
Interview	Expected July 2027

Where Will Fellows Be Based?

Fellows may be based in Oxford or, where appropriate for their research and supported by the relevant department, at one of Oxford’s tropical medicine research centres.

Fellows may also spend part of their fellowship at partner institutions when this is necessary for the effective delivery of the research programme. Significant periods away from the host department require appropriate approval.

International applicants who require a UK visa can be supported through the University’s immigration process. Successful Fellows may be eligible to apply for a Global Talent Visa, with visa-related costs potentially included within fellowship funding.

Final Thoughts

The Nuffield Medical Fellowship 2028 at the University of Oxford is a research-focused opportunity for medical and biomedical researchers who are ready to establish or expand an independent research programme. Unlike a conventional scholarship that primarily provides a student stipend, this fellowship combines employment at Oxford with substantial funding for research staff, students, equipment, travel, training and other eligible expenses.

Applicants should carefully assess the eligibility requirements, particularly the expectation of research independence, previous funding experience, a strong biomedical research record and collaboration with a Commonwealth research institution outside the UK.

Interested researchers should prepare their research vision and supporting documents well in advance of the October 19, 2026 Stage 1 deadline. Apply Now