The Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard offers a bespoke package of support to biomedical researchers at the start of their first independent post to help them launch their research careers. Funding of up to £125,000 over two years to support their research is available, as well as access to the Academy’s acclaimed mentoring and career development programmes.
In this guide
- Background
- Launch of Springboard rounds
- Requirements for selecting nominated candidates
- Supporting nominated candidates with their application
- What happens after awards are made
Background
The Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard offers a tailored package of support to biomedical researchers at the start of their first independent post. It offers up to £125,000 of research funding over two years, along with access to the Academy’s acclaimed mentoring and career development programmes.
The scheme provides support at a crucial stage in their careers, giving them funding and support to establish themselves as future leaders in health research.
The Springboard scheme is aimed at early-career researchers at an early stage of their first independent post who have limited research funding to date. Therefore, applicants who already hold major fellowships or have secured more than £150,000 in research funding during the Springboard award period are not eligible.
The Springboard scheme has one round each year and Springboard Champions provide a critical role in supporting the scheme and its applicants. Springboard eligible higher education institutions (HEIs) can submit up to four applications per award round.
The number of eligible HEIs has grown from 40 in 2015 to 87 in 2025. Since the scheme’s inception, over 450 awards have been made across 70 HEIs, which represents over £40 million in funding. Alumni of the scheme have flourished in their careers and we have reached a milestone where an alums sits on the Selection Panel and another has been elected into our Fellowship.
For more information on the Springboard Scheme, visit the website.
Launch of Springboard rounds
The HEI Springboard team should include the Springboard Champion, Deputy Champion (optional role) and a delegated Research Officer representative. Within this handbook, candidate refers to internal HEI nominees and applicant refers to those submitting a formal application to the Academy.
The Academy ensures that each HEI Springboard team is well prepared and understands all the scheme requirements. Academy staff are available to answer questions by email: [email protected].
Each March, when a new round launches, the HEI Springboard team is invited to attend the online Springboard Champions Meeting. Champions should make sure at least one representative from their HEI attends this important meeting.
During the meeting, Academy staff provide key information about the upcoming round. There will be an opportunity to share learning between HEIs on how to run their selection process. There is also a Q&A session during the event. Champions should pass on this information to prospective candidates at their institute.
Comprehensive information about eligibility criteria, the Selection Panel, FAQs and guidance documents is available on the Springboard webpage. These documents are updated before each new round.
It is crucial to be familiar with the information provided in guidance documents to ensure you can make decisions on eligibility and provide effective advice to prospective candidates.
Guidance includes:
- FAQs covering common eligibility queries, information on resubmissions, and details of what the award offers.
- A worked example of how we calculate funding to ensure prospective candidates are not over the £150,000 funding limit during the two-year award period.
- A sample application form and guidance on the application questions to support successful candidates as they prepare their formal application.
The Academy may also share further information outside of the meeting. Champions should share this with prospective candidates.
Requirements for selecting nominated candidates
Each HEI can put forward up to four nominated candidates per Springboard round. This limit includes any resubmissions.
Champions and Deputy Champions coordinate the HEI-led selection process after the Springboard round launch.
This involves:
- liaising with relevant strategic research leads/managers to raise awareness of the scheme.
- identifying appropriate candidates to apply for the scheme (guidance available on our Springboard webpage).
- running a fair and transparent selection process to identify up to four nominees.
The Academy does not have a standard operating procedure for HEIs to use when selecting candidates for the scheme. Each HEI will manage this stage independently. The only rule is that the process must be open and transparent to all eligible candidates. Clear communication on timelines, deadlines and the review process is essential.
HEIs are encouraged to begin their selection process in early March, with eight weeks allocated to this stage. The Champion will develop an expression of interest form (EOI) to be used by all prospective candidates. The form can be shaped based on the formal Springboard application form. You can find a sample application form on the Springboard webpage.
The Champion will assess the EOIs against the Springboard eligibility criteria. If a candidate is not eligible, the Champion must explain why. If more than four eligible EOIs are received, the Champion will run a fair and equitable internal competition.
Where two candidates rank equally, the Champion may consider the ‘spirit of the scheme’ to determine who should be put forward. The Springboard Selection Panel assess the Person, the Project and the Place when making funding decisions. When evaluating the Person, they also assess the applicant’s need and the difference the funding would make to their career. For example, an applicant’s need could be perceived to be less compelling if they have a proven record for securing substantial funding (albeit within eligibility funding limits).
Champions should provide feedback to candidates who are not selected to support their success in securing grants in the future. If they remain eligible, these individuals may re-enter the selection process the following year, and this does not count as a formal resubmission to the scheme.
The deadline for confirming up to four nominated candidates to the Academy is usually at the end of April. One member of the HEI Springboard team submits the nominated candidates by completing the Academy’s nomination form provided by email.
The Academy will then invite these candidates to complete the formal Springboard application. A unique link will be sent to them via email, which must be used to access the form. The application submission window will be up to five weeks. The deadline is in early June.
Supporting nominated candidates with their application
We email successful candidates to invite them to submit a formal application to the Springboard scheme. The Academy’s guidance documents and FAQs on the Springboard webpage provide key information to help applicants complete their forms.
The Champion is expected to provide support applicants through the grant writing process. This support may include, though is not limited to:
- reviewing and proofreading the application form.
- identifying areas where general grantsmanship can be improved.
- providing technical feedback on the research proposal.
- assessing the quality of key elements such as the budget request, presentation of preliminary data, and clarity of future plans.
- meeting with applicant regularly to monitor progress.
Helpful resources include the Academy’s 10 tips on how to write a lay summary and how to write a successful grant application.
Every Springboard application must include a statement of support from the Springboard Champion. Applicants will invite the Champion directly thought the online application form. The applicant cannot submit the application until all statements of support/declarations are complete. Champions should complete their section promptly once invited.
Champion statements must be personalised, not generic. They should:
- recognise the applicant’s technical abilities.
- set out the departmental support, including whether this support will increase if the applicant is successful.
Each application also requires a statement of support from the Head of Department. The Champion should help ensure the Head of Department’s statement is personalised, and not a generic statement of endorsement.
What happens after awards are made
All Springboard applicants receive individualised feedback in the February following their application submission. Feedback includes minimally redacted expert peer review comments. Applications that progress past the pre-Panel triage stage also receive a summary of the Selection Panel meeting discussion. The Academy cannot provide additional feedback beyond what is included in these documents.
The Academy encourages Champions to be mindful of applicants who feel disheartened by the outcome. In these cases, Champions should actively reach out and provide support.
Applicants may submit one resubmission to the scheme. They may reapply in any future round, provided they are still eligible and are shortlisted by their institution. Further details about resubmissions can be found in the Academy’s FAQs on our webpage.
Champions should meet and support unsuccessful applicants to:
- help them address the recommendations made to strengthen future grant applications
- discuss and support resubmission to the scheme, where appropriate
Champions should meet and support successful applicants to:
- help them incorporate feedback into their proposed work
- ensure the HEI honours the support promised if they were successful, e.g. research times, additional funds/resources etc.
- continue to mentor Springboard awardees throughout the award and support their ongoing research career.
Go back to the Springboard landing page
Go back to the Springboard: Eligible Institutions and Champions page
Springboard Champions Terms of Reference