UK Research Council & AHRB Studentships
 
Please do not apply for UK studentships on this site unless you qualify for UK Research Council funding or have access to funding from other sources.

Funding for PhD studentships from UK Research Councils is available to UK citizens or those who have been ordinarily resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. EU nationals may qualify for a fees only award. Below are links to the studentship handbooks or student web sites of the UK Research Councils.

Please note: UK Research Councils do not make studentship awards directly to students, but allocate them to departments and supervisors who then advertise for candidates. Candidates for a studentship should address their enquiries to the university department, research institute, company or other approved organisation where they would like to undertake a research degree.

Please click on one of the links below to find out more....

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

UK Research Charities

Studentships from UK charities have varying eligibility criteria. Awards are generally not made directly to students, but allocated to supervisors who then advertise for candidates. Candidates for a studentship should address their enquiries to the university department, research institute, company or other approved organisation where they would like to undertake a research degree.

Details of eligibility requirements for some of the major research charities are available through the links below:

Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)
Leverhulme Trust
Wellcome Trust

International Students Studying in the UK

For any overseas students, your first port of call should be grant-awarding bodies in your own country (eg The Ministry/Department of Education) and your local (or nearest) office of the British Council (addresses for international British Council offices can be found at www.britishcouncil.org). The British Council manage a small number of international studentship grants in some countries and should be able to tell you what other awards may be available to you - they also produce the Sources of Funding for International Students guide.

The sites listed below also contain links and information on funding:

Australian Students

JASON is a search engine that contains information about postgraduate scholarships available to Australian students wishing to study at home or abroad, and to international students wishing to study in Australia.

British Commonwealth Students

In addition to the scholarships below residents of Commonwealth countries can also apply for the schemes listed under All International Students

Commonwealth Scholarship Plan
Full scholarships, for Commonwealth students to enable them to study in other Commonwealth countries. Grants are for one to three years and usually cover the cost of travel, tuition fees and living expenses. In some cases, additional allowances may be available for help with books and clothes. For details, write to: Commonwealth Awards Division, Association of Commonwealth Universities, John Foster House, 36 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PF; tel: 020 7387 8572; awards@acu.ac.uk

DFID Shared Scholarship Scheme
Scholarships for students in developing Commonwealth countries for taught courses at postgraduate (or in certain cases undergraduate) level. Preferred subjects are those relevant to the economic and social development of your own country. For details, contact the British High Commission or British Council in your own country, or write to: Department for International Development, 94 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5JL (tel: 020 7917 7000/0126)

European Students

As mentioned above European Union (EU) citizens may qualify for a fees only award for UK research council studentships, they will need to find their own money for living expenses.

The EU provides some grants to promote the exchange of students and academic staff within Europe, such as the SOCRATES and LEONARDO Programmes. The European Commission (EC) also makes some awards to students from developing countries. Contact the EC office in your own country or write to the European Commission, Directorate General III, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. Further details can also be found at:

Community Research & Development Information Service (CORDIS)

Research collaboration in Europe extends beyond the EU and residents of European countries with organisations affiliated to the European Science Foundation may also be eligible for certain schemes.

Pakistani Students

The Higher Education Commission - an excellent site detailing scholarships available to Pakistani students wishing to study abroad

USA Students

Fulbright Scholarships
Full scholarships for United States graduates to enable them to study in the UK. Write to the Graduate Students Programs, Institute of International Education (IIE), 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017- 3580, USA

British Marshall Scholarships
Full scholarships for United States citizens, who are under 26 and are graduates of United States universities, to enable them to study for a degree in the UK. For details, write to: Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, John Foster House, 36 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PF; tel: 020 7387 8572; macc@acu.ac.uk. Application forms are available from United States universities and colleges, British Consulates General in the United States, or British Information Services, 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022, USA

All International Students

British Chevening Scholarships
For students wishing to follow full-time taught or research postgraduate-level courses in any subject at UK universities or colleges in the public sector. Most scholarships are mainly for one year, but awards are also occasionally given for shorter vocational courses/research attachments. Awards are given to cover all or part of the cost of the period of study. Contact the British Embassy, British High Commission or British Council Office in your own country.

British Council Fellowship Programmes
Full scholarships for professionals in fields considered by the British Council to be of special importance in the candidate's own country. Grants are for postgraduate study or research and range from short attachments to research leading to a PhD. Grants vary in size – from small grants to fellowships which will cover fees and living expenses. For details, contact the British Council in your own country, or write to: Fellows and Scholars Department, The British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN (tel: 020 7930 8466) or International Student Services Unit, Regional Services Dept, The British Council, Bridgewater House, 58 Whitworth Street, Manchester M1 6BB (tel: 0161 957 7000)

Overseas Research Scholarships
Open to any international student of outstanding academic merit, this scheme provides a partial scholarship which only covers the difference between home student fees and international fees. Applicants must have accepted a PhD place at a participating university before they can apply. Applications are made through the university and should be complete by the end of January (for a course beginning in October).


Funding for Study Outside of the UK

Whichever country you wish to study in the first place to ask about funding is your own Ministry/Department of Education.

Australia

JASON is a search engine that contains information about postgraduate scholarships available to Australian students wishing to study at home or abroad, and to international students wishing to study in Australia.

British Commonwealth Countries

Click for a list of Commonwealth countries

Commonwealth Scholarship Plan
Full scholarships, for Commonwealth students to enable them to study in other Commonwealth countries. Grants are for one to three years and usually cover the cost of travel, tuition fees and living expenses. In some cases, additional allowances may be available for help with books and clothes. For details, write to: Commonwealth Awards Division, Association of Commonwealth Universities, John Foster House, 36 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PF; tel: 020 7387 8572; awards@acu.ac.uk

Canada

The Association of Universities & Colleges in Canada has links and information for international students wishing to study in Canada.


European Union

The EU provides some grants to promote the exchange of students and academic staff within Europe, such as the SOCRATES and LEONARDO Programmes. The European Commission (EC) also makes some awards to students from developing countries. Contact the EC office in your own country or write to the European Commission, Directorate General III, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. Further details can also be found at:

Community Research & Development Information Service (CORDIS)

Information on national schemes can be found at:

Austria - Austrian Exchange Service Grants Database
Germany - German Academic Exchange Service Scholarships Database

Research collaboration in Europe extends beyond the EU and residents of European countries with organisations affiliated to the European Science Foundation may also be eligible for certain schemes.

USA

Application procedures for Fulbright grants to study or teach in the United States vary from country to country. Fulbright Commissions or the American Embassies administer the program, with the assistance of local educational authorities and institutions.

To learn more about the program or to begin the application process, contact the Fulbright Commission in your country. If there is no commission in your country, contact the American embassy.

UK students wishing to study in the USA should visit www.fulbright.co.uk

USA students wishing to study overseas should contact the Institute of International Education