Fight for Sight PhD studentships

Fight for Sight’s mission is to stop sight loss by funding the highest quality medical research. To help us achieve our goals we are committed to encouraging new and highly motivated graduates to take up and pursue a career in ophthalmic and vision research.

Fight for Sight PhD Studentships are highly prestigious awards made on a fully competitive and peer reviewed basis. Up to £100,000 is offered to applicants proposing research projects which are hypothesis driven, innovative, involve high quality scientific methodologies and are supported by robust preliminary data.

Applications are assessed according to the hypothesis, scientific merit of the research project and any supporting evidence. For more details of the assessment please visit our grant making process.

Award

Applications are now invited for PhD Studentships to undertake research that aims to address sight loss caused by any eye disease or condition.

Eligibility

• Applications must be made by the potential PhD Supervisor(s)
• Please note that Fight for Sight will only accept one PhD Studentship application from the same individual acting either as Supervisor or Co-Supervisor
• Supervisors must be affiliated with UK academic or medical institutions
• The Student must be attached to a UK institution but the research can be undertaken in the UK and/or overseas
• Supervisor(s) must have a contract which extends beyond the termination date of the PhD Studentship
• The Student appointed must not be medically or otherwise clinically qualified professionals. Clinically active individuals should consider the MRC / Fight for Sight
• Clinical Research Training Fellowships
• The scheme does not cover funding gaps for studentships already started
• The proposed project must aim to stop or reduce sight loss

Financial support and duration

• Grant of up to £100,000 for three years.
• Includes the costs of stipends (Minimum stipend £16,000 outside London / £18,000 in London per year)
• PhD fees at UK/EU rate
• consumables
• equipment essential for the project
• Excludes indirect costs and any other non-attributable overhead costs
• Excludes recruitment costs

For more details on the eligibility criterion or the financial support offered, please see our guidance document below.

Deadlines

The deadline for abstract applications is 11 June 2020. For shortlisted applicants the closing date for full application submissions will be 22 October 2020. The successful applicants of the 2020 grant round will be notified in March 2021.

Contact us
For any queries relating to your proposal please contact Fight for Sight at grants@fightforsight.org.uk.

Applications must be submitted via our online grants management system. Late applications will not be considered.