UKRI / Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) - Marine Programs
Enriched UK · Found: 2026-03-10 13:30
UK Research and Innovation funds marine research through NERC with international scope. Supports research on sustainable fishing practices, coastal habitat restoration, and marine conservation applicable across diverse international contexts. Frequent international collaborations and partnerships for global environmental research.
Source: https://www.ukri.org/councils/nerc/
Funding Details
- Funder
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) / Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Funding Goal
- Fund environmental science research across topics including oceans and coasts, climate change, biodiversity, atmospheric and polar science. NERC is the principal public funder of environmental science in the UK, supporting research, training, and innovation to advance understanding of the natural environment.
- Funding Amount
- Varies widely by grant type; standard research grants typically hundreds of thousands to several million GBP
- How to Apply
- Apply via UKRI Funding Finder (https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/). Different programmes have varying deadlines and processes. Most research grants require full proposals through the Je-S or Funding Service portal. Sandpit events and responsive mode grants available.
- Target Region
- United Kingdom
- Contact
- https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/contact-us/
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-15 09:37
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), operating under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is the UK's primary funder of environmental science. NERC supports research, training, and innovation across the full range of environmental sciences, including marine and ocean science, atmospheric research, biodiversity, and climate change. NERC funding is primarily aimed at academic researchers and institutions, though some programmes include industry partnerships, public engagement, and knowledge exchange activities. NERC funds both responsive-mode grants (researcher-led) and directed programmes on specific themes. Oceanography and marine science are core NERC disciplines, with dedicated research centres and facilities. Funding opportunities are listed via the UKRI Funding Finder portal and include responsive-mode grants, fellowships, training grants, and thematic calls. Amounts vary significantly by programme type, from studentships to multi-million pound research consortia. While NERC funds important marine science, it is primarily an academic research funder rather than an NGO grant programme. NGOs without academic affiliation would find it difficult to access NERC funding directly.
Historical Context
NERC has been operating since 1965 and is the UK's main public funder of environmental science. As part of UKRI, it funds hundreds of research projects annually across oceanography, climate science, ecology, and related fields.
Why it was added
UK government research funding body with international marine research programs supporting conservation, sustainable fisheries, and coastal habitat science