Royal Society of Edinburgh Research Collaboration Grant Program 2026 (With up to £10,000 in Funding)

Published: April 03, 2026
Deadline: April 08, 2026
Category: Grants
Oppotunity Locations: United Kingdom

Applications are currently being accepted for Royal Society of Edinburgh Research Collaboration Grant Program 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.

About Royal Society of Edinburgh Research Collaboration Grant Program

This program supports collaborative research across disciplines and institutions, promoting innovation and the development of new knowledge. Grants are intended to fund defined research projects that demonstrate potential for significant academic impact and lay the groundwork for future larger-scale studies.

Sponsor Organisation: Royal Society of Edinburgh

Benefits of Royal Society of Edinburgh Research Collaboration Grant Program

Maximum award: £10,000

Royal Society of Edinburgh Research Collaboration Grant Program Requirements

Applicant eligibility

The awards are open to applications from Principal Investigators from all academic disciplines and all career stages who are eligible as one of the following:
- A full or part-time academic in any academic discipline and are tenured and/or salaried staff of a higher education institution (HEI), further education institute (FEI), research institution (RI) or cultural institution (CI) where the main offices and facilities are located in Scotland. Applicants must be on open-ended, continuing, or fixed-term contracts which extend three months beyond the end date of the envisaged award period. The RSE award cannot be used to extend an applicant’s contract. Applicants must not be a PhD candidate.
- A retired academic in any academic field who retains demonstrable links with a Scottish HEI, RI or CI with a demonstrable commitment to teaching and research within that institution.
- A full or part-time practitioner or research-active member of staff in any academic field employed by a Scottish Cultural Institution with a demonstrable commitment to teaching and research within that institution.
Applicants on short or fixed-term contracts should ensure their contracts extend for at least three months after the end of the proposed project. Early career researchers on staged contracts to permanent lectureship positions are eligible but must be in contract for the duration of the award.
Joint applications are accepted for the Research Collaboration Grants to bring together complementary skills and expertise.
Collaborations may be between Scottish or overseas (UK and overseas) HEIs and/or practitioners, policymakers, research institutions, and cultural institutions, provided that the lead applicant is based in Scotland and the key principles of the awards scheme are recognised.
Applicants may add up to two co-applicants. Co-applicants may be based in or outwith Scotland (UK and overseas). However, they must fulfil the rest of the eligibility criteria for the Principal Investigator. Co-applicants are expected to carry the same status as the Principal Investigator. The award payment will remain between the RSE and the institution to which the Principal Investigator belongs.
In addition to co-applicants, applicants may include anyone who is involved to varying degrees in the proposed project as collaborators. Collaborators are not bound by the same eligibility requirements as the Principal Investigator or the co-applicants. They may be listed under ‘Project Management Personnel’ in the application form. There is no need for collaborators to provide a statement of support.
A new application will not be considered when a report on a previous RSE award is overdue.

Project eligibility

Applicants may submit only one proposal to the RSE per funding round. Applicants should apply to the scheme best suited to the proposed project.
RSE Research Collaboration Grants can be held in any discipline or subject area.
RSE Research Collaboration Grants are funded for up to 24 months.
Successful applications should have a start date between 1 September 2026 – 28 February 2027.

Application Date and Process

This award will open as part of the Spring 2026 call, which will run from noon on 18 February to noon on 8 April 2026.

The online application link below will become available when the award opens. Please follow these steps to apply:

Create a profile or log in here.
Once in your profile, access and complete the online application - the application form is only available when you are logged in. Google Chrome is the recommended browser.