Call for Proposals

The call is now closed.

Proposals for the October 2026 PhD/EngD studentship cohort are sought in scientific and engineering fields relating to battery research, where the work demonstrates outstanding academic excellence while also responding to industrially relevant challenges.

The Faraday Institution will support up to 4 years of PhD/EngD funding (covering fees, stipend, training) to deliver high-quality research that addresses UK battery sector challenges. 

Options available

• Option 1: Fully funded by the Faraday Institution: Research topics are expected to focus on battery science and engineering in areas where the UK battery industry is not yet developed, but where there is long term potential. 

• Option 2: Co-funded by the Faraday Institution and a third party: Co-funding may be provided by a university department, a research and technology organisation (RTO), a national facility, a UK-based industry partner or a combination of these. Since 2018, the Faraday Institution has established strong collaborations across academia and industry. Through this option, applicants are expected to strategically strengthen and expand such partnerships via the funding and supervision of PhD/EngD studentships.  

Funding

A minimum of 15 fully funded PhD and EngD studentships (home students only), including fees, stipend and consumables. 

Eligibility

This call is open to UK-based battery researchers at UK universities. Researchers who have not previously engaged with the Faraday Institution are encouraged to apply. Primary supervisors must meet UKRI/EPSRC eligibility criteria to apply for research grants. For further details see the call document. 

How to apply

Submit applications via the Flexi-Grant® portal selecting the Call for Proposals – Faraday Institution PhD and EngD Studentships (Commencing October 2026).

Assessment process

Applications will be reviewed using the Distributed Peer Review (DPR) process. Based on the recommendations from this review, the Faraday Institution will select successful applicants to receive studentship funding. 

Webinar 

Watch the recording of the “Online briefing and Q&A session for the PhD studentship call” webinar.

PPT slides from the webinar.

Key dates

Note: Awarding of successful studentships is subject to funding confirmation, which we hope to receive by January 2026. 

Call document

Read the call document before submitting

Questions?

Email: [email protected]