CVS Research Grants

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Our Clinical Research Grants are unique in the industry.
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CVS is proud to offer funding for veterinary clinical research that aims to benefit the animals under veterinary care, and research that supports the veterinary profession in providing the best possible care to animals. We hold funding calls once a year, around a defined scope.
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What we fund
What we do not fund
Clinical veterinary research: We support clinical veterinary research, which aim to generate new knowledge that has a direct benefit to animals cared for by the veterinary profession.
Experimental research: Any interventions on animals (including obtaining samples) must be considered part of recognised veterinary practice (and fall under The Veterinary Surgeons Act in the UK). Investigators should be familiar with UK law regarding research on animals and these standards will be applied to all territories (advice is available if necessary to applicants from Australia).
Experimental research: Any interventions on animals (including obtaining samples) must be considered part of recognised veterinary practice (and fall under The Veterinary Surgeons Act in the UK). Investigators should be familiar with UK law regarding research on animals and these standards will be applied to all territories (advice is available if necessary to applicants from Australia).
Our Grants Funding in 2026:

Grant scope: “Research to support evidence-based preventative interventions that improve the long-term health, welfare and quality of life of animals”.

‘Prevention is better than cure’: CVS recognises that preventative healthcare has the potential to improve animal health outcomes, reduce disease burden, enhance welfare and strengthen the human-animal bond, however evidence for these approaches is often sparse. This funding call seeks innovative research that generates robust evidence for preventative approaches that can support the healthy aging of the animals under veterinary care.

We welcome projects that improve understanding of how preventative interventions can:

  • Delay or prevent disease onset
  • Improve lifelong health outcomes
  • Enhance animal welfare and quality of life
  • Support healthy ageing
  • Improve owner engagement and adherence to preventive healthcare
  • Reduce avoidable morbidity and healthcare costs
  • Support more sustainable and efficient delivery of veterinary care

Projects should have clear potential to translate into practical benefits for veterinary patients, owners and clinical teams.

Applicants are particularly encouraged to submit projects that:

  • Use large-scale clinical datasets
  • Involve active collaboration with CVS veterinary practices
  • Generate evidence readily translatable into clinical practice
  • Address significant disease burden within primary care populations
Funding Available

CVS Clinical Research Grants will fund one PhD studentship focused on generating evidence for preventative interventions that improve the long term health and welfare of animals.

The award will provide funding of up to £30,000 per annum for a maximum of three years (maximum total award value: £90,000).

Funding may be used to support direct research costs associated with the project, including:

  • PhD student stipend/salary costs
  • Research consumables
  • Laboratory, fieldwork or data collection costs
  • Software licences and specialist analytical tools required for the research
  • Other project-specific costs essential to delivery of the proposed research

Funding is not intended to cover:

  • University tuition fees
  • Institutional overheads or indirect costs
  • General infrastructure costs not directly attributable to the project

The host institution must commit to:

  • Covering all student tuition fees for the duration of the PhD
  • Providing the facilities, supervision and training required to successfully deliver the project
  • Outlining any additional financial or in-kind support that will be provided to ensure successful completion of the research
Eligibility

Applications are invited from academics based at recognised universities or research institutes in:

  • The United Kingdom
  • Australia

Projects must:

  • Focus on species commonly treated within CVS practices
  • Align with the funding call theme of preventative interventions that improve long term animal health and welfare
  • Demonstrate clear potential to generate evidence that can influence veterinary practice and improve outcomes for animals
  • Be suitable for completion within a three-year PhD programme
Application process

1. Stage 1: Full Application Submission

To apply for our grants, please follow the guidance below and email your application to clinicalresearchawards@cvsvets.com.

Please submit the following four documents to apply:

1. Application Form

An application form, outlining the following:

  • Details of the applicant/co-applicants including contact details, qualifications, and current posts.
  • The study title, its proposed start date, and duration.
  • A lay summary to help us with promotion and publicity of the project.
  • The research question, objectives and study background.
  • Proposed methods, study design and details of planned analyses with an outline of expected duration for each step. If available, please include a summary of results from pilot data.
  • Proposed clinical benefits of the research and a route to impact statement.
  • Details of previous submissions of the same or related proposals.
  • If staff are to be employed, please outline the planned process for this. If a student is the primary researcher (PhD or resident), please provide a supervisor statement giving details of planned training and research support.
  • Provide a detailed analysis of costs including a breakdown of expected total project costs and requested costs (this can be submitted as a separate document to the application form if necessary).

Download - CVS Grant Application Form

1. Application Form

An application form, outlining the following:

  • Details of the applicant/co-applicants including contact details, qualifications, and current posts.
  • The study title, its proposed start date, and duration.
  • A lay summary to help us with promotion and publicity of the project.
  • The research question, objectives and study background.
  • Proposed methods, study design and details of planned analyses with an outline of expected duration for each step. If available, please include a summary of results from pilot data.
  • Proposed clinical benefits of the research and a route to impact statement.
  • Details of previous submissions of the same or related proposals.
  • If staff are to be employed, please outline the planned process for this. If a student is the primary researcher (PhD or resident), please provide a supervisor statement giving details of planned training and research support.
  • Provide a detailed analysis of costs including a breakdown of expected total project costs and requested costs (this can be submitted as a separate document to the application form if necessary).

Download - CVS Grant Application Form

2. A CV Pro-Forma

A CV Pro-Forma for each applicant (a template is included within the application form tab above), including:

  • Name, current post and posts held within the last 10 years
  • A breakdown of current and past funding details
  • Details of current and past research supervision
  • A list of the 5 most relevant and highest quality publications
  • Additional information relating directly to the application
3. Ethics Approval Document
  • Please submit evidence of ethics committee application and approval.
  • We acknowledge that not all research will have ethical approval at the point of application (e.g. for qualitative research or questionnaire based research). In this scenario, please outline in a letter why ethical approval has not yet been granted and indicate the steps required to ensure the project will achieve ethical approval.
4. Letter of Support
  • Please include a letter of support for this project from your line manager or head of department.

2. Stage 2: Shortlisting

Applications will be reviewed by CVS Clinical Executive team and the CVS Clinical Research Grants Panel against the published assessment criteria.

Shortlisted applicants will receive feedback and be invited to progress to the final stage.

3. Stage 3: Interview and Presentation

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to present their proposal to the CVS Clinical Research Grants Panel.

Applicants should be prepared to discuss and defend:

  • The proposal’s methodology
  • Project feasibility and delivery
  • Plans for clinical impact and implementation
  • Student recruitment and project support

4. Stage 4: Final Award Decision

The panel will select the proposal that demonstrates the greatest potential to advance preventative veterinary medicine and deliver benefits for animal health and welfare.

Expectations on acceptance of funding offer:

  • The successful project should recruit a candidate and commence at the start of the 2027 academic year, approximately six months after notification of funding.
  • CVS will be involved in the selection process for shortlisted PhD candidates
  • Throughout the project, the project team will be expected to:

o provide regular project progress updates

o submit annual reports detailing milestones and expenditure

o participate in CVS research engagement activities where appropriate and,

o share study findings through publications, conference presentations and other dissemination routes

Important dates:

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Milestone
Date
Funding call opens
Summer 2026
Application deadline
27th November 2026
Shortlisting decisions communicated
15th January 2027
Shortlisted application meetings/interviews
Through February 2027
Final funding decision
End of March 2027
PhD recruitment period
Spring-Summer 2027
Project start
Beginning of 2027/28 academic year

Funded PhDs from previous calls:

2025:

  • Using an action research approach to develop interventions to optimise the role of Registered Veterinary Nurses in UK small animal practice - Royal Veterinary College

2024:

  • Interventions to promote responsible prescribing habits of HPCIAs in equine and small animal practices - University of Liverpool

2023:

  • Assessing the environmental risk from ectoparasite treatments in companion animals - University of Bristol

Download - CVS Clinical Research Award privacy notice (PDF 79KB)

Download - CVS Clinical Research Awards funding agreement (PDF 453KB)