The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 awards a total of around 35 postgraduate Fellowships and Scholarships a year, for advanced study and research in science, engineering, the built environment and design. It also makes a small number of Special Awards to support projects aligned with its overall goals. Many of these are focused on raising awareness amongst young people of the opportunities presented by science and engineering.
The next call for Research Fellowships is now open, with a deadline of 13 Jan 2026. These awards are typically held from 1 October for a period of 3 years, and provide salary and up to £10k expenses. They are intended for early career researchers across physical and biological sciences, mathematics, applied science and engineering. Candidates must have a PhD and normally no more than 3 years postdoctoral experience.