Joint Global Health Trials scheme (closed)

This scheme funds late-stage trials of interventions that will provide evidence to help improve health in low- and middle-income countries.

It's a partnership between the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), the National Institute for Health Research and the Wellcome Trust. 

We’re changing our funding schemes

The way we fund research is changing to support our new strategy

See 'key dates' on this page for the next application deadline for this scheme.

Scheme at a glance 

This scheme is now closed

Lead applicant career stage:
Administering organisation location:
Funding amount:

Up to £20 million is available to fund several awards. Development grants are up to £200,000 each.

Funding duration:

Development grants are up to 2 years. Research grants are usually 3 to 4 years, but can be up to 5 years.

Key dates

The Medical Research Council considers applications once a year.

Global health trial research grants

  • Outline proposal deadline

    8 October 2020, 16:00 BST

  • Decision about outline proposals

    December 2020

  • Invited full application deadline

    25 February 2021

  • Final decision

    June 2021

Trial development grants

  • Full application deadline

    4 February 2021, 16:00 GMT

  • Final decision

    June 2021

Who can apply

The Global Health Trials scheme is aimed at funding randomised controlled trials (RCTs), although other types of methodologies can be used alongside RCTs to explore implementation and operational issues.

In Call 11 (2020/21), we're looking for applications for definitive RCTs that provide generalisable data beyond a single country or setting. The evidence generated should be robust and relevant to international and regional policy makers. It should also answer questions that will change policy and guidance.

The scheme focuses on late-stage (equivalent to phase III/IV) clinical and health intervention trials that evaluate efficacy and effectiveness. 

The scope of the scheme includes, but is not limited to:

  • behavioural interventions
  • psychosocial therapies
  • disease management
  • drugs
  • vaccines
  • hygiene interventions
  • diagnostic strategies.

You can choose between two proposal types:

  • global health trial research grants
  • trial development grants.

You can read the eligibility criteria for this scheme on the Medical Research Council website.

Other schemes

Joint Health Systems Research Initiative

Supporting research based in low- and middle-income countries to improve health systems in those locations.
Full details of Joint Health Systems Research Initiative
Scheme finder

This year, the Joint Global Health Trials scheme has £20 million to fund several awards. Support includes:

  • research expenses of the trial
  • trial steering and data monitoring committee costs
  • trial management costs (eg salary and training).

The Medical Research Council website has more information about the support we offer.

Please go to the Medical Research Council (MRC) website to find out how to apply.

The MRC processes all applications for this scheme. Please don’t apply to the Wellcome Trust.

There are two types of grant:

  • global health trials research grants (a two stage application process)
  • trial development grants (a one stage application process).

The Joint Global Health Trials Committee shortlists and recommends applicants. There are no interviews for this scheme.

Dates

The MRC considers applications once a year.

Global health trial research grants

  • Outline proposal deadline

    17 October 2019, 16:00 BST

  • Decision about outline proposals

    December 2019

  • Invited full application deadline

    February 2020

  • Final decision

    July 2020

Trial development grants

  • Full application deadline

    5 February 2020, 16:00 GMT

  • Final decision

    July 2020

Global health trial research grants

  • Outline proposal deadline

    8 October 2020, 16:00 BST

  • Decision about outline proposals

    December 2020

  • Invited full application deadline

    25 February 2021

  • Final decision

    June 2021

Trial development grants

  • Full application deadline

    4 February 2021, 16:00 GMT

  • Final decision

    June 2021

Grants awarded

Find out about some of the people and projects we've funded for this scheme.

Contact us

If you have a question, contact:

 

Caroline Harris at the Medical Research Council

 

Elena Netsi at Wellcome

Funding partners 

MRC, UKaid and National Institute for Heath Research logos