The Royal Society Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition 2025

Biology Letters has been a home for quality research since 2005. In that time we have cultivated great relationships with scientists from across the world and at different stages in their career. This is especially true for early career researchers (ECR) who may be starting to submit their studies for publication the first time. With this in mind, we launched the inaugural Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition in 2022 to highlight the best research papers published in the journal by ECRs. The previous winners and runners-up can be found on our dedicated page and you can see all the excellent published entries on the special collection page.

• Table of Content
• About The Royal Society
• Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition
• Aim and Benefits of Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition
• Requirements for Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About The Royal Society

Our origins lie in a 1660 ‘invisible college’ of natural philosophers and physicians. Today we are the UK’s national science academy and a Fellowship of some 1,600 of the world’s most eminent scientists. The very first ‘learned society’ meeting on 28 November 1660 followed a lecture at Gresham College by Christopher Wren. Joined by other leading polymaths including Robert Boyle and John Wilkins, the group soon received royal approval, and from 1663 it would be known as 'The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge'. The Royal Soc... continue reading

Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition

Aim and Benefits of Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition

The overall winner receives £1000 and two runners-up receive £500 each (or currency equivalent). We hope the prizes are particularly helpful for funding new research and/or attending conferences

Requirements for Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition Qualification

1. The competition is open to all early career researchers (ECRs) as defined as someone who has completed a postgraduate degree within the last six years. Employees of the Royal Society, their families, agents or any third party directly associated with administration of the award are not eligible.
2. In entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to claim any prize you may win. The Royal Society may require you to provide proof that you are eligible to enter the competition.
3. The Royal Society reserves all rights to disqualify you if your conduct is contrary to the spirit or intention of the competition.
4. Only original research manuscripts submitted to Biology Letters are eligible to enter the competition.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Biology Letters Early Career Researcher Competition

The Competition

1. The competition entries will be judged by a panel of judges. The winning entry is chosen using the journal's standard criteria for selection. Details of the judges will be available on the website.
2. The overall winner will receive £1000 and two runners-up will receive £500 each (or currency equivalent).
3. The winner will be notified by email (using details provided at submission) within 7 days of being chosen. If a winner does not respond to the Royal Society within 14 days of being notified, then the winner’s prize will be forfeited and the Royal Society will be entitled to select another winner in accordance with the process described above.
4. The prize will be sent to the winner within 14 days of responding to the Royal Society.
5. The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and no cash alternative is offered. The Royal Society reserves the right to replace the prize with an alternative prize of equal or higher value if circumstances beyond the Royal Society's control makes it necessary to do so.
6. The decision of the Royal Society regarding any aspect of the competition is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into about it.
7. The winner's name will be published on our website.
8. The Royal Society reserves the right to hold void, cancel, suspend, or amend the promotion where it becomes necessary to do so.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more details, visit The Royal Society website.