Research Grants and PhDs

Research Grants and PhDs is sponsored by Macular Society. The Macular Society funds vital research into macular disease, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), myopic macular degeneration, central serous retinopathy, macular dystrophies, macular hole, retinal vein occlusion, and diabetic macular oedema.

Our grant programmes - Macular Society The Macular Society has two calls for grant applications each year. In April we invite applications for Research grants and PhD studentships . In July we invite applications for Seedcorn grants .

We also offer travel grants specifically for researchers in the early years of their career. The grant funds them to attend and present their research at The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual conference in the USA. A new programme funding fellowships began in 2025.

Grants of up to £300,000 over three years are available for research at UK institutions only. Projects can be for the maximum term or for a shorter period (e.g. two years), as long as the project is deemed to be good value for money. Studentships of up to £120,000 are available to cover a stipend, fees and consumables over three years.

PhD students should be based at a UK institution and a graduate in a relevant subject. Payment of PhD fees will be limited to the home rate. Students required to pay the international rate can still be recruited but will need to cover the balance from other sources.

Applications for 2026 Research grants and PhD studentships are now closed. The next call for applications will open in April 2026. In 2025, the application success rate for research grants and PhDs, excluding joint-funded grants, was 19%.

Grants of up to £25,000 are available for projects with a maximum duration of 1 year, at a UK institution. Applications may be for clinical or non-clinical research. Seedcorn grants are not intended to be used as ‘top-up’ funds to meet a shortfall in funding from another body.

Applications for 2027 Seedcorn grants are now open. The application success rate for Seedcorn projects starting in 2026 was 38%. Each year, five grants of up to £2,000 are available for early career researchers (within 10 years of their last degree) to attend the annual meeting of ARVO.

Applicants must have been accepted to present on work in the field of macular disease. The grants are intended to contribute towards travel, accommodation, subsistence expenses and conference registration fees. Applications for travel grants are now closed.

Our next grant round will open in November 2026. In 2025, the Macular Society launched a new programme to support mid-career researchers through funded fellowships. As part of this initiative, the Society has entered into joint funding agreements with the Daphne Jackson Trust and the Medical Research Council .

Opportunities to apply for fellowships will be advertised by the Macular Society and our co-funding partners as they become available. Find out more about our grants Research grants and PhD studentships Annual funding for research grants and PhD studentships focused on improving prevention, detection, treatment and quality of life for people with macular disease.

Seedcorn grants are up to £25,000 are available for projects with a maximum duration of 1 year, at a UK institution. Annual travel grants of up to £2,000 supporting early career macular disease researchers to attend and present at the ARVO annual meeting. A fellowship is an award that provides funding for individuals to pursue research, study, training, or professional development.

Macular Society Preliminary Application Form 2027 No downloads currently available. Get the latest research news from the Macular Society