Wellcome Discovery Awards

  • Start Date:

  • Deadline:

  • Agency:
    Wellcome

The Office of Grants and Research (OGR), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology wishes to inform the university community of a funding opportunity under the Wellcome Discovery Awards programme.

This programme, funded by the Wellcome Trust, provides flexible and long-term funding to established researchers and teams from any discipline to pursue bold, creative, and innovative research that can lead to significant advances in understanding human life, health, and wellbeing.

Key Highlights:
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Award Type: Research: Discovery Awards (Collaborative and Individual Research Grants)

Award Amount: Average award size is £3.5 million; applications above £5 million are subject to additional scrutiny

Funding Duration: Typically 3–8 years (average duration is 7 years; may vary depending on discipline and part-time status)

Application Deadline: 31 March 2026

Strategic Programme: Discovery Research; Climate and Health; Infectious Disease; Mental Health

Objectives:

  • Support established researchers and teams to pursue bold and creative research ideas.

  • Enable significant advances in understanding human life, health, and wellbeing.

  • Promote innovative and interdisciplinary research approaches.

  • Strengthen global research leadership and institutional research excellence.

Research Scope / Disciplines:

  • Human health and wellbeing research

  • Climate and Health

  • Infectious Diseases

  • Mental Health

  • Discovery research across biomedical, social, environmental, and interdisciplinary fields

Eligibility:

  • Open to established researchers and research teams based in eligible host organisations in the UK, Republic of Ireland, and Low- and Middle-Income Countries (excluding India and mainland China).

  • Applicants must demonstrate strong research leadership, innovation, and the potential for high-impact discoveries.

  • Co-applicants are permitted and encouraged to support collaborative and interdisciplinary research.

  • Applications must be submitted through an eligible administering organisation.

Application Process:

  • Prepare and submit applications through the Wellcome Trust online grant management system.

  • Applications must clearly justify the requested resources and demonstrate scientific excellence, innovation, and long-term impact.

  • Proposals should outline clear research goals, methodology, and anticipated contributions to advancing knowledge.

Benefits:

  • Provides substantial and flexible funding for ambitious, long-term research programmes.

  • Supports innovative and interdisciplinary research with potential for transformative impact.

  • Enables research teams to address complex global health challenges.

  • Enhances institutional research capacity, international collaboration, and research leadership.