UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF)

Applying for UKRI FLF

We are awaiting further information on the next round of Future Leaders Fellowships (Round 9). This page will be updated if and when UKRI announces details of Round 9, which we anticipate will open in early 2024.


Introduction to UKRI FLF

Future Leaders Fellowships are aimed at early career researchers and innovators who are either:

  • looking to establish or transition to independence
  • developing their own original and ambitious plans within a commercial setting.

There is no minimum or maximum award value. The project can last up to four years, with the option to apply to renew for a further three years.

These Fellowships are assessed against four criteria:

  • Research and innovation excellence
  • Applicant and their development
  • Impact and strategic relevance
  • Research and innovation environment and costs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any examples of successful applications?

Benjamin and Luke have shared their applications with us, and if you are applying an application, you should be able to access these here:

Lichman application

Mackinder application

Please note that the guidance has changed a little since these were written, and so there may be some changes to what you are required to submit. Please always check and work from the current guidance.

We are grateful to Benjamin and Luke for sharing their applications, and ask that you don't share these applications further without asking.

If you don't have access, but would like to view them, please either 'request access', or send an email to fellowships@york.ac.uk.

Does an applicant need to contact UKRI if they are requesting over £1.5m?

Previously, applicants requesting more than £1.5m were required to submit a cover letter. However, from Round 8 this is no longer the case.

Who to contact with questions about applying

If you are considering applying for an FLF in the future, please contact your Department's Research Support Office, who can provide support and advice on the logistics of a Fellowship.

You can also contact the University Fellowship Coordinator (fellowships@york.ac.uk).


Strengthening your application

The following advice is based on the outcomes from the Round 7 internal selection process.

There were certain points which reviewers and panellists mentioned repeatedly as areas of improvement. The strongest candidates covered all of these areas and were able to create a sense of a coherent programme of work which would allow them a unique opportunity to develop as a research leader.

  • Added value

UKRI’s guidance heavily emphasises the importance of demonstrating ‘added value’. Stronger applications were able to articulate why they wanted to apply for an FLF rather than other schemes, and clearly outlined the unique opportunities for both research and professional development.

Weaker applications were unable to explain why they wanted to apply for FLF specifically.

  • Applicant and development

The strongest candidates demonstrated not just a strong track record, but a commitment to future development, and were able to articulate what the FLF would offer them in this respect. As one reviewer noted, “How will this not only produce research, but produce (you as) a research and innovation leader?”

If the proposal involved a wider team, the proposal needed to demonstrate that they had thought about their development, too.

  • Ambition and scope of the proposal

An FLF proposal is potentially 7 years of research and impact work. Reviewers felt that some projects were too narrow and not ambitious enough for the scheme, and so would be better suited to other schemes.

  • Impact

The strongest applications were able to articulate not just what the impact could be, but how it could be achieved. In other words, what are the pathways to impact?

  • Departmental/School support

Research environment at the host organisation is one of UKRI’s four assessment criteria. With this in mind, HoD statements of support need to be strong, and Departments/Schools need to consider what concrete opportunities they can offer FLF applicants beyond the usual offers. All Universities will offer space to work, a laptop, the opportunity to apply for internal funding, and so on. Can the Department offer anything else, to bolster the proposed research and demonstrate the Department's commitment to the applicant? Departments can, for example, consider offering things like PhD studentships (which can’t be funded directly through FLF) to be linked to the FLF programme of work.


Guidance for applicants and Departments

We have provided additional guidance documents for prospective applicants and Departments:

Funder Guidance

UKRI's FLF website provides a number of guidance documents to help applicants prepare their application, including:


Information for Research Support Administrators

The following information relates to funder and University processes and is intended to assist members of Research Support teams (rather than applicants).

There is also an understanding at York that applicants will be granted a match funded PhD as part of their FLF. UKRI will not fund PhDs under this scheme, so the funding must be equally split between the Department and the Fellowship Coordination Committee (FCC).

RGO notes on the FLF can be found here (version from March 2021):

If you have any queries, please get in touch with your RGO contact.


We value your views and welcome feedback and suggestions - please email us at fellowships@york.ac.uk