What separates a strong fellowship funding application from the rest? Following an Early Career Research Network webinar with previous judges and successful applicants, Fiona Hughes explores some practical tips to help you put together a strong fellowship application. With tips ranging from budgeting to mock interviews, three clear themes emerged.

1. The funder is investing in you, not just your project

It’s easy to think that the success of a fellowship application lies with the strength of its research proposal. But the webinar speakers were all in agreement that fellowships are investments in the person doing the research.

“Remember you’re also selling yourself.” Dr Melissa Oldham

A strong application doesn’t just describe an interesting project – it shows how the fellowship will transform your career.

Think about:

  • How you will develop your skills
  • What new methods or techniques you will learn
  • Which collaborations or mentoring relationships will be most valuable to your development
  • What training or professional development you will undertake

Current fellow Dr Melissa Oldham encouraged applicants to think honestly about where they want to grow. She pointed out that identifying training needs isn’t a weakness – it’s evidence that you’ve thought carefully about your development.

Judges also look beyond the fellowship itself. Melissa encourages applicants to ask: “How is the fellowship going to get you to where you want to be in three years’ time?”

How will this award position you for future funding? How will you contribute to addiction research as a future leader?

That means telling a compelling personal story: Why this project? Why now? And, perhaps most importantly, why are you the right person to deliver it?

2. Show that you understand what the funder is trying to achieve

Successful applicants take time to understand the priorities of a fellowship scheme.

Before writing your application, look closely at the funder’s strategy, previous awards, and long-term ambitions. Ask yourself how your proposal contributes to those goals.

“Take a little bit of a step back and look at the history. What are they trying to do? What are they all about?” Dr Rob Calder

For people who want to apply for an SSA fellowship through the Addiction Healthcare Goals flagship research leadership programme, the scheme aims to strengthen addiction research by encouraging collaboration across disciplines and sectors, building a research ecosystem, and supporting researchers with the potential to become future leaders in addiction science.

Beyond academic outputs, think about:

  • How your research could improve treatment or influence policy
  • Whether your research addresses a genuine need for clinicians, service providers, or people with lived experience

Dr Paul Toner also spoke about the importance of being a good academic citizen, because leadership isn’t measured only by publications and grants; it can be seen in how you collaborate, support colleagues and contribute to your research community.

The strongest applications demonstrate not only excellent science, but a commitment to strengthening the wider field.

3. Don’t write your application alone

Reach out to previous fellows (they might let you read their successful applications). Ask colleagues for honest feedback. Share your draft with mentors, collaborators, and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) contributors. Draw upon friends and family outside of academia, too. If someone outside your field understands why your research matters, you’ve probably explained it clearly.

If you’re invited for an interview, ask people in your network to conduct mock interviews and listen to their feedback. In the webinar, Melissa described how she kept a Tupperware box full of interview questions to pick from in the lead up to her interview.

Seek advice from your university’s research support team who can help you to build a realistic budget, and choose mentors who will challenge and support you.

Finally, remember to focus on the process rather than the outcome. Funding decisions are competitive and never entirely within your control. What you can control is the quality of the application you submit. Invest your energy there, and once you’ve submitted your application, take a moment to celebrate what you’ve achieved.

The SSA supports careers in addiction research through funding bursaries for postgraduate study and professional development, pre-doctoral support for the development of PhD applications, PhD studentships, post-doctoral support for the development of fellowship applications, and fellowships. The current round of applications for PhD studentships and fellowships will close on 30 July 2026.

by Fiona Hughes

The opinions expressed in this post reflect the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA.

The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility.