If you are an early to mid-career researcher, Development and Skills Enhancement (DSE) Award can support you to gain specific skills and experience to underpin the next phase of your research career.
A DSE Award must help you to develop the relevant and required skills to make a competitive NIHR personal award or NIHR research grant application. Applications to develop skills that are suited to research outside NIHR remit are not in scope for a DSE award.
A DSE Award provides funding for:
- the salary of you, as the lead applicant, for up to 2 years
- training and development costs, including any related travel and subsistence, up to £5,000 per year FTE
- conference costs up to £1,000 per year FTE
- mentorship costs up to £3,000
To apply, you must:
- have completed any relevant pre-registration training, if you are applying as a clinical academic
- have a proposed English contracting organisation that is an HEI, NHS body, or other provider of health and/or care services
- hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted your thesis for examination at the time of application; you must have been awarded your PhD or MD by the time you start the award
- have not submitted a DSE application in the previous submission window
Deadline for applications is 4 November 2026 at 1:00 pm. For more information and to apply visit the NIHR website.