1851 Royal Commission Industrial Fellowships 2026 – Applications Now Open

The 1851 Royal Commission has opened applications for its 2026 Industrial Fellowships, offering up to £125,000 in funding to support graduates in science, engineering, medicine or design to pursue a PhD while working in industry.

This unique scheme enables companies to co-create bespoke research projects aligned with their innovation goals, while Fellows gain both academic and industrial expertise to accelerate their careers. Each Fellow conducts their research as an employee at their sponsoring company and a doctoral student at a UK university — bridging cutting-edge academic insight with real-world application.

Funding covers up to 50% of the Fellow’s salary (to a maximum of £30,000 per year), full university and bench fees, and a travel budget to attend academic conferences. Fellows also join a global community of innovators supported by the Royal Commission.

📅 Key dates:

• Applications close: 10 February 2026

• Interviews: 24 March 2026 (online)

• Fellowships commence: October 2026

This is an excellent opportunity for SMEs, corporates and research-active organisations looking to transform short exploratory projects into full-scale investigative R&D.

👉 For more information and to apply, visit Royal Commission 1851 – Industrial Fellowships.