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PhD studentships

If you're looking to get PhD funding for a specific research project or field of study, Doctoral studentships can provide you with either a partially or fully-funded PhD

Who awards PhD studentships?

PhD studentships are most commonly awarded by the UK's seven Research Councils in the form of Research Council grants , with research funding overseen by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) .

Individual UK universities also offer scholarships and bursaries to PhD students, while many professional bodies fund Doctoral research in collaboration with these academic institutions.

For instance, research awards are offered by the following engineering organisations:

• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) - QUEST scholarships
• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
• The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng)

Additionally, CASE studentships (formerly known as Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering) can be part-funded by any non-academic body in partnership with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) . These four-year PhDs require the student to work at the organisation for at least three months.

You can also apply for funded PhD opportunities through many charities, foundations and trusts, including:

• Action Medical Research
• Alzheimer's Society
• British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG)
• British Heart Foundation (BHF)
• Cancer Research UK
• Diabetes UK
• Rosetrees Trust - PhD Plus
• The Leverhulme Trust
• Wellcome Trust

Before you start applying for a funded PhD, it's always a good idea to discuss this with a prospective supervisor first, as they're often able to provide tips on maximising the likelihood of receiving financial support.

How much can I receive?

Many PhD studentships, including those offered by universities, professional bodies, or charities, foundations and trusts, provide three years' funding paid at a similar rate to the Research Council grant:

• Fees-only studentship - These cover a student's tuition fees, plus any associated project and training costs (a minimum of £4,786 per year in 2024/25).
• Full studentship - These add a non-repayable, tax-free maintenance grant known as a 'stipend'. In 2024/25, this is worth a minimum of £19,237 and it can be used towards living costs - see UKRI - Find studentships and Doctoral training .

For example, at The University of Manchester, the School of Social Sciences PhD studentship includes tuition fees for three-and-a-half years and a maintenance grant of £18,622 (2023/24 rate) per year for living expenses, plus associated research costs - such as fieldwork and attending conferences - from the Research Training Support Grant.

However, you should be aware that some PhD studentship recipients are required to teach undergraduates. While this provides an excellent opportunity to gain vital employability skills, it can also be hugely time-consuming. You must be satisfied that tutoring won't negatively affect the quality of your research before accepting your place.

Is my programme eligible for a PhD studentship?

PhD studentships can start at any time of the year, but most begin in September, October or January.

Certain types of PhD, for example professional Doctorates, may not be eligible for a PhD studentship. The same applies to part-time or distance learning options.

Am I eligible?

PhD studentships typically demand that applicants have a Bachelors degree at 2:1 or above, plus a relevant Masters degree or professional experience at that level of study.

Those who already possess a PhD are often ineligible, while some PhD studentships are limited to students fitting certain criteria - for example, those from a disadvantaged background, from a certain country or of a certain ethnicity.

If you're a European Union (EU) national, you'll need to have settled or pre-settled status under the government's EU Settlement Scheme to be eligible for student finance in this country - and this includes PhD studentships.

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

The application process can be lengthy, and competition is fierce.

Some PhD students will be automatically considered for financial support once they've been accepted by an institution, but many are required to make separate PhD funding applications. These are usually made directly to the university - even for those studentships from Research Councils, professional bodies, or charities, foundations and trusts.

You'll typically be asked for your PhD application form, a research proposal , a cover letter and your references. After the institution has reviewed your application, you may be invited to interview.

Throughout this process, the university will scrutinise what you'll bring to the institution. Applicants at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), for example, are judged on:

• the quality of their research project and how it connects with research currently being undertaken at the institution
• how appropriate the supervisory team is
• their calibre, academic qualifications and academic/research experience
• whether the research can contribute towards the Research Excellence Framework (REF), meaning that interdisciplinary research will be preferred.

How do I increase my chances of getting a PhD studentship?

You can improve your chances of success by:

• asking a friend or family member to proofread your application
• carefully choosing your referees, ensuring that they'll speak positively of you
• discussing your draft application with a relevant academic
• explaining how your work will be unique and innovative
• following the funding body's guidance regarding word counts and formatting.

What other PhD funding is available?

If you're unsuccessful with your PhD studentship application, you could consider:

• crowdfunding
• employer sponsorship
• PhD loans .

Find out more

• Explore 5 routes to getting a Doctorate .
• Read about 5 challenges faced by PhD students .
• Consider what to do next after completing a PhD .

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• Postgraduate research degrees
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• Funded PhD programmes 2024 UK

Funded PhD research programmes 2025 UK

The University of Brighton regularly invites applicants for fully-funded PhD studentships across all its disciplines. 

These allow motivated, high-calibre applicants for research degrees to join our thriving academic community and contribute to our rich and innovative research environment. 

Our processes also often allow us to support promising candidates for applications to external funders and we regularly welcome self-funded applicants to programmes across all disciplines.

We will be advertising University of Brighton studentships later in the year. Meanwhile, please visit our PhD funding advice page  for current offers or see below for further general advice about applying for a funded PhD in the UK. 

Visit our PhD disciplinary programme lists

What UK PhD studentships are available ?

Depending on the discipline area, applicants for postgraduate research study may be:

• applying to work on specific, defined research projects
• applying to work with an academic department or individual with specific interests
• or applying with a self-identified research topic proposal.

When available, studentships are open to home and international students and will be given to candidates who best fulfil the promise outlined by these academic departments.

Students may like to review the funding opportunities listed at the foot of the page or visit our  PhD funding advice page  . 

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube .

Can you be a researcher? Professor Bhavik Patel reassures applicants of all backgrounds that they can study for a PhD and aim for a research career. 

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

The application for financing schemes will usually involve:  

• submitting a full application through the university's PhD application portal, our University of Brighton portal is accessible from the  PhD funded projects webpages . You will upload your research proposal as part of this process.
• The submission must include two letters of reference, academic qualifications, a proposed project approach, a personal statement and your CV (resumé).
• Shortlisted applicants are likely to be invited for interview.

What does PhD funding include?

The funding for the PhD usually covers the full fee and a stipend at the UKRI rate plus an allowance of £1,500 per year for researcher training for three years (or part-time equivalent). 

Successful candidates benefit from expert supervisory teams, a programme of postgraduate researcher development workshops and membership of specialist, interdisciplinary research centres and groups. There will be introductions to a network of relevant researchers, careers advice and opportunities for interaction within and beyond the university. Through this, our PhD students have the best start possible towards ambitious careers that make use of their research degrees.

The University of Brighton fosters research careers and will provide doctoral training, attentive and expert supervision and access to world-class laboratories and equipment. 

We are renowned as a leading applied university, with pioneer academics in disciplines from sport science to design history and applied science research that translates efficiently to the global challenge of worldwide health and wellbeing. Our strategy of 'practical wisdom' leads to real-world partnerships and beneficiaries across all disciplines while the development of community-university partnership practices have placed us among the best universities for many aspects of co-produced research and innovation.

We pride ourselves on the ways we work in partnership with those outside higher education, across the European Union and internationally. Through our research collaborations we work with a wide range of universities, both internationally and with universities in the UK. We are also founding members of two UKRI Doctoral Training Partnerships which, this year, are dealt with outside our University of Brighton studentship offer. We learn constantly from our involvement in these, and our rich resources are offered across all doctoral research programmes.

Recently the University of Brighton celebrated its performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) and the Knowledge and Exchange Framework (KEF2023). Over 87 per cent of our submitted impact case studies in REF2021 were rated as having 'outstanding' or 'very considerable' impact beyond academia. We are dedicated to developing this quality work with new students. Read more about the review of our research and knowledge exchange performance in REF2021 . Also, read more about our KEF2023 results, which placed Brighton in the top tier for economic and social benefits .

How will you build a relationship with your supervisor? Professor Annebella Pollen and Dr Tom Ainsworth are among those offering advice. This film was made by the University of Brighton for UKRI and also features academics from other institutions.

How do I increase my chances of getting a PhD studentship?

You must be able to show your suitability for a UK research degree if you wish to apply for fully-funded studentships.

This includes evidence either of a relevant and successful academic background or equivalent relevant professional/expert background in the applied subject area. Applicants from overseas will also have to fulfil any English language and visa requirements.

This will be true for studentships in the UK across most of the UK universities. It is usual for applicants either to have completed (or be about to complete) a masters degree, have an exceptional undergraduate record and references, or demonstrate the equivalent scholarly potential.  

Supervisory staff and research students at the University of Brighton consider how important diverse thinking and inclusive practice are to their doctoral studies.

Can I get PhD funding at the University of Brighton?

We have a long-standing annual programme of funded PhD opportunities across all our disciplines, including several rooted in research council (UKRI) partnerships .

The initiatives allow postgraduate study for UK-based students as well as study in the UK for international students (depending on the PhD programme). 

We are also keen to encourage students who might be able to self-fund their doctoral studies. Studying part-time, for example, is likely to prove more affordable and more easily balanced with professional life than you'd imagine. 

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive atmosphere and structure for your studies. Show us your own qualities and your suitability for programmes as they become available and we will look forward to receiving your application. 

Insitutions and funding bodies for PhD study

On the Funding pages of our website we post advice as to the regular and specific funding opportunities available through the University of Brighton, its partners and networks. 

These include  Doctoral Training Partnership  and University of Brighton PhD studentship calls,  individual studentship projects , University of Brighton  international research scholarships  and our  alumni scholarships  for current and past students. 

We also include below some of the major funding options for international students wanting to do a PhD with us, each of which may support all or part of your studies.

Worldwide international funding schemes for PhD research

The british council.

The British Council offers a search engine for UK courses, institutions (including the University of Brighton) and scholarships.

Find out more about scholarships and funding through The British Council.

The Gen Foundation

The Gen Foundation considers applicants living in all countries. It is a charitable trust which principally provides grants to students/researchers in natural sciences, in particular food sciences/technology.

Find out more about grants to students and researchers from The Gen Foundation .

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is dedicated to improving the quality of life of those in need, mainly in Asia and Africa, irrespective of their origin, faith, or gender. Our multifaceted development approach aims to help communities and individuals become self-reliant.

Find out more about research funding through the Aga Khan development network .

The Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations are active in more than 120 countries around the world, using grant-giving, research, advocacy, impact investment, and strategic litigation to support the growth of inclusive and vibrant democracies. The four main themes of the Open Society Foundations are climate justice, equity, expression, and justice and they will award grants and fellowships throughout the year to organisations and individuals who share those values. The Open Society Foundations look for grantees who have a vision and whose efforts will lead to lasting social change.

Find out more about postgraduate funding through The Open Society Foundations .

International Education and Financial Aid

The International Education and Financial Aid (IEFA) provides students from all over the world comprehensive information on financial aid for studying abroad. Using the IEFA website, you can easily search the IEFA database for scholarships, grants, loan programs, and other options available to help finance your international education.

Find out more about international PhD research funding through the IEFA .

The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds 

The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) awards PhD fellowships of two to three-and-a-half years to outstanding junior scientists worldwide who wish to pursue an ambitious PhD project in basic biomedical research in an internationally leading laboratory.

Find out more about the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds fellowships .

Resource sites for international PhD research funding

Internationalstudent.com.

InternationalStudent.com is a leading online resource for international students around the world providing advice pages for studying in the USA, UK and Australia for international students, plus a dedicated study abroad center for US students who want to travel abroad.

Find out more about international study through InternationalStudent.com .

ScholarshipTab

ScholarshipTab is an online portal that connects international students to available scholarship opportunities round the world.

Find out more about the Scholarship Tab resource .

International Education and Financial Aid (IEFA)

The IEFA provides students from all over the world comprehensive information on financial aid for studying abroad. Search the IEFA database for scholarships, grants, loan programs, and other options available to help finance your international education.

Find out more from the International Education and Financial Aid website .

The European Funding Guide 

Scholarships and grants for students from the European Union

Find out more through the European Funding Guide  

The Americas: Postgraduate doctorate funding from institutions and bodies to study in the UK

• Marshall Scholarship:  Provides for United States students to study abroad.
• Benjamin A Gilman International Scholarship provides for United States students to study abroad.
• American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid
• Global Affairs Canada International Scholarships Program
• Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund
• Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• The Bolsas Lideres Estudar Program provides for Brazilian students studying in the UK .

Asia: Postgraduate doctorate funding from Asian institutions and bodies to study in the UK

The Charles Wallace Bangladesh Trust

The Charles Wallace Burma Trust

China and Hong Kong

Great Britain – China Educational Trust is a charity that promotes mutual understanding between the UK and China and aims to build long-term connections between the two countries. It delivers awards contributing towards university tuition fees and living expenses for Chinese nationality students studying for a PhD in any subject at a UK university.

Great Britain China Centre Chinese Student Awards  offers scholarships of up to £3,000 for citizens of China and Hong Kong studying for a PhD in any subject at a UK university

The Hong Kong People Association (HKPA)  aims to provide financial aids for further university education to students from Hong Kong who are not able to afford international tuition fees. 

The Charles Wallace India Trust  offers PhD funding for study in the arts, heritage conservation or the humanities.

The Inlaks India Foundation

The JN Tata Endowment award funds 90 to 100 scholars across disciplines ranging from the sciences to management, law and commerce and the fine arts.

The KC Mahindra Education Trust

The Persia Educational Foundation Abdolreza Ansari Scholarship   is designed to support the education of students of Iranian descent enrolled in a Master or Doctorate programme in human rights or public service in the UK.

Momeni Iranian Financial Assistance Scholarships  offer partial funding scholarships for international students of Iranian descent towards a PhD in any subject.

The Kenneth Lindsay Scholarship Trust

The Anglo-Jewish Association (AJA)  provides funding for Jewish students to study a Masters or PhD in the UK.

The Japan-IMF Scholarship Program for Advanced Studies  funds students of macroeconomics with a view to them working at the International Monetary Fund.

The Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan . The HEC offers government scholarships for Pakistani students to study abroad in various countries, including the UK.

Saudi Arabia

The Cultural Bureau of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia (SACB)  offers scope for full tuition fees and supporting fees for PhD level study.

Agency for Science, Technology and Research

The Thai Office of Educational Affairs 

Europe: Postgraduate doctorate funding from European institutions and bodies to study in the UK

The European Funding Guide  - Scholarships and grants in the EU.

France -  Entente Cordiale scholarships for postgraduate studies  provide funding to help students enrolling for a Masters or a PhD qualification in the UK or in France.

Italy -  Il Circolo Italian Cultural Association is a UK-registered charity based in London with the mission to support deserving students with awards and scholarships.

Norway - Lanekassen  - The Norwegian student loans and grants awarding body supports Norwegian students studying overseas.

Scandinavia - Fundraising.how  - article database offering funding advice for Scandinavian students.

Sweden - CSN -  loans and grants for Swedish students studying overseas.

Australia: funding for PhD study in the UK

The Australia Day Foundation  offers grants to young Australians for fees and course materials.

Africa: funding for PhD study in the UK

Sudan -  The Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund (GMCTF)

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• Meet, visit and discover LSE

LSE PhD Studentships

It was a huge honour to receive funding from such a prestigious institution

For 2024 entry, LSE will be offering studentships to new PhD students, in 2023 this was 88, in the form of LSE PhD Studentships, LSE DTP  ESRC Studentships  and London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP)  Studentships.

The awards are open to high calibre students of all nationalities studying across all research areas at the School.

Eligibility

LSE PhD Studentships are tenable for four years and cover full fees and an annual stipend, which for 2024 entry is £21,237. They are available for UK and international students undertaking research in any LSE discipline, with annual renewal subject to satisfactory academic performance.

These awards will be made solely on the basis of outstanding academic merit and research potential. This relates both to your past academic record and to an assessment of your likely aptitude to complete a PhD in your chosen topic in the time allocated.

How to apply

Academic departments nominate students for consideration by a School panel for all PhD funding opportunities they may be eligible for. There is no separate application for any of these studentships.

To be considered for this funding, you must submit your complete application for admission to LSE by a specific date. This date differs by academic department. Refer to the individual programme page for the relevant deadline information.  Find your graduate programme .

• deadline for the research programme in the Law School for 2024 entry: 1 December 2023
• deadline for the research programme in the Department of Economics for 2024 entry (including PhD Studentships and ESRC funding: 14 December 2023
• funding deadline for first round of PhD Studentships and for ESRC funding for 2024 entry: 15 January 2024
• London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP) PhD Scholarships  deadline: 26 January 2024, 17:00 GMT
• funding deadline for second round of PhD Studentships deadline for 2024 entry (some departments only): 25 April 2024

Find out about ESRC Studentships .

More information on how to apply for a place on a PhD programme .

Student stories

"I received an LSE PhD Studentship, which covers both my tuition and living expenses. It was a huge honour to receive funding from such a prestigious institution and without this support it would have been impossible for me to pursue my PhD."

Katherine Furman East London, South Africa MPhil/PhD Philosophy LSE PhD Studentship

ESRC Studentships Scholarships for PhD study and master's linked to a PhD

How to apply The application process, UCAS and when to apply

Undergraduate fees and funding Details on available scholarships, bursaries, loans and tuition fees

Graduate fees and funding Details on available scholarships, bursaries, loans and tuition fees

Contact us Get in touch with the Financial Support Office

Meet, visit and discover LSE Webinars, videos, on campus events and visits around the world

• Postgraduate
• PhD and Professional Doctorates

PhD opportunities

Fully funded phd studentships.

Our mission is to create lasting, meaningful change throughout the world, and with our funded PhD studentships, your research can be a key part of us achieving that goal.

What is a studentship?

A studentship is like a scholarship but for a research degree at the university, helping to fund your research project. Finance shouldn’t be a barrier to delivering world-leading research, that's why we run an annual fully funded PhD studentship competition, to recruit talented researchers from across the world.

Doctoral research that encourages change and produces real-world impacts is more important than ever. A doctoral degree is more than just a thesis: it is an opportunity to realise your potential as a researcher, to develop your passion and knowledge in a community that values progress. Get support for your research with a NTU Studentship.

Applications for our 2024 studentships have now closed. The scheme usually opens in October. Sign up for emails to be notified of the next release and to keep up to date with research funding.

Discover our PhD opportunities that drive innovation and delivers real-world impact. Browse our PhD projects, or submit your own proposal.

Professional Doctorates

Make an impact with world-leading and award-winning research at Nottingham Trent University.

PhD fees and funding

Find out more about the fees and funding options available for research study at Nottingham Trent University.

How to apply for a PhD

Everything you need to know about applying to study at the NTU Doctoral School.

Re:shaping re:search - why join NTU?

With world-class facilities, dedicated doctoral support, and a growing portfolio of interdisciplinary and collaborative research programmes — all delivered alongside our worldwide family of academic and industry partners — NTU is the place to truly re:alise your potential.

We offer a unique Doctoral Education, Training and Development programme to support the growth of all our doctoral candidates, in everything from academic writing and academic software to healthy research practices. We support our candidates throughout their doctoral journey, enabling them to reach their potential as experts in their field.

As a two-time recipient of the Queens Anniversary Prize — the most prestigious national award for research outputs — 86% of our work has been judged as ‘world-leading’or ‘internationally excellent.’* We want to continue building this reputation for research excellence by taking a themed approach to addressing the world’s most pressing problems — the key questions that span business, the arts, science, sustainability, healthcare, politics, and the environment. We’re calling this new approach Re:search Re:imagined

* Latest data, Research Excellence Framework 2021

A diverse community

"I chose to pursue a PhD because I've always been intellectually curious". Hear about Richards's doctoral experience.

We’re committed to removing barriers to doctoral education — an ambition reflected in the award of joint funding to improve access and participation for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in PGR study. Our Doctoral School is a diverse and highly inclusive community; it enables its members to become confident, skilled researchers, regardless of their backgrounds.

Join us to help fulfil our boldest ambitions — to value ideas, create opportunities, embrace sustainability, empower people, enrich society, and connect on a global scale. We believe in applied, meaningful research that delivers better answers. Be part of a community that champions your voice and experience.

By breaking down the financial barriers to PhD study, our fully funded studentships ensure you’ll have the freedom and confidence to deliver the kind of research that truly matters.

Re:searchers Re:vealed

Here at NTU, our researchers come from a variety of backgrounds, and they all have a powerful story to tell. In this series, we share their stories.

UCL Doctoral School

Apply for Studentships

Learn about the types of studentships available to current and prospective students.

View live studentship opportunities

What is a studentship? 

‘Studentship’ is the term used for a funding package, or grant, awarded to a student by one or a combination of the below  funding sources for university study. Studentships can cover part or all of a student’s tuition fees and include a ‘stipend’ for living costs.

Who can apply for a studentship? 

Each studentship opportunity has its own specific eligibility criteria: some are open to both current and prospective students, others only to prospective students and many of the studentships available at UCL are open to both Home and International-fee status applicants – please check individual opportunities for their eligibility requirements. 

Studentships at UCL

Sources of funding.

Postgraduate research funding comes from a variety of sources - some schemes are funded internally by UCL, while others are externally funded by a wide range of organisations. Schemes are administered in one of the following ways:

• Funded and managed by UCL
• Funded by an external organisation with UCL responsible for the management of funds
• Funded by an external organisation with the external organisation responsible for the management of funds and liaising directly with the student regarding their funding

Where UCL manages the funding of an externally funded scheme or studentship, for example, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome Trust grants, UCL rights and regulations apply in addition to those of the funder. Please note that if a studentship is externally funded and the external organisation manages and liaises directly with the student regarding the funding, UCL is not responsible for the administration of funding in any way.

Examples of internally and externally managed funding sources are:

Internally managed funding sources

• Central UCL schemes (for example, the Research Excellence Scholarship (RES) and the Research Opportunities Scholarship (ROS))
• Discipline specific faculty or departmental studentships and schemes
• UKRI Research Councils
• Some charities and societies (for example, the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and the Royal Society)

Externally managed funding sources

• Nation-specific schemes  (for example, the China Scholarship Council (CSC))

There are numerous studentship opportunities at UCL, including:  

Doctoral Training Entity (DTE) Studentships 

Doctoral Training Entities, or DTEs, is the term used by UCL for all its funded postgraduate research training programmes. In addition to providing funding, DTE studentships offer prospective doctoral researchers the opportunity to develop their research skills through a defined training programme as part of a cohort. Funders of DTEs include UKRI, Wellcome Trust, and the British Heart Foundation. 

For more information on UCL’s DTEs, visit Doctoral Training Entities (DTEs) .

UCL Research Excellence Scholarship (UCL-RES) 

The UCL Research Excellence Scholarship (UCL-RES) is the premier scholarship programme for exceptional scholars pursuing doctoral research at UCL. It combines what was previously known as the GRS and ORS scholarships.  

UCL-RES applications for the 2024/2025 academic year start are closed. The scholarship runs each year with the application window opening in October.

For detailed information on UCL-RES, including eligibility and the application process, visit the Research Excellence Scholarship  page.

UCL Research Opportunities Scholarship (UCL-ROS)

UCL's Research Opportunity Scholarship (UCL-ROS) supports current and prospective Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) postgraduate research degree students to excel in academia.

The UCL Scheme offers full financial support and a skills development programme, and responds to persistent under-representation and structural inequalities that disadvantage talented ethnically minoritised researchers. Visit the UCL-ROS scholars testimonials to see how this scholarship has benefitted UCL's community of UCL-ROS scholars.

UCL-ROS applications for the 2024/2025 academic year start are closed. The scholarship runs each year with the application window opening in October.

For detailed information on UCL-ROS, including eligibility and the application process, visit the Research Opportunities Scholarship .

Other UCL Studentships & Scholarships 

Explore a list of available UCL studentships, usually advertised by project, by utilising our Funded Research Opportunities Search . 

For part and full financial awards or scholarships aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies that are not project or DTE-related, use the Scholarships Finder Tool . 

Other External Funding Opportunities 

Beyond UCL, numerous organisations offer scholarships, funding and development opportunities for home and international doctoral researchers. These include governmental and charitable organisations, some of which award nation-specific scholarships to academically excellent students to foster research relationships between countries, whilst others award based on research field. Please note that eligibility criteria and application requirements vary across organisations and schemes. 

Explore (but by no means be limited to) the below examples of organisations which offer funding and development opportunities: 

• British Council  (offers funded and unfunded development opportunities)
• Ch inese Scholarship Council (CSC) Scholarships  (open to international students wishing to study in China)
• Croucher Foundation  (open to Hong Kong residents) 
• Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation  (open to British and Japanese residents)
• Nuffield Foundation  POST Fellowship  (open to any PhD students or post doctoral researchers in a scientific or quantitative social science field)
• The Alan Turing Institute  Enrichment Scheme  (open to any PhD students working within the Data Science and AI community)

Examples of US/UK specific schemes:

• Frank Knox Fellowship (fellowships to Harvard for British postgraduate students)
• Fulbright Commission (open to UK and US based students)
• Marshall Scholarships (open to US students)

• Postgraduate Research

Studentships: self-funded and funded PhD projects

Choose research area: All research areas Arts and Humanities Biological and Medical Sciences Business and Finance Chemical Sciences Earth Sciences and Geography Engineering and Planning Law Maths and Computing Physical Sciences Social Science and Health Eligibility by nationality: All Nationalities Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Ascension Island Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Channel Islands Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, The Democratic Republic Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran (Islamic Republic Of) Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Rep Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Rep Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupie Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka St Vincent and the Grenadines Sth Georgia & Sth Sandwich Is Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Republic of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (U.S.) Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Yugoslavia Zambia Zimbabwe Show only funded PhDs: Update list

There are 73 self-funded or funded PhD studentship.

Accelerating computational materials discovery with diverse toolsets for verification and optimisation

• Funding: Funded studentship
• Application deadline: Tuesday 31st December 2024
• Subject area: Maths and Computing
• Supervisors: Dr Alexei Lisitsa Dr Rasmus Ibsen-Jensen
• Eligibility: Open to students worldwide

Alterations in reparative dentinogenesis with ageing, gender and genetic predisposition

• Funding: Self-funded project
• Application deadline: Saturday 1st March 2025
• Subject area: Biological and Medical Sciences
• Supervisors: Dr Elizabeth Laird Professor Fadi Jarad Dr Nick Longridge

Analysing the role of statins in cardiovascular protection

• Application deadline: Thursday 16th January 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Mike Cross Dr Bettina Wilm Dr Anil Mondru

Analysis of the role of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in methotrexate-induced liver toxicity

• Application deadline: Friday 29th November 2024
• Supervisors: Dr Michael Cross Prof Chris Goldring

Anthelmintic efficacy in ascarids Parascaris spp. populations in foals and youngstock and existing management strategies on UK stud farms

• Application deadline: Saturday 31st August 2024
• Supervisors: Prof Jane Hodgkinson Prof Gina Pinchbeck
• Eligibility: Open to UK applicants

Assessing the consistency assumption underlying network meta-analysis in systematic reviews

• Application deadline: Tuesday 1st October 2024
• Supervisors: Dr Sarah Donegan Dr Angela Boland Prof Catrin Tudur Smith

Assessing the physical impact of a six-week yoga intervention on brain structure, function, cognition and inflammatory profile in healthy volunteers

• Application deadline: Monday 6th January 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Victoria Kinsley Prof Simon Keller

Biological pathways supporting the formation and function of chromatin (Scholarship)

• Application deadline: Saturday 8th February 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Colin Hammond

Calmodulin signalling as a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19 infection

• Supervisors: Dr Nordine Helassa Prof Caroline Dart

Cardiac Harmony: Modelling Heart Beats with Stem Cells and Code

• Supervisors: Prof Richard Barrett-Jolley Dr Rachel Oldershaw

Cardiovascular and Neuromuscular Functions around the Clock: Harnessing Protective Endogenous Mechanisms towards Smarter Design of Novel Therapies and Interventions

• Supervisors: Dr Vanja Pekovic-Vaughan Dr Masoud Isanejad Dr Aphrodite Vasilaki Dr Sunil Loganthama

Chromatin regulation of oncogenic transcription and replication stress: mechanism and functional implications in acute myeloid leukemia

• Application deadline: Tuesday 18th March 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Manolis Papamichos Chronakis Prof David MacEwan Dr Aditi Kanhere

Combining genome-scale metabolic models and multi-omics data for a system level understanding of bacteria

• Application deadline: Saturday 22nd March 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Francesco Del-Carratore Prof Roy Goodacre Prof Steve Paterson

Control of bone shape and function by the extracellular matrix Fibrillin-1

• Supervisors: Dr Blandine Poulet

Determination of the non-coding RNAs in the knee joint tissues of dogs at differing risk to cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

• Application deadline: Friday 28th February 2025
• Supervisors: Professor Eithne Comerford Professor Mandy Peffers

Determining metabolic reprogramming events in stem cells in response to inflammatory disease phenotype

• Supervisors: Dr Rachel Oldershaw Dr Amy Chadwick Dr Marie Phelan Dr Brendan Norman

Determining the role of mitochondrial DNA variation in hepatic pathways and its impact on physiology, pharmacology and toxicology: a combined in vitro and bioinformatic approach.

• Application deadline: Wednesday 30th July 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Amy Chadwick Dr Dan Carr Dr Joanna Elson ([email protected])

Developing a New Class of Electromagnetic Field Solvers for Charged Particle and Mass Spectrometry Modelling & Simulation

• Application deadline: Monday 30th September 2024
• Subject area: Engineering and Planning
• Supervisors: Prof Simon Maher

Developing an in silico method for endodontic restoration of human molar teeth

• Application deadline: Friday 11th April 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Rosti Readioff Dr Alana Sharp Dr Nicholas Longridge Prof Fadi Jarad

Developing Approaches to Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the Equine population

• Application deadline: Sunday 1st September 2024
• Supervisors: Prof Nicola Williams Prof Gina Pinchbeck

Developing industrial AI support tools for processing legal cases in medical negligence

• Supervisors: Professor Katie Atkinson

Development and validation of the Epilepsy-Heart syndrome: a focus on ictal asystole and developing evidence-based national consensus guidelines

• Application deadline: Monday 2nd December 2024
• Supervisors: Dr Gashirai Mbizvo Prof Gregory Lip Prof Tony Marson Prof Ian Buchan

Development of a novel AI model for cardiovascular disease risk prediction by analysing retinal vascular structure and functional changes in blood flow

• Supervisors: Dr He Zhao Prof Gregory Lip Prof Yalin Zheng Savita Madhusudhan Peck Lin Lip

Discovery of Functional Inorganic Materials for Net Zero Applications using High-Throughput Synthesis

• Subject area: Chemical Sciences
• Supervisors: Prof Matthew Rosseinsky Dr John Claridge Dr Troy Manning

Do patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears demonstrate muscle strength deficits of the hip, knee, and ankle muscles?

• Supervisors: Dr Rachel Oldershaw Mr Richard Norris

Electrochemically switchable materials down to the single molecule level

• Supervisors: Prof Richard Nichols

Elucidation of a new pathological mechanism for brittle bone disease

• Supervisors: Dr Elizabeth Laird

Engineered nanomaterials for safe sustainable water purification

• Application deadline: Thursday 9th January 2025
• Supervisors: Prof Raechelle D’Sa

Engineering more water-use efficient crops: functional genomics of CO2 fixation during Crassulacean acid metabolism

• Application deadline: Saturday 30th November 2024
• Supervisors: Dr James Hartwell Dr Peter Walley

Establishing the biomarker potential of extracellular RNA structure in chronic diseases

• Application deadline: Friday 9th May 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Simon Tew

Exploiting Deep Learning-based protein structure prediction for function annotation and structural biology

• Application deadline: Saturday 15th February 2025
• Supervisors: Prof D J Rigden Dr R Keegan

Exploring the roles of dynamic atypical protein phosphorylation in cancer

• Application deadline: Wednesday 5th February 2025
• Supervisors: Prof Claire Eyers Prof Andy Jones

Fast Algorithms for Huge Dynamic Graphs

• Application deadline: Friday 13th September 2024
• Supervisors: Prof Simon Maskell Dr Alessandro Varsi Prof Paul Spirakis
• Eligibility: Open to EU/UK applicants

High power laser development

• Supervisors: Dr Laura Corner

High-throughput exploration of multicomponent metal organic frameworks (MOFs)

• Supervisors: Prof Matthew Rosseinsky Dr Alexandros Katsoulidis

Identifying age-related extracellular microenvironment in dental tissues

• Application deadline: Monday 10th March 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Kazuhiro Yamamoto Prof Fadi Jarad

Improving chemical and immunological assessment to drive safer development of the new breed of drugs: PROTACS

• Application deadline: Friday 28th March 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Xiaoli Meng Prof Dean Naisbitt Dr Gemma Nixon Dr Sean Hammond

Improving patient outcomes following mandibular reconstruction after oral cancer: novel finite element methods for better surgical design

• Supervisors: Dr Alana Sharp Prof Andrew Schache

Investigating how tumour associated macrophages affect cancer metastasis and response to therapies

• Supervisors: Prof Ainhoa Mielgo Prof Michael Schmid

Investigating local invasion in primary and secondary brain tumours

• Supervisors: Dr Rasheed Zakaria Prof Michael Jenkinson Ian Scott

Investigating the cellular functions of Trappc9 in brain development and microcephaly

• Application deadline: Wednesday 1st January 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Antonius Plagge Dr Tobias Zech

Investigating the impact of galectin-ligand interaction on cancer cell resistance to chemotherapeutic treatment

• Supervisors: Prof Lu-Gang Yu

Investigating the Local Mode of Action of Anti-Perspirants using model systems and advanced probing techniques

• Application deadline: Sunday 15th June 2025
• Supervisors: Professor Raval

Investigating the regulation of neutrophil gene expression by intracellular signalling and small non-coding RNAs

• Supervisors: Dr Helen Wright Prof Mandy Peffers

Investigating the role of Aquaporins in age related diseases

• Supervisors: Dr Caroline Staunton Dr Robert Heaton

Investigating the role of calmodulin in human muscular hypotonia and immunodeficiency

Investigating the role of neutrophil-mediated tissue damage in a model of lupus nephritis.

• Supervisors: Dr Helen Wright Dr David Wilkinson Dr David Turner

Investigating the role of oxidative metabolites in joint destruction in osteoarthritis

• Supervisors: Dr Brendan Norman Dr Juliette Hughes Prof George Bou-Gharios

Knowledge-based Design of Dental Surfaces to combat Oral Biofilms

• Supervisors: Prof R Raval Prof Ian Prior Dr V Slomka

Microbial Induced Electrochemistry at the Local Site and Single Cell Level

• Supervisors: Prof Rasmita Raval Dr Andrea Vezzoli

Morphology, motion, and mechanics of vertebral joints in fish

• Supervisors: Dr Ariel Camp Dr Alana Sharp

MUSIC-AF: Personalised music interventions to reduce arrhythmia recurrence after rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation

• Subject area: Arts and Humanities
• Supervisors: Dr Eduardo Coutinho Dr Alena Shantsila Prof Gregory Lip

Non-thermal plasma as a chemical reagent: elucidating mechanism and exploring NTP for pharmaceutically relevant electroreductive reactions

• Application deadline: Friday 10th January 2025
• Supervisors: Prof Anna Slater Dr Christophe Aissa

Preclinical testing of collagen synthesis inhibitors for fibrotic disease

Probing death decisions from morphogen gradient fields.

• Application deadline: Saturday 5th April 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Marisa Merino

Protecting cells from mechanical stress: A novel role of cell-surface receptor LRP1 in extracellular matrix- nuclei communication

• Supervisors: Dr Kazuhiro Yamamoto Dr Riaz Akhtar\n

Protecting cells from mechanical stress: A novel role of cell-surface receptor LRP1 in extracellular matrix- nuclei communication.

• Supervisors: Dr Kazuhiro Yamamoto

Real-Time Subsampled Analysis and Recovery for High-Resolution 3D Tomography

• Supervisors: Prof. Nigel Browning

Remote ischaemic conditioning: a novel approach to reduce hypertrophy?

• Application deadline: Friday 30th August 2024
• Supervisors: Dr Richard Rainbow Dr Parveen Sharma David Turner Dr David Wilkinson Dr Amy Chadwick

The effect of low protein diet on the development of the neuromuscular system

• Supervisors: Dr Aphrodite Vasilaki

The evolution of large brains and complex cognition across animal taxa

• Supervisors: Dr Christopher Mitchell

The nexus between climate change, extreme air pollution events and public health – Towards a holistic approach

• Application deadline: Wednesday 31st December 2025
• Subject area: Social Science and Health
• Supervisors: Dr Vasilis Matthaios Dr Chris Kypridemos Dr Brendan Collins

The Role of Nutrition and Exercise in Physical and Cognitive Function (such as sarcopenia and frailty), utilizing clinical, metabolomic, proteomic, and gut microbiota data

• Supervisors: Dr Masoud Isanejad Dr Howbeer Muhamad Ali

Translating Deep Learning protein bioinformatics methods to accelerate structural determination by X-ray crystallography

• Application deadline: Thursday 14th August 2025
• Supervisors: Prof Daniel Rigden Dr Ronan Keegan Dr David McDonagh

Uncovering the mechanochemical signalling inputs that drive gastruloid axial patterning

• Supervisors: Dr David Turner

Understanding interactions between chronic kidney disease and mental health to improve holistic, intelligence-led care

• Supervisors: Dr Roberts Piroddi Dr Eduard Shantsila Professor Iain Buchan Dr Asheesh Sharma (NHS) Dr Helen Alderson (NHS)

Understanding the barriers to healthcare for women with chronic pelvic pain

• Supervisors: Dr Selina Johnson Prof Helen Poole Dr Emma Evans

Urokinase-plasminogen activator as a target to block osteoarthritic cartilage destruction

• Supervisors: Dr David Wilkinson Professor George Bou-Gharios Professor Mandy Peffers

Using pre-clinical models of disease to define new targets to slow joint degeneration in osteoarthritis

Vaccine development for important spirochaetal diseases of cattle.

• Application deadline: Saturday 31st May 2025
• Supervisors: Prof. Nicholas Evans

Why do cancers cells re-express meiotic SYCP1 protein?

• Application deadline: Monday 4th August 2025
• Supervisors: Dr Urszula McClurg

4D Mass Spectrometry

3d printing of nanocomposite drug delivery platforms.

• Application deadline: Wednesday 8th January 2025

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• Queen Mary University of London
• Postgraduate
• Research degrees
• Funding a PhD

Postgraduate Research Studentships

Each year we offer fully-funded research studentships to support the next generation of leading academics. funding is available across all research areas and it typically comprises three years of funding..

Self-funders or those with external funding sources are welcome to apply via our standard route at any time of year.

• Funding in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Funding in the Faculty of Science and Engineering
• BAME Studentships
• Funding in the School of Medicine and Dentistry

Humanities and Social Sciences PhD Studentships

Eligible subject areas.

We are offering fully-funded PhD studentships in all areas that fall within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences for September 2024 entry. This includes the following eight Schools:

• School of Business and Management
• School of Economics and Finance
• School of English and Drama
• School of Languages, Linguistics and Film
• School of Geography
• School of History
• School of Law
• School of Politics and International Relations

Candidate Eligibility

All nationalities are eligible for these 3-year studentships which cover tuition fees and living expenses. Part-time applicants and current first-year students are also eligible to apply. 

There are additionally up to two awards for UK students who identify as BAME. Full details are within the below documents. 

There is an additional award funded alongside the Stuart Hall Foundation. See below for eligibility criteria.

How to Apply

Applications for 2024 entry are open now. The HSS Principal’s Doctoral Research Studentships for Academic Year 2024-25 closing on 26 th February 2024.

The studentships cover all tuition fees, and provide a grant for living expenses at UK Research Council rates for London (c. £20,622 p.a. full-time, c. £10,311 part-time).

001 - HSS studentships memo 2024 [PDF 163KB] - Procedures for the HSS Principal’s Doctoral Research Studentships competition (QMPS), timetable and paperwork, criteria for awards at Faculty level.

002 - HSS studentships 2023 general [DOC 35KB] - Studentship, application process, assessment. 003 - SNF 2022-23 [DOC 47KB] - Check list for schools, cover sheet, student nomination form. 004 - Specification for candidate suitability [PDF 87KB] - Minimum requirements for consideration for studentships. 005 - Guidance to applicants 2024-25 [PDF 134KB] -   Research proposal, statement of purpose, assessment. 006 - Stuart Hall Foundation (SHF)-QMUL HSS Principal's Studentship Explanatory Memo [PDF 144KB] General considerations, eligibility criteria, statement of purpose and assessment, benefits of applying.

Please note that these awards cannot be deferred .

NEW for 24/25 :

This year the Doctoral College (DC) will be offering up to 2 BAME studentships (UK/home fees only) to PGR applicants in HSS. The eligibility criteria for the Doctoral College BAME awards are the same as the HSS ones and candidates will be assessed in the same competition. Eligible candidates should indicate in their statement of purpose that they would like to be considered for the BAME awards, without further specification.

Science and Engineering PhD Studentships

Fully-funded studentships are available for September 2024 entry across this Faculty in five strategic research themes:

• Environment, biodiversity and genomics 
• Green energy
• Engineering better medicine
• Social interaction, health and wellbeing
• Data-centric engineering

In addition to our general studentship competition, we also offered two studentships for UK BAME applicants.

PhD programmes across all five schools within the Faculty are eligible for the funding. 

• School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences 
• School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
• School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science
• School of Engineering and Materials Science
• School of Mathematical Sciences

S&E Doctoral Studentships for Underrepresented Groups in Research:

• UK students who identify as coming from a Black, Asian or Ethnic minority background. 
• The proposed research project fits within the broader range of research themes in science and engineering within our five Schools.

Queen Mary Research Studentships:

• All nationalities are eligible for some awards, Home only for others. Check with your department before applying.
• All subject areas are eligible but Schools will be posting updates about which projects they are funding on their pages. There is no guarantee of funding for a particular subject area as this is highly competitive.

Doctoral Training Studentships:

• Check the Doctoral Training Studentships page for the schemes available and how to apply.
• Some awards are for all nationalities, some are for Home applicants only.

Applications for 2024 entry are open now. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 31st January 2024.

Follow the step-by-step instructions on the How To Apply page before submitting your online application.

For most funding types there is one single application for admission and for funding. You should note the funding for which you would like to be considered on your application form.

Some Doctoral Training Programmes require an additional application to the funding partner. Please read the instructions on their website carefully and get in touch if you are unsure. 

BAME Studentships for Postgraduate Research Students

For 2023 entry, Queen Mary University of London will be offering four fully-funded doctoral studentships (tuition fees and stipend at the UKRI London rate) to UK applicants from a BAME background. 

School of Medicine and Dentistry PhD Studentships

This School is organised into seven distinct Institutes and each has their own funding sources. Typically this comes in three forms:

Research Council Grants: These will be advertised, as they become available, throughout the year. Check our list of live adverts now.

Doctoral Training Schemes: Details of each of these can be found on our doctoral training scheme page.

Charity or Industrial Funding:  These will be advertised, as they become available, throughout the year. 

Self-funders or those with external funding are welcome to submit a speculative application at any time of year. Prior contact with the proposed supervisor and discussion of the project is highly recommended in advance of submitting your application.

International PhD Funding Schemes

In addition to Queen Mary's studentships, we work with numerous international funding agencies to co-fund PhD studentships to support individual students from across the globe. Today, we are home to scholars from more than 50 different international sponsorship bodies.

More information about the scholarships available to you can be found on your individual  country page   or by using our   searchable scholarships database .

The main funding partners we work with for PhD funding are:

• Commonwealth Scholarships Commission  (low, middle and high-income country scholarship schemes)
• Islamic Development Bank
• China Scholarship Council
• COLFUTURO (Colombia)
• CONACyT (Mexico)
• Becas Chile
• Turkish Embassy
• Egyptian Embassy

Deadlines for PhD Studentships

Applications for  PhD funding for September 2023 entry are now closed. The deadlines for September 2024 entry are as follows:

• Law studentships: Wednesday 6th December 2023
• Humanities and Social Sciences Studentships: Wednesday 24th January 2024 (except Law)
• Science and Engineering Studentships: Wednesday 31st January 2024
• China Scholarship Council applicants for any subject area: Wednesday 31st January 2024
• MRes-PhD applicants for the School of Economics and Finance: Monday 5th February 2024
• Projects for the School of Medicine and Dentistry: various- check the advert for the project.
• Doctoral Training Partnerships: There may be an additional application and an earlier deadline. Please check their websites carefully.

If you have questions about any of the above, please contact us via the enquiry form or contact the relevant academic School directly. 

• PhD Studentships
• Funding a PhD
• Studentships are scholarships awarded to PhD students, with funding provided by either a Research Council , university , private body or research charity .
• Most studentships are linked to a specific research project or a field of study .
• Can either be partially funded (covering fees only) or fully funded (covering fees and providing an allowance for living costs – the stipend).
• Universities commonly require candidates to have a 2:1 or 1st class honours degree; a relevant Masters degree may be useful for a successful applicant but not essential.
• Most studentships don’t allow other sources of funding e.g. bursaries or PhD loans.

What Are PhD Studentships?

A studentship is a non-repayable scholarship available to PhD students to support their doctoral studies. At a minimum, all studentships will cover a student’s tuition fee, however they may also cover the student’s living expenses (referred to as a stipend or maintenance grant) depending on the specific type of studentship awarded.

Who Are They Awarded By?

The most common source of PhD funding is through a Research Council, in which a studentship is awarded in the form of a Research Council Grant . In the UK, there are seven Research Councils as listed below:

• Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Collectively, these councils form part of a government body known as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) which provide funding to PhD students to advance research. UKRI aims to provide the best environment for research and innovation to thrive by working in collaboration with universities, research organisations, companies, charities and governments.

The second most common source of studentships is directly from universities in the form of scholarships and bursaries . Although not always the case, studentships provided by universities are often linked to a specific project title or field of study and may also be linked at least in part to Research Council funding. This means that you must undertake a PhD project in a specific pre-determined subject area in order to meet the eligibility criteria for funding.

The other source of studentships is through professional bodies (e.g. Institution of Mechanical Engineers) and research charities (e.g. Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK). These studentships are known as Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE). In nearly all cases, CASE studentships are also linked to a specific project title or field of study.

How Much Funding Can I Receive?

A successful applicant may receive two types of studentships: partially funded and fully funded . Partially funded studentships typically cover the cost of a student’s tuition fees and possibly any associated project costs. This can include aspects such as training courses and travelling for meetings and conferences, though the exact scope of what’s included differs for each studentship.

Although tuition fees vary depending on university, the indicative fee is £4,500/year as stated by the UKRI for UK students.

A fully funded studentship covers the same aspects of a partially funded studentship, however, in addition to this, it also provides a tax-free  maintenance grant to cover the student’s cost of living . This maintenance grant is more commonly referred to as an annual stipend  and looks to provide enough additional funding that the student need not look for part-time work to pay for their living costs whilst undertaking their PhD. It should be noted stipends provided by Research Councils will need to meet a nationally agreed minimum level; for 2021/22, this minimum level has been set as £15,609 . Living costs do of course vary between cities and it’s something you should factor in when planning your budget. Most universities do offer students the opportunity to earn a little extra money (e.g. by teaching undergraduates) to supplement your stipend.

Am I Eligible for a PhD Studentship?

The eligibility requirements differ between studentships, however, most will require the following in order to be eligible for financial support:

• A Bachelors degree with a 2:1 or above
• A relevant Masters degree

There may also be some restrictions which deem you non-eligible for a studentship. These are commonly:

• If you already hold a doctoral degree
• If you receive funding from another source e.g. a doctoral loan

As the requirements differ for each studentship, there may be some further requirements or restrictions in addition to the above. For example, some studentships restrict how many hours of paid employment you can undertake alongside your PhD and some are limited to students fitting certain criteria e.g. coming from a low-income household or being of a certain ethnicity.

Therefore, make sure you read the descriptions of any studentship carefully and in full before making any decisions.

Note: Being eligible for a PhD studentship does not guarantee you one. With exception to a few, all studentships are awarded based on ability, therefore, funding will be awarded to the best PhD applicants applying for the studentships.

UK PhD studentships are now typically only open to UK students , with fewer being available to EU and international students. One of the key reasons for this are the higher tuition fees that students outside the UK will need to pay. Some universities may offer EU/international students studentships if they are able to cover the additional fee costs themselves. However, even if you are an EU student, you still may be limited to only a partially funded studentship meaning only your fees will be covered, so it is important to be clear on what you’re eligible for and the deadline for applications. For further clarification, see the table below:

How Do I Apply for a PhD Studentship?

The application process can be initiated in one of two ways. First, some universities will automatically consider you for a studentship when they receive your application to undertake a PhD. For example, Nottingham Trent University specifies the below as their arrangements:

The NTU Doctoral School will treat your online form as an application form for a place to study for an MPhil/PhD doctoral research degree at Nottingham Trent University, as well as a funding application for the 2020 Nottingham Trent University PhD Studentship Scheme.

Second, some universities will require you to submit a separate funding application form. If you are required to submit a separate application, these are usually made directly to university regardless of the source of the funding body i.e. a Research Council or professional body. This is because although the studentship funding may be provided from a non-academic body, as the academic institute hosting the PhD project, the university will be responsible for assessing candidates and selecting the most suitable one. Be mindful that these may come with a strict application deadline.

If you are required to submit a separate application, you will typically be asked for:

• Your PhD application form
• A research proposal
• A cover letter
• Your references

Upon receiving your application, the PhD supervisor will likely have an informal discussion with you, either by email, over the phone or in person. In some cases, you may be invited in for a formal interview .

Regardless of which of the two situations occurs, the potential supervisor will use the discussion alongside your application to determine whether you should be awarded the PhD programme and studentship. Following their decision, they will get in touch with you to let you know the outcome.

It’s worth noting that in some cases, the potential supervisor may decide that you are suitable to undertake the PhD project but are not the strongest candidate who has applied across all PhDs within their department. If this is the case and the studentship is linked to a research topic as opposed to the specific project title you are applying for, you may be offered the PhD opportunity but not the studentship. If this occurs, you will need to consider your alternative PhD funding options, such as funding it yourself or obtaining a PhD loan, before making your decision.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

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career-advice.jobs.ac.uk

What is a PhD studentship?

A PhD or a Doctorate of Philosophy is the highest level of qualification in higher education and it’s awarded to a student who completes independent research over the course of 3 years (full time), which is approved by submission of a thesis and viva at the end of the PhD.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), just over 36,000 people enrolled on a PhD programme in the 2020/2021 academic year, and if you are one of the many thousands looking to apply in a forthcoming academic year, then understanding the funding and application process of the PhD is crucial. Here, we explore the PhD studentship, how it differs from other PhDs and some advice for making an application to a studentship.

Is a PhD studentship the same as a PhD?

Ordinarily, a PhD idea is developed by the candidate with approval from a supervisor; this requires the candidate to take the lead in creating their doctoral research proposal, finding the right supervisor and then applying through the admissions process for a PhD at that university. Funding might be available through the university or others in the form of scholarships or bursaries but is not typically attached to the PhD itself (note, a scholarship is typically awarded to the individual based on their scholarly or academic merit and are sometimes available to support particular groups of the population to do a PhD).

A PhD studentship, however, is different for several reasons.  Firstly, there is financial support attached to a particular PhD project. This typically covers fees (a minimum of £4596 per year in the 21/22 academic year on a UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) funded studentship), a ‘stipend’ (or maintenance allowance, a minimum of circa £16,000 per year on a UKRI studentship and possibly more if you’re based in London) and sometimes there is additional support for other activities, which might include, for example, attending conferences or training to support your PhD research.

Another key feature of a studentship is that they will include a specific project as part of that PhD or they will have specific themes under which PhD proposals should be developed (this is often the case when you are applying to a PhD on a Centre for Doctoral Training or Doctoral Training Pathway; there’s more on that below). The PhD with a studentship is driven by the priorities of the funder. Do remember also, that a studentship may be part of a larger grant, which means you will be researching a specific area which is also part of a wider project, working alongside your supervisor, potentially other PhDs and post-docs, depending on the size of the group/grant.

Support for this type of PhD comes from several funders; however, the largest single provider of studentships is UKRI , through one of its 7 Research Councils which cover separate thematic areas from medical research to arts and humanities)  Of the 105,000 doctoral students in the UK, around 1 in 5 of these are funded by UKRI and its research councils.  This funding is commonly referred to as a PhD Studentship. Charities, universities, companies or other industry representatives, are also funders who may provide studentships.

It’s important to note that funding is attributed to universities or a partnership of universities and industry, commonly known as ‘Centres for Doctoral Training’ (CDT) or ‘Doctoral Training Pathways’ (DTP), which means that applications for PhD Studentships are made directly to universities, a CDT or a DTP advertising the studentship which may have a centralised application process (i.e. not through a university).

In summary, a PhD studentship:

• is funded (fees, maintenance grants and often more), most commonly by UKRI
• is likely to have a specific project attached to it or have a theme under which proposals should be written
• may have a different application process than applying for a PhD without a studentship

How do you get a PhD studentship?

PhD studentships are very competitive.  They require excellent academic achievements and often have specific eligibility criteria.  There will be a lot for prospective studentship candidates to research, so it’s important that you start this process as early as possible.  Here are some tips to get you started:

• When preparing for any PhD application, you need to be very clear on your area of research interest. You’ll be encouraged to try to be specific about what you’re interested in, and where you deem current gaps in the research to be – after all a PhD is about novel research.  Yet, when applying for studentships in particular, a degree of flexibility might be required; remember the project idea will already be written, so you’ll need to think about how your research interests align and can be adapted towards a particular studentship.
• One helpful way to better understand studentships and their application processes is to speak to a current PhD studentship holder. If you’re currently studying for a bachelor’s or a master’s at a university with PhD studentships in place, then reaching out to them, is a great way to get to know more about studentships.
• Think about who else can help you too; if you are based in a university whilst applying for a PhD, speak with your personal tutor about your plans (of course, this is especially helpful if they are connected to the area you wish to research).
• Useful places to start looking for advertised PhD Studentships include, FindaPhD,com [www.findaphd.com], , jobs.ac.uk {https://www.jobs.ac.uk/phd] and individual university websites.
• If you’re applying to a CDT or DTP, there is likely to be a centralised application process, however, this varies widely and it’s very important that you fully research and understand the application instructions for any given studentship.
• Often the advert will include details of a particular person (an academic/a programme manager). If you have specific questions in mind, then why not use the opportunity to make contact and learn more about the studentship before writing your application?
• PhD studentship applications will often ask for a CV (or academic/employment history), a personal statement or covering letter demonstrating your suitability for the specific project, academic transcripts and 2 academic references. Make an appointment with the careers service at your current university so they can review your application documents.

The following resources contain useful advice and information about making a PhD application:

• 7 top tips when applying for a PhD is a really thorough guide to making a PhD application
• Listen to Mohammed on the Careers in Your Ears podcast on how he approached choosing which PhD to do and tips for applying
• How and when to apply for a doctorate

What did you think of our article? - please rate

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Vicki Tipton

Vicki Tipton, Careers Consultant for Researchers Vicki works specifically with PGR students and post-doctoral staff at King’s College London where she offers specialist, impartial and confidential careers guidance, bespoke workshops and also produces Careers in Your Ears, a podcast for researchers reflecting on their careers. Before joining the Careers & Employability team at King’s, Vicki worked at Queen Mary, University of London, where she worked as a Careers Consultant with PhD students amongst other cohorts. Her previous career focussed on the research and design of education & skills projects, creating partnerships between the UK and South East Europe for the British Council.

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Home > Research > Research degrees > Funding > PhD Studentships 2024

PhD Studentships for October 2024 start

The application deadline for this competition has now passed.

Kingston University has established an international reputation for high quality, innovative research. Our research degree students are a core part of this.

We are again seeking to make a substantial investment in up to 20 new PhD studentships enrolling in late September 2024. These include targeted awards for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students and for Kingston alumni.

We are looking for students with expertise that matches our areas of research excellence. Application for these highly competitive research studentships is now open.

Deadline: Complete applications must be received by the end of day (GMT midnight), Wednesday 6 March 2024. 

More information on the research areas can be found by following the faculty links below:

Kingston School of Art

• Business and Social Sciences
• Engineering, Computing and the Environment

Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education

Learn more about:

• the University's research.
• support available for students with disabilities .

Funding available

There are three different levels of funding available for new students: fully funded, partially funded, and fees only, all at the home fee rate.

• Full-time and Part-time applications are welcome : Funding for part-time study will be pro rata at 50% of the full-time rate.
• Overseas fee-paying candidates: These awards will cover Home fees only. If you are selected for interview you will need to demonstrate that you can fund the difference in fees for each year of your registration. This is currently £11,288 for the academic year 2023/24 and it should be noted that tuition fees increase slightly each year. You would therefore need to find at least £33,864 over the 3 years, plus the yearly increase.

Note that if you were shortlisted for the Techne 2024 funding competition but were unsuccessful you will automatically be considered for these awards.

Fully-funded studentships

Up to 15 awards are available.

Fees: Home tuition fees only for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time. For 2023/24 this is £4,712 full-time or £2,356 part-time.

Stipend: 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time.

The full-time doctoral stipend for 2023/24 is £20,622 per year; levels are likely to rise slightly for the following years but have not yet been confirmed.

Applications for part-time study are welcomed and will receive pro-rata funding for both tuition fees and stipend.

Race Equality studentships

Fully-funded studentships for black, asian and minority ethnic applicants (home students only).

We encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students and have set aside a number of the studentships listed above for applicants who identify as having these ethnic backgrounds. In addition to the funding, there will be a programme of support and mentoring available to you.

Successful applicants will be offered a place on our RISE Research Leadership Academy , which is designed to develop candidates' leadership skills within academia.

Note that these awards are open to Home fee-paying students only.  Read more about who is eligible for home fee status .

To apply, please follow the process listed below and state ‘Race Equality Studentship' at the top of your Studentship Application Statement.

Once we have confirmed the availability of a potential supervisory team, we will offer application and interview support through a faculty mentor who will be a member of academic staff. To access support in advance of submitting your application please email the relevant Research Student Coordinator (listed below) and ask to be put in touch with a mentor in your subject area.

We are also hoping to have current research students with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds available to discuss their experiences with you. If you would like to take up this opportunity, please email [email protected] to arrange an informal online meeting or phone call.

Note that a representative from the Kingston University People of Colour Staff Network will be part of the awarding panel.

Unsuccessful applicants who reach the interview stage will be offered a feedback meeting to assist with future applications.

Watch a video from one of our current award holders, Salema Foot, whose research focuses on the academic lived experiences of Black postgraduate students in the UK.

Read more about Kingston's approach to reducing the degree awarding gap .

Kingston Alumni studentships

At least one of the fully-funded PhD studentships listed above will be awarded to a Kingston Alumni who has completed an undergraduate and/or masters level degree course at Kingston University or its predecessor institutions. Please note 'KU Alumni application' on your Studentship Application Statement.

Partial studentships

Up to 5 awards are available.

Total contribution to fees and stipend: £11,000 per year for three years full-time or £5,500 per year for six years part-time. Payments will be made towards tuition fees and any remaining funds will be paid as a stipend.

Tuition Fees only studentships

Fees: UK Home tuition fees only for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time.

Awards will cover UK Home tuition fees for three years of full-time study or the part-time equivalent. For 2023/24 this is £4,712 full-time or £2,356 part-time.

• How to apply

If you would like to apply for a Studentship at Kingston University, please follow the steps below.

Academic and administrative staff will be happy to help with queries but please note that they are available during working hours only and some staff work part time, so please give yourself plenty of time to complete the application.

Apply by: Wednesday 6 March 2024 (GMT midnight). Applications received after this time will not be considered.

Eligibility

To apply you must:

• have (or expect to have by 30 September 2024) a postgraduate masters degree or a first/upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed research project. Equivalent professional experience may also be accepted.
• be intending to research in an area that is covered by Kingston University research expertise.
• if you are not from an English-speaking country or have not studied at a UK university before, you must provide proof of Internet-based IELTS at a minimum overall score of 6.5 or 7 (or equivalent qualification). The requirement varies by subject, so please see our English Language Requirements for further details. Note that the qualification must be dated no earlier than 30 September 2021.

Please note that:

• Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
• Current doctoral students are not eligible to apply.
• Tuition fees will be paid at Home level only for 3 years. Overseas fee-paying students may apply but, if short-listed, will be required to provide evidence of how the remaining part of their fees will be paid.
• You should allow plenty of time to apply. Academic and administrative staff will be happy to help but are not able to answer queries outside the working week; some staff also work part time.

Step 1 – Write a research proposal

You will need to write a research proposal to support your Studentship application. For guidance on how to put together a research proposal, please visit the faculty pages:

• Health, Science, Social Care and Education  (note this faculty accepts applications for projects devised by applicants themselves and specific  pre-approved projects ).
• Engineering, Computing and the Environment  (note this faculty only accepts applications for specific pre-approved projects ).

You may want to discuss your research proposal with potential supervisors before you submit your application.

Please explore our staff profiles to find information on University staff and their research interests.

Advertised projects

If you are applying to an advertised project in the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment  or the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education , when you submit your online application please include a separate document stating the advertised project title and name of supervisor. You do not need to include the full project proposal.

Step 2 – Write a Studentship Application Statement

You must write a Studentship Application Statement and submit it with your online application. The statement should cover the points listed below. Maximum 500 words. Note that you do not also need to include a personal statement, unless you wish to.

Please save your statement as ' KU Studentship Application Statement YOUR NAME ' and attach it to your online application at the point where you are asked to include a personal statement. You do not need to include an additional personal statement.

If you would like to apply for a Race Equality Studentship, or a KU Alumni Studentship, please note this clearly at the top of your statement.

In your Studentship Application Statement, please cover these points:

1. Why do you want to do a PhD?

Signing up for a PhD is a big undertaking. We need to know that you understand the commitment required for research and have a passion for your subject.

2. Why Kingston University?

What makes you keen to study with us at Kingston?

3. Why this subject area?

What is it about the area you have chosen that inspires you?

4. What will be the impact of your research and who will be reading it?

The impact of your research is how it will bring change to the wider society beyond academia (e.g. economy, society, culture, public policy, health, the environment and quality of life – both within the UK and overseas).

Who are the wider audiences for your research, perhaps in professional practice, policy-making, popular culture?

Who do you want to reach with your research?

How might you do so?

5. Your academic and/or professional background

How will your skills and expertise help you successfully complete your research project?

6. What personal qualities do you have that make you suited to PhD research?

For example: resilience and tenacity.

7. Assessment of personal development needs

A PhD is all about training to be a researcher. What knowledge and skills will you need to develop to conduct the proposed research?

How can we support your personal development?

Step 3 – Apply online

You should submit your application, research proposal and Studentship Application Statement online.

Please note , there are different application links for each faculty, so please make sure you use the correct apply link.

Make your application using our online portal

Include with your application:

• Your research proposal or information about your chosen advertised project (see Step 1).
• A KU Studentship Application Statement. Please follow our template and guidance outlined in Step 2. If you do not include this statement your application will not be considered for a studentship.
• Copies of your transcripts and/or degree certificates, or partial transcripts if you have not yet completed the degree (you will be required to provide the originals for verification at a later date).
• English language qualification, if applicable (see above).
• CV, including publications (if relevant).
• As part of the online application, under the Finance heading you will be asked to indicate how you will be paying your fees. Please select 'KU Studentship'.

If you have already applied to Kingston University for October 2024 and wish to be considered for a studentship, please email the appropriate faculty listed below with your application reference number and attach your Studentship Application Statement. Please also complete the Equal Opportunities Form .

Step 4 – Complete the equal opportunities form

Kingston University is committed to ensuring that students are selected on the basis of merit. Completion of the equal opportunities form will help us to ensure that our policies and procedures are effective in avoiding discrimination and promoting equal opportunities in awarding studentships.

Your answers will not affect your application in any way. The information will not be seen by your potential supervisors, your referees, or the reviewers assessing your application.

Complete the equal opportunities form . 

Step 5 – Provide references

References are not required with the application but will be required for shortlisted applicants and must be provided by the applicant before their interview .

Shortlisted applicants will be notified and must ensure references are submitted to the relevant Faculty by 19 April 2024.  The applicant is responsible for ensuring that references are submitted to the relevant Faculty.

Referees should be asked to complete the Reference Form .

Who can provide a reference?

References should be from professional or academic contacts and cannot be from family members or friends. At least one reference should be from someone who knows you from your most recent academic qualification.

Step 6 – Attend an interview

You may be invited to attend an interview as part of your Studentship application.

Applicants invited for interview will be informed as soon as possible after the closing date. If you have not heard from us by 6 April, your application has been unsuccessful.

Need more information?

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions – KU Doctoral Studentships 2024 (Doc) .

Read about our past and current research students and their research projects:

• Research student case studies
• Current research student profiles

For more information about research degree programmes at Kingston University .

For faculty-specific enquiries please contact the relevant Research Student Coordinator listed below.

Visit Kingston School of Art's research webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected] .

Faculty of Business and Social Sciences

Visit the Faculty's research webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected] .

Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment

Please see the Faculty's research degree webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected]

Please visit the Faculty's research degree webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected] .

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PhD studentships

Funding for PhD applicants is available from a range of sources on a competitive basis.

Follow the links in the table to find full details regarding eligibility, available finance, application methods and closing dates. Follow us on X and Facebook to hear when we have added new studentship opportunities. 

Download our comprehensive guide to PhD study

Take the next step

• Get a prospectus
• How to apply

Funding for biomedical research and innovation

Phd studentships and doctoral fellowships.

A PhD is a postgraduate research degree, usually lasting three or four years, if undertaken full time. It involves independently conducting original and significant research in a specific field and is normally assessed by a written thesis and oral examination.

Funding options available

Alzheimer’s Research UK: PhD scholarships Funding to undertake a PhD involving biomedical research in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Stipend plus tuition fees and research/travel costs Duration: 36 months

Alzheimer’s Society: PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD involving biomedical research in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Up to £85,000 (£91,000 for London) Duration: Three years

British Heart Foundation: Non-clinical PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD in cardiovascular science. Applications are made by the prospective supervisor. Funding: Stipend, tuition fees, consumables Duration: Three years

British Heart Foundation: Four-year PhD programme Funding for research organisations to provide a PhD studentship programme in cardiovascular research. Career stage: Prospective students should apply to individual research institutions Funding: Student stipend, tuition fees, research consumables Duration: Four years

MRC: Studentships Find out more about how MRC funds and supports PhD students at universities and MRC units, institutes and centres.

National Centre for the Replacement Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research: PhD studentships Funding to undertake a PhD studentship relevant to any area of medical, biological or veterinary research which supports the development and application of the 3Rs. Funding: Cash-limited award of £30,000 pa (£90,000 total over three years) Duration: 36 months

National Institute for Health Research: Doctoral fellowships Funding to undertake a PhD in an area of NIHR research. Funding: Fully funded including current salary Duration: 36 months with p/t options

Last updated: 6 July 2022

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

Doctoral Studentships (Closed)

This scheme enables researchers to undertake humanities or social science doctoral degrees in any area of health.

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We’re changing our funding schemes

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

Scheme at a glance  

This scheme is now closed.

Stipend, research expenses and tuition fees

Usually 3 years

Application deadline

2 March 2021, 17:00 GMT

Eligibility and suitability

Who can apply.

You can apply for a Doctoral Studentship if you want to complete a 3 year PhD in any humanities or social science area on a topic related to health.

At the point of applying, you should hold, or expect to hold, a relevant Master's degree, or have equivalent research experience. 

You must have been accepted onto a PhD programme with an eligible host organisation in the UK, Republic of Ireland or a low- or middle-income country (apart from mainland China). You should have a written statement to confirm this from someone at the relevant level of authority. 

You must not have started your PhD.

You can be of any nationality.

Fees for nationals of high-income countries

Nationals of the UK and Republic of Ireland are eligible to pay home fees.

Nationals of all other high-income countries will need to pay international fees.

From 1 January 2021, this also includes EU and EEA nationals. We recommend that you check with your host organisation to see what fees you’ll need to pay.

If you need to pay an international fee (we cover the home fee), you should either:

• Ask your intended host organisation to confirm that they will charge a home fee rather than a higher international fee. In your application you should include written confirmation of this, signed by someone at the relevant level of authority. 
• Get additional funding to cover the difference between the home fee and the international fee from an external source, although the project must remain a Wellcome PhD (we do not part-fund). Please state the source of your funding in your application.

Who can't apply

You can't apply if:

• you've received support for your doctoral studies from another funding body 
• you’ve already started your doctoral studies.

If you've previously been unsuccessful with a full application for this scheme, you can't apply again with the same proposal unless we've invited you to do so. However, you're welcome to apply with a new project.

You can't apply to carry out activities that involve the transfer of grant funds into mainland China.

What we're looking for

We will assess:

• the significance and originality of your proposed research
• the suitability and relevance of your approach to your research topic
• the suitability of the host organisation and department for your research and for developing your career
• your track record, for example assessed work during your Master’s course.

Read about the grants we've awarded  and the research we support in the humanities and social sciences .

We encourage you to check that your application is competitive by discussing your project with:

• your intended supervisor(s)
• researchers in relevant health-related fields
• the research office at your host organisation.

Your supervisor and other researchers

Your supervisor and other researchers will give you advice about the intellectual quality, methodology and importance of your project. They will also help you to decide whether it’s the right time for you to apply.

Research office

The research office at your host organisation should be able to advise you on:

how much time the authorised organisational approver needs to approve your application after you submit it – this may need to be done well in advance of the Wellcome deadline 

how to structure your application, including the budget 

what information is needed to support your proposal.

Contact the research office and your supervisors for advice as early as possible in the application process.

What's expected of your host organisation

You must have an eligible host organisation that will administer your fellowship for the full duration of the award.

You should give careful thought to your choice of supervisor(s); they should have strong track records in research, training and mentorship.

If you have a multi-site or multi-method project, you may need more than one supervisor. You should make it clear on your application form how you will all work together.

Your sponsor can also be your supervisor.

Your sponsor should be in a position to guarantee you space and facilities for the full period of your PhD. Sponsors are usually the head of department or head of school/faculty. The sponsor must:

• be based at an eligible sponsoring organisation that will administer your fellowship for the full duration of the award
• hold an established post.

Your supervisor should:

• provide support and advice during the application process and the period of the award
• be committed to helping you achieve your career aspirations.  

Your supervisor(s) and sponsor will write letters of support. These should discuss your suitability for doctoral research, the quality of your project, and the support that the host organisation and relevant department will offer you.

Other schemes

Research fellowships for health professionals, what we offer.

A Doctoral Studentship is usually for three years, although we consider requests to undertake PhDs on a part-time basis (for example, if someone has family commitments or intends to keep up another career for sufficient hours to maintain a professional accreditation).

Support includes: 

Our new PhD studentship stipend scales from 1 October 2023 are:  

If you're based outside London:

If you're based in London:

Our PhD studentship stipend scales from before 1 October 2023 are:

We usually provide funds at the level charged to UK and Republic of Ireland students.

We only pay the international student rate for applicants who are from  low- and middle-income countries . 

See the 'Eligibility and suitability' section on this page for more information.

We will add inflation to your fees – you do not need to add it to your application.

We will provide a contribution of up to £5,000 towards the costs of attending academic meetings and conferences. This includes registration fees and childcare or any other caring responsibility cost . You will need to justify the costs and include a breakdown for each part of your trip, for example air fares and number of journeys.

We will pay for the materials and consumables you need to carry out your proposed research, including:

• archival photocopying
• printing associated with fieldwork and empirical research
• materials directly related to hosting workshops and interviews.

Travel costs

You can ask for travel and subsistence costs to cover:

We may cover the costs of other essential visits, for example to facilities and fieldwork. You can include subsistence costs.

Carbon offset costs

This is a new policy. It applies to all types of travel costs Wellcome provides.

You can ask for:

We won't pay for the core infrastructure that your host organisation should provide, unless you're eligible to ask for these costs under our overheads policy . Examples of these costs include:

See our carbon offset policy for travel for information on what you and your organisation need to do.

Subsistence costs

If you’re away for up to one month you can ask for subsistence costs. These include accommodation, meals and incidentals such as refreshments or newspapers.

If your administering organisation has a subsistence policy, use their rates.

If your administering organisation doesn’t have a subsistence policy, please use the HMRC rates .

If you’re away for more than one month and up to 12 months , we will pay reasonable rental costs only, including aparthotels. You should discuss appropriate rates with your administering and host organisations, or Wellcome, as appropriate. We expect you to choose the most economical options, booked in advance where possible.

If you’re from a low- or middle- income country and will be working in a high-income country for more than one month and up to 12 months , you can also ask for up to £10 a day to cover extra costs, such as transport and incidentals.

If you’re away for more than 12 months , we will pay the costs of your housing. You should discuss your needs with your administering and host organisations.

The allowance we provide will be based on family and business need. We will set the maximum allowance we pay for each location. This will be based on current market data or, where data is unavailable, in consultation with your administering organisation, using equivalent market rates. Please contact us if you need help calculating the costs.

We will cover the direct expenses you have to pay to find and rent a home. We will not cover the cost of utilities or any refurbishment.

Overseas research

If you or any research staff employed on your grant will be doing research away from your host organisation, we'll help with the additional costs of working on the project overseas. Please see the 'Overseas allowances' section for details.

• any fieldwork you carry out during the grant
• essential visits to archives and libraries
• any collaborative visits you need to make.
• the cost of low carbon travel where practical, even if it's more expensive (for example travelling by train instead of flying)
• project-related resources or activities that provide an alternative to travel, such as video conferencing, communication and file-sharing software
• costs to offset the carbon emissions of the journeys you make.
• organisation-wide video conferencing packages
• high-speed broadband
• HD screens.

If you or any staff employed on your grant will be spending time in another country, we’ll help you with the additional costs of working on the project overseas.

Our overseas allowances are:

We expect the people we fund to choose travel that has a lower carbon impact, where practical, even if it’s more expensive (for example travelling by train instead of flying).

You can ask for costs to offset the carbon generated by the travel, as part of your overseas allowances.

See a list of low- and middle-income countries , as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

You can ask for the following allowances. You need to provide estimated costs as accurately as possible.

• a contribution towards the personal cost of carrying out research overseas, to ensure that you are not disadvantaged
• provided on the assumption that you’ll be paying income tax, either in your home country, or the country you will be working in (your personal tax is your responsibility).
• provided on the understanding that you or your partner will not receive equivalent allowances from elsewhere
• determined by the amount of time you will spend away from your home country.

If you will be away more than 12 months , we will provide overseas allowances for your partner and any dependants if they are travelling with you.

If you will be away for 12 months or less and can justify why your partner and dependants must travel with you, we may provide overseas allowances for them.

We define your partner as the person:

• you’re married to
• you’re not married to but with whom you’ve been in a relationship for at least a year
• you live with at the same permanent address and share some form of joint financial commitment with (eg a mortgage).

We will pay your travel costs at the beginning and end of your overseas work. Costs can be for air, ferry, train or coach fares.

All fares should be:

• in line with our carbon offset policy
• booked in advance where possible.

If you are away for up to 12 months , you can ask for up to 80kg of additional baggage or unaccompanied airline freight for your outward and return journeys.

If you are away for more than 12 months , you can ask for the costs of shipping your personal items at the beginning and end of your overseas work.

We will pay the full cost of transporting:

• half a standard shipping container if you’re travelling alone
• a whole standard shipping container (20ft) if you’re travelling with a partner and/or dependants.

We will pay the cost of your medical insurance and travel insurance.

If you will be working in a low- or middle-income country we will also cover the cost of emergency evacuation cover.

We won’t pay for medical insurance if you will be based in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

We will pay the costs of visas, vaccinations and anti-malaria treatment.

You can ask for this if you’ll be based in a low- or middle-income country and it is necessary.

Costs can include guards, panic buttons and alarms. You should ask your employing organisation for advice on the level of security you need.

If you’re away for up to one month you can ask for subsistence costs. These include accommodation, meals and incidentals (eg refreshments or newspapers).

If you’re away for more than one month and up to 12 months, we will pay reasonable rental costs only, including aparthotels. You should discuss appropriate rates with your administering and host organisations, or Wellcome, as appropriate. We expect you to choose the most economical options, booked in advance where possible.

If you’re from a low- or middle- income country  and will be working in a high-income country for more than one month and up to 12 months , you can also ask for up to £10 a day to cover extra costs, such as transport and incidentals.

The allowance we provide will be based on family and business need. We will set the maximum allowance we pay for each location. This will be based on current market data or, where data is unavailable, in consultation with your administering organisation, using equivalent market rates. If you need help calculating the costs please contact Grants Management .

If you’re away for more than 12 months we will pay:

Local nursery or school fees

You can ask for these costs if you are in a location where there isn’t free local education of the same standard as in your home country.

Costs include:

• local nursery school fees up to a maximum of 30 hours a week for 3 to 4 year olds
• local junior or secondary school fees, up to the end of secondary school education.

Local international school fees

You can ask for these costs if local schools do not provide the same standard of education as in your home country. We will only pay the published termly school fees.

We will not cover the costs of:

• extracurricular activities, including field trips
• other extras including, but not limited to, uniforms, sports kit and equipment, transport, meals, books and electronic equipment.

Boarding school fees

We will consider paying the cost of boarding school fees in your home country if:

• a local international school is not available
• both parents, guardians or the sole care giver live outside the home country.

The allowance covers:

• up to a maximum of £30,000 a year for each child for the published termly fees only
• the cost of return airfares at the start and end of each school term, in line with our carbon offset policy for travel .
• additional annual leave airfares

We will cover the cost of providing special needs education as far as possible. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

We would not usually expect to provide an education allowance if you will be working in a high-income country.

If you will be away for more than 12 months , we’ll pay for you to travel back to your home country for annual leave. This is in addition to your outward and return travel costs and depends on how long you will be away:

• 12-24 months – 1 annual leave trip
• 25-36 months – 2 annual leave trips
• 37-48 months – 3 annual leave trips
• 49-60 months – 4 annual leave trips
• 61-72 months – 5 annual leave trips.

If you will be away for more than 12 months , you can ask for up to 100 hours of lessons in the local language for you and/or your partner during the first 12 months of your visit.

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PhD Studentship: Developing continuity of care prediction models using Explainable AI for outcomes of care in multimorbid patients: the example of heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

University of exeter - hls.

Project description:

There is well-established evidence from primary care that continuity of care with a single healthcare professional, such as a GP, can lead to improved care and clinical outcomes. However, this key concept has diminished as multiple long-term condition pathways and multi-disciplinary teams have superseded the idea of a primary HCP responsible for coordinating care. There is a significant gap in the evidence on how these changes have impacted care and outcomes, and how different measures of continuity-of-care are incorporated in AI/ML predictive models of outcomes.

The aims of the studentship are to develop AI/ML predictive models of outcomes using new measures of continuity of care based on routinely collected clinical and care data, for the population with heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

There will be three stages to the studentship: (i) Systematic review of the literature on continuity of care measures and application in AI/ML prediction models using routinely collected care data; (ii) Development of AI/ML predictive models using the anonymised Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) database for adults with multiple conditions of heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which require high levels of care; (iii) Performance testing of these AI/ML predictive models using specified clinical and care outcomes for HF and COPD.

This PhD studentship is a data science project in the healthcare domain and as such will provide experience of handling ‘big data’, developing AI/ML methods and translation of methods into practice, working with PPI. Development will take place in an inter-disciplinary team for a dynamic career as a healthcare data scientist

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

PhD student accused of killing friends’ twin baby could face death penalty

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A PhD student in the US accused of killing her friends’ baby and abusing his twin brother could face the death penalty if convicted.

Nicole Virzi has been charged with murdering six-and-a-half-week-old Leon Katz while she babysat him at the family’s home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The 29-year-old is also accused of abusing Leon’s twin brother Ari.

Virzi was a friend of the twins’ parents Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts, and was watching the boys while on a college break, authorities said.

Ethan and Savannah found Ari had a mysterious injury to his groin area and scratches on his face, and decided to take him to hospital, leaving Leon in Virzi’s care.

Virzi claims that while they were away, she went to the kitchen to get a bottle and Leon fell from his bouncer, according to police and court records.

Virzi asserts she found Leon lying on the floor, picked him up, and saw ‘a large bump to the left side of Leon’s head.

Paramedics rushed Leon to hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at 5:47am on Father’s Day, June 15, police said.

Doctors found that the injuries – a fracture to the skull and several bleeds on the brain – were ‘consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse’ and not an accident,  reports WTAE.

Doctors examining Ari’s injuries also felt they were caused by child abuse.

Court documents obtained by  WPIX  show the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty against Virzi.

Prosecutors believe a number of aggravating factors justify the death penalty, including an allegation that Virzi tortured Leon.

However, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has promised to refuse any death warrants sought during his time in office.

Virzi who was reportedly a clinical psychology student at UC San Diego’s Joint Doctoral Program.

She is a graduate of Pepperdine University and holds a graduate degree in clinical psychology from San Diego State.

She is the daughter of highly respected cardiologist, Peter J Virzi, who is affiliated with Mt. Sinai Doctors in Manhattan.

Virzi was charged with criminal homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child on June 16.

She is currently being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail.

Her attorney David Shrager told The New York Post his client was innocent, and planned to plead not guilty.

Virzi was referred to as a ‘trusted family friend’ on a  GoFundMe  set up to help the surviving twin and his parents.

Her professional bio says her ‘research aims to explore the complex interplay between psychological factors—such as depression, stress, negative affect, and trauma— and critical health outcomes and behaviors— such as metabolic syndrome, heart disease, obesity, eating behavior, and exercise’.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

MORE : A group of Tennessee students caught a killer 40 years later – this is how

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Tate & Redmond | 4-year PhD studentship in Chemical Biology: Unlocking intractable drug targets through rational discovery of Molecular Glue Degraders

Chemical Biology & Therapeutic Discovery Satellite Laboratory

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Key information

Research topics.

A 2025 Crick PhD project with Ed Tate and Jo Redmond. 

Project background and description 

The majority of high-value drug targets lack a conventional druggable active site and are considered intractable to traditional small molecule drugs (also termed ‘undruggable’), leading to massive investment in alternative drug modalities. Effector-driven pharmacology has recently emerged as a revolutionary approach to drug discovery, exemplified by molecular glue degrader (MGD) therapeutics which have reached >£10 billion sales in 2022 [1]. In this strategy the drug induces a ternary complex between a target protein of interest (POI) and an effector protein, often an enzyme, which acts catalytically on the POI to trigger a specific cellular effect [2]. However, the almost unlimited potential of effector-recruiting drugs is limited by the lack of general approaches to discover new molecular glues, which have previously been discovered serendipitously [3]. Approaches to generate novel glues for, in principle, any combination of effector and POI would have revolutionary and far-reaching impact for both academic applications and industrial therapeutic discovery.

This project is part of a new Prosperity Partnership jointly supported by the UK government and AstraZeneca, in which groups at the Crick and Imperial College London collaborate with drug discovery scientists at AZ to develop novel approaches to discover molecular glues. Whilst the primary focus of the partnership is on intractable targets in cancer, the technologies developed have broad applications across many disease areas. More information about this exciting Partnership can be found here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/245036/new-partnership-will-molecular-glues-tackle/. 

Across the 4 years of this chemical biology PhD You will have the opportunity to experience each stage of MGD discovery from selection of target proteins and effectors to MGD identification and optimisation. Your project will leverage state-of-the-art technology platforms developed in the Prosperity Partnership, including cellular and biochemical screens, gene editing and structure-based design, machine learning, and encoded library technologies. You will be supported by the unique collaborative environment of the Partnership, with more than 15 scientists exploring all aspects of MGD science, enabling you to receive hands-on training and supervision from deep experts in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, biochemistry and biophysics, molecular biology, and chemical proteomics. You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with scientists at partner organisations, including Micrographia Bio (https://www.micrographiabio.com/), a TechBio startup based at the Imperial White City campus innovating in sensitive and high-throughput spatial proteomics.

Candidate background 

This project would suit a student with a strong molecular science background (for example, chemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, biochemistry), ideally including hands-on lab experience applying molecular approaches in a relevant biological context. The scope of the project will be tailored to the interests and background of the student, and we are particularly looking for candidates with a passion for enabling new paradigms in drug discovery, with the enthusiasm to learn and apply a diverse range of modern chemical biology approaches.

1.         Schreiber, S.L. (2021)

            The rise of molecular glues.

            Cell 184 : 3-9. PubMed abstrac t

2.         Kannt, A. and Đikić, I. (2021)

            Expanding the arsenal of E3 ubiquitin ligases for proximity-induced protein degradation.

            Cell Chemical Biology 28 : 1014-1031. PubMed abstract

3.         Domostegui, A., Nieto-Barrado, L., Perez-Lopez, C. and Mayor-Ruiz, C. (2022)

            Chasing molecular glue degraders: screening approaches.

            Chemical Society Reviews 51 : 5498-5517. PubMed abstract

Crick lab/facility

• Job title: GROUP LEADER - SATELLITE

Joanna Redmond

• Job title: Head of Chemical Biology STP

The Francis Crick Institute is a unique partnership between

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Prosecutors will seek death penalty against PhD student accused of killing friend’s newborn baby

Nicole virzi maintains that child slipped out of bouncer and hit his head. doctors told police her version of events don’t add up, article bookmarked.

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A PhD student in Pennsylvania could be put to death if prosecutors prove she killed her friends' newborn child and injured the baby’s twin brother.

Allegheny District Attorney's Office said on Friday that it would pursue capital punishment charges against Nicole Virzi , who allegedly crushed the skull of six-week-old Leon Katz.

Virzi, 30, was babysitting Leon in June at his family's home when the incident occurred. She is a “longtime friend of the family,” the San Diego Union-Tribune reports , citing her attorney.

According to prosecutors, Ethan Katz and his wife Savannah Roberts asked Virzi to watch Leon on June 15 while they took his twin brother, Ari, to hospital after the child was injured. Virzi was later accused of causing those injuries as well.

While they were gone, Leon was injured, prompting Virzi to call 911 at around 11:15pm. She told emergency workers that the child had fallen and bumped his head and was unresponsive. Leon was taken to Pittsburgh Children's Hospital and was pronounced dead the following day, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .

Detectives investigating the incident noted in their reports that from the tallest point of the bouncer seat to the floor is only 18 inches.

Doctors also told detectives that Leon's brother, Ari, had small scratches all over his face, two bruises just below his belly button, swelling, bruising, redness, and scratches on his genitals. They noted to investigators that the injuries were unnatural and suggested abuse.

When questioned, Virzi told police that she was the one who first noticed Ari's injuries and informed the boy's parents. She said she saw the child scratch his own face while he was flailing in a car seat.

Prosecutors noted a number of aggravating factors in the case that they believe justifies pursuing the death penalty. Among those factors is an allegation that Virzi tortured the child, which resulted in the boy's death, according to the Post-Gazette .

When police questioned Virzi about the child's death, she claimed that the boy had fallen out of his bouncer chair when she had stepped away.

Doctors who examined the child's remains were skeptical of that explanation, determining that the injuries were "consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse, as these are inflicted injuries that are not natural and not accidental," according to WTAE , which reviewed court and police records.

The child's cause of death was ruled as blunt force trauma to the head. A later CT scan showed that the child had suffered a severe skull fracture on the left side of his head, as well as multiple brain bleeds.

Virzi faces homicide, aggravated assault, and child endangerment charges.

She previously studied clinical psychology at UC San Diego's Joint Doctoral Program. She was temporarily living out of an Airbnb in Pittsburgh when the incident involving Leon occurred.

Virzi has maintainer her innocence and, according to her attorney David Shrager, was devastated by the child's death.

“If there was something that she would want to convey, it would just be the absolutely horrible pain that she’s feeling,” Shrager told the Post-Gazette . “These were her close friends.”

Despite the prosecutors' pursuit of the death penalty in this case, Governor Josh Shapiro has vowed to strike down any death warrants sought during his time in office.

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