Apply for a Research Grant

Applications for the 2026 Research Grant Call are now open from 7th September 2026 with a closing date of 7th December 2026.

Underpinning all of Psoriasis UK's work is a steadfast commitment to funding research and disseminating the results of that research. We launched our PhD Studentship grant in 2007 and have been proud to continue our support of early career psoriasis researchers since then.

In 2024, we received 7 PhD studentship applications of which 2 were awarded, giving a success rate of 29%.

In 2025, we received 7 PhD studentship applications of which 3 were awarded, giving a success rate of 43%.

PhD Studentships - up to £137,000 over three years

Psoriasis UK is offering a three-year PhD Studentship to support high-quality research addressing an important question within psoriasis and aligned to our Research Strategy and research priorities.

The Studentship will provide funding for the student’s stipend and Home tuition fees, together with an appropriate contribution towards research costs, training and conference attendance. Awards will be calculated according to the requirements of the proposed project and host institution, with a maximum value of £137,000. Applicants will be expected to provide a clear justification for all costs requested. Further information and guidance can be found below along with the PhD Studentship application form.

Alongside PhD Studentships, a small grant of up to £10,000 is available through Psoriasis UK from the Cecil King Memorial Foundation. This grant (the Cecil King Memorial Award) is available for projects where the principal researcher is under 35 years of age, or within the first five consecutive years, at the time of application, of either their first permanent independent academic research post or a named limited-tenured/fixed-term academic research post, obtained in open competition (note that tenure must cover the duration of the award) based in the UK or Ireland.

This award is designed to help researchers take the next step in developing their ideas. Applicants should have preliminary pilot or feasibility data that demonstrate the potential of their proposed project and support its likelihood of success. Further information and guidance can be found below along with the Cecil King Memorial Award application form.

Virtual Session on Applying:

In September 2022 we hosted a free interactive virtual session on Psoriasis UK PhD Studentship grant applications, which you can watch below.

Please note: This video was originally recorded for the 2022 grant call and therefore does not reflect the current award value or the latest application submission requirements. However, the guidance, advice, and tips provided remain highly relevant and are intended to support the development of strong, high-quality applications. For details of this year's award amount and application process, please refer to the PhD Studentship Information and Application Guidance 2026 document.

Grant Call Process

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Expert Review

All PhD Studentship grant applications submitted to Psoriasis UK undergo evaluation by the Medical and Research Committee, external peer reviewers, and the Experts by Experience Committee (EXEC). Meanwhile, Cecil King Memorial grant applications are assessed solely by the Medical and Research Committee. To ensure fairness, a Conflicts of Interest policy is in place, alongside a Terms of Reference detailing the roles and responsibilities of Medical and Research Committee members.

The peer review process ensures that only the most promising projects receive funding. Experts assess applications based on their potential contribution to psoriasis research, feasibility, and funding appropriateness. They also determine whether similar work has already been conducted elsewhere.

Psoriasis UK has an Experts by Experience Committee (EXEC), composed of individuals with firsthand experience of psoriasis, either living with the condition or as parents of affected children, providing a real-world perspective on grant applications.

Lay (plain language) writing

As part of the grant application form, applicants are required to write a lay case for support. It is important that the lay case is not only comprehensible to lay readers and non-experts in the field but also comprehensive. Guidance for applicants on writing lay cases for support can be found here.

The EXEC use their experience to review the lay applications and comment on their relevance and potential impact. The comments and scores from the EXEC have equal weighting to those from the external peer reviewers for the peer application. The EXEC will consider key questions such as:

  • Will people with psoriasis participate in this research?
  • Is the study relevant to those affected?
  • Will the findings make a meaningful difference?

Funding decisions

The Medical and Research Committee then reviews all feedback and scores before recommending projects for funding to Psoriasis UK trustees, who make the final funding decisions.

Psoriasis UK will consider applications that have clear relevance to its goal ‘to better understand psoriasis, improve how it’s treated and managed, and ultimately find a cure’.

For further information, please contact research@psoriasisuk.org.uk.