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Research grants

Our research grants programme supports vital mental health research within the veterinary professions. 

At the RCVS, we understand the direct impact the wellbeing of veterinary professionals has on animal welfare and public health. In our dual role as a Royal College and regulator we’re actively supporting research to improve mental health across the professions.

Following the launch of our new research grants programme, we are pleased to have awarded several Impact and Discovery grants. 

2025

  • £15,000 Impact Grant to the University of Manchester, to develop evidence-based and practical organisational interventions to support wellbeing in veterinary workplaces.
  • £5,000 Discovery Grant to Nottingham Trent University, to evaluate the implementation of reasonable adjustments in addressing mental health and neurodivergence for student veterinary nurses during clinical placement.
  • £40,000 3-year Impact Grant to Leeds Beckett University, to integrate mental health training into the veterinary nursing education.

2024 

  • £15,000 impact grant to a research group at Oxford Brookes University . It’s supporting work to explore alcohol use behaviours and barriers to seeking help in UK veterinary practice. 

What RCVS funding is available?

For 2026, we’re investing £20,000 to fund projects that can make a real difference to the mental health of people in our profession.  We have two types of funding opportunities: 
 

  • One x £5,000 Discovery Grant – perfect for early-career researchers, or for kick-starting smaller projects  
  • One x £15,000 Impact Grant – designed for more substantial projects led by established researchers 
     

Whether you're just starting out in mental health research or you're more established in the field, we welcome your application. Proposals must reflect at least one of our strategic areas of focus for 2026. These are: 
 

  • Self-harm and suicide prevention in the veterinary community
  • Mental health in veterinary education and early careers
  • Veterinary workplaces, leadership and mental health
     

As an RCVS grant holder, you'll receive more than just funding. We'll also provide: 
 

  • Direct access to veterinary professional networks 
  • Help with participant recruitment 
  • Active promotion of your research 

Previous grant holders have also benefited from facilitated webinars, networking opportunities, and support with sharing their research tools and findings. 

How to apply for an RCVS research grant

Ready to apply for an RCVS research grant? Here's what you need to know: 
 

Key dates: 
 

  • Deadline for applications – 23:59pm BST on 22 March 2026
  • Grant assessment window – March to May 2026
  • Notification of outcomes – Early June 2026
  • Project starts – Autumn 2026

We’re unable to offer extensions to the application deadline. 
 

Before you start your application, please refer to the following essential documents: 
 

Do you have any questions about applying? Contact us at [email protected] 

Further information

Unfortunately, we aren't able to accept applications from individuals or private entities. However, if you have maintained strong links with academics/researchers at universities/higher education institutions (e.g. through previous work, being an alumni member), we would encourage you to reach out, to see if you can work with them.

You don’t need to be an RCVS member to apply, but your research must be relevant to UK veterinary professionals or contribute to the global understanding of veterinary mental health in ways that benefit the UK veterinary community.  

You can submit one application for each research grant available. However, if successful, you’ll only be awarded one of the grants.

Discovery Grants (£5,000) are ideal for smaller projects, pilot studies, or researchers new to the field. 

Impact Grants (£15,000) support more substantial research projects from established researchers. Consider your project scope, timeline and career stage when choosing which to apply for.

Research proposal requirements

We're looking for rigorous research that addresses real challenges in veterinary mental health. Your proposal should clearly outline your research question, methodology, timeline, and expected impact. Use our application form and refer to the Applicant Guidance for detailed requirements.

You don't need to have ethical approval before applying, but, if successful, you will need to have received ethical approval before you start work. Full ethical considerations should be detailed in the research proposal, and approval should come from an ethics committee that has relevant expertise in mental health and/or psychology.

Still have questions? Email us at [email protected] and we'll help you through the application process.