Search Menu

Your web browser is outdated and may be insecure

The RCN recommends using an updated browser such as Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome

Independent Health and Social Care funding opportunities

Learning and development are an essential part of working in health and social care. Whilst many employers provide support and access to training there may be times when this is not available. This page provides a list of funding opportunities for training across the UK, open to health and care professionals. 

The RCN Foundation has various scholarships, bursaries, and grants, and should be your first port of call. It's fair to say that there will always be more people searching for funding than there is funding to give, so knowing where to look is an important first step. Please feel free to get in touch with if you know of any other funding opportunities that are available. The links below direct you to the main page of the organisation, from there you will need to navigate to the relevant funding page.

Name of organisation Clinical area Funding streams
RCN Foundation All
  • Education grants
Abbeyfield Research Foundation, The Older people
  • PhD studentships
Alzheimer's Society Dementia
  • Clinician and healthcare professionals training fellowships
  • Pre-doctoral clinical bursary
  • Daphne Jackson Trust fellowships
  • PhD studentships
The Barbers' Company Clinical Nursing Scholarship
University of East Anglia		 All
  • Up to £10K for nurses to undertake a Masters/PHD
British Geriatrics Society Older people
  • Conference grants
British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular
  • Research training fellowships for nurses and allied health professionals
  • Career development fellowships for nurses and allied health professionals
British Pain Society Pain
  • Study day bursary
Crohn's in Childhood Research Association IBD (Crohn's and colitis)
  • Small bursary grants
Diabetes UK Diabetes
  • Harry Keen intermediate clinical fellowship
The Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust Older people
  • Travelling fellowships
  • General grant
Dunhill Medical Trust Older people
  • PhD studentship
Florence Nightingale Foundation Leadership
  • Leadership Scholarships
Healthcare Infection Society IPC (Infection Prevention and Control)
  • Graham Ayliffe training fellowship
  • Career development bursary
Kidney Research UK Renal
  • Allied Health Professional Fellowship
Multiple Sclerosis Society Multiple Sclerosis
  • Early career fellowship and PhD fellowship
  • Advanced fellowship (with National Institute for Health Research (NIHR))
  • Clinical Research Training Fellowship (with Medical Research Council (MRC))
  • Career Development Award (with MRC)
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) All
  • Advanced fellowships
  • Doctoral fellowships
  • Clinical doctoral research fellowship (joint with Health Education England (HEE))
  • Clinical lectureship (joint with HEE)
  • Senior clinical lectureship (joint with HEE)
  • Research professorship
  • Integrated clinical and practitioner academic (ICA) pre-doctoral clinical academic fellowship (PCAF)
Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation Diabetes
  • Research fellowship in clinical diabetes
Parkinson's UK Parkinson's
  • Career Development Awards (joint MRC)
  • Clinical Research Training Fellowships (joint MRC)
Psoriasis Association Dermatology
  • PhD studentships
Queen's Nursing Institute, The Community and adult social care
  • Different grants for accredited courses
Rayne Foundation, The Older People, Adult Social Care
  •  Grants
Society for Endocrinology Endocrinology
  • Practical skills grant
Stroke Association Stroke
  • Joint MRC clinical training fellowships
  • Postgraduate fellowships
Tenovus Cancer Care Cancer
  • PhD studentships
UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network Dermatology
  • Nurse fellowship
Urology Foundation, The Urology
  • Travel grants for nurses
Versus Arthritis Arthritis
  • Senior research fellowship
  • Career development fellowship
  • Foundation fellowship
  • Clinical research fellowship
  • Nurse and AHP internship scheme
  • PhD scholarships
Wellbeing of Women Women's Health
  • Entry-level scholarships for midwives
Wellcome All
  • PhD fellowships for health professionals
 
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
 
 All
  • Travelling fellowships

Workforce Development Fund
Skills for Care

 Social care
  • A wide range of courses that can be claimed against

Nursing across independent health and social care

We’re here to support all our members, no matter what sector or setting you’re employed in.

Access our collection of resources and guides on nursing across independent health and social care.

Access resources
Older man talking to nurse

Pay, terms and conditions in Independent Health and Social Care employers

Find information about fair pay, terms and conditions in the Independent Health and Social Care sector.

Independent pay
Smiling nurse with folder
Back To Top
RCN Logo on White