Pre-announcement: Doctoral focal awards (previously centres for doctoral training) in nuclear skills
EPSRC and other Research Councils especially NERC and STFC, expect to launch an opportunity for further investment in doctoral focal awards (previously centres for doctoral training). These awards will deliver high quality, cohort-based doctoral training in nuclear skills for the UK nuclear civil and defence sectors, ready for new students to start in autumn 2026.
This funding opportunity arises from the National Nuclear Strategic Plan for Skills. We expect funding to be provided by the Ministry of Defence. Subject to the current government spending review, additional funding may be available from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. This opportunity will be open to new centres, and to expand or extend existing investments.
This is a pre-announcement to allow interested organisations to be aware of this opportunity before the details are finalised. Funding is subject to confirmation, and the scope and timing may change.
The funding opportunity is to train the next generation of researchers and innovators in cutting-edge nuclear skills, leading to careers in the UK nuclear sector. These skills will support UK priorities including:
- large scale gigawatt reactors and advanced technologies such as small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors. Future designs will improve safety, sustainability, efficiency, and cost, with more potential for cogeneration of vectors such as hydrogen and heat.
- national and international nuclear defence commitments, critical to our national security.
EPSRC is leading delivery of the opportunity, but the scope is across the remits of all relevant UKRI research councils, particularly NERC and STFC. We welcome cohort-based applications delivering skills across the nuclear life cycle: from the design of reactors and detector systems, to construction and manufacture, to operation and environmental monitoring, decommissioning, waste management and the environmental impact of nuclear energy.
Applications must be led by organisations eligible for Research Council funding and must include at least one doctoral degree awarding body (as lead or co-lead). Your research organisation can only apply as project lead on one submitted application but can be a project co-lead on any number of applications. We welcome applications from a consortium of different research organisations.
We will fund 100% of the costs that are typically eligible on EPSRC centres for doctoral training. We expect the funding will support 4 annual cohorts of at least 10 students on 4-year (full time equivalent) studentships. Later cohorts may be subject to confirmation of budget. This funding opportunity will concentrate on developing the capability of UK home students. There may be additional security requirements for some areas.
We are looking for proposals which support a diversity of career paths into doctoral research including opportunities for people already employed in related areas. Partnerships with relevant organisations in the nuclear sector will be essential, including providing real world placement experience for students.
We expect the funding opportunity to open in July 2025 and close in October 2025. More information will be available in July, and UKRI will be unable to answer detailed questions about the scope until this is finalised. Any other questions can be sent to students@epsrc.ukri.org.
