phd funding organisations

30 Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs

These fully funded Ph.D. programs are in fields like business, computer science, education and nursing.

(Getty Images) |

Many Ph.D. programs are fully funded.

Students interested in graduate research in various fields, from public health and English to computer science and engineering, have numerous options for Ph.D. programs that offer full funding. These programs typically provide waived tuition and fees and an annual stipend. Some also offer health insurance and other benefits. Gaining admittance into these small cohorts can be highly competitive, and the programs can be time-consuming . Here are 30 fully funded Ph.D. programs at U.S. colleges and universities. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list – there are others out there.

• Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Chicago

Anthropology Ph.D. students at the University of Chicago can receive funding for up to eight years of study, assuming they are in good standing at the university. During that time, they will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus health insurance and a living stipend – which equated to $33,000 for the 2022-2023 school year – and can apply for external fellowships.

Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University (MA)

Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston offers a Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health that aims to provide students with expertise in disease prevention and treatment. This program includes tuition, a stipend and health insurance for five years as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress. International students receive the same benefits. Current research in the school's laboratories involves diseases like AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, malaria and tuberculosis.

(Dominick Reuter) |

• Ph.D. in business at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Students enrolled in the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology can study a range of fields like organization studies, accounting and information technology. Those pursuing a Ph.D. will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus a monthly stipend of $4,267, capped at $51,204. They will also receive medical insurance, new laptops at the beginning of their first and fourth years of study and $4,500 over five years for conference travel expenses.

(Tommy Lavergne | Rice University)

Ph.D. in business at Rice University (TX)

At the Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business in Texas, students enjoy full financial assistance upon admission to the Ph.D. program. Aiming to prepare students to teach in fields like accounting, finance, organizational behavior and strategic management, the program provides students with a research or teaching assistantship. Students receive a tuition waiver and a $40,000 annual stipend contingent on making satisfactory academic progress and maintaining full-time student status.

Office of Strategic Communication | University of Iowa

• Ph.D. in business at the University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business offers Ph.D. degrees in fields such as accounting, economics, business analytics and marketing. The college says it provides full funding to "virtually all admitted students." This includes tuition and fees, a minimum nine-month stipend of about $20,000 with annual adjustments and comprehensive health insurance covered at 90%. Some departments offer funding for research presentations at major conferences, summer fellowships and paid time off for independent research.

Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University (NY)

According to Cornell University 's website, all students admitted to the chemical engineering Ph.D. program at the New York school receive a full tuition waiver, health insurance and a stipend. This funding can come from a teaching assistantship, research assistantship or fellowship, and full stipends are granted for nine months with the likelihood of additional aid in the summer.

Chris Taggart | Columbia University

Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University (NY)

Students enrolled in Columbia University 's Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at the Teachers College in New York receive fully funded tuition and a $25,000 stipend annually for three years. The stipend also carries into a student's fourth year. These doctoral fellows "may be expected to serve" as graduate teaching or research assistants. Students typically complete the mentor-matched program, which includes a full-year internship, in five to seven years.

Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University (RI)

Brown University 's Ph.D. students in computer science have access to "full financial support while completing the degree," plus the option to take classes at nearby schools without incurring additional costs, according to the school's website. In fact, doctoral students in any program at the Rhode Island university are guaranteed five years of financial support, which includes tuition remission, a stipend, health services fees and a subsidy for health insurance.

Georgetown University |

Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University (DC)

Georgetown University 's Ph.D. program in computer science provides scholarships and assistantships that cover full tuition at the Washington, D.C., school and include a stipend and health insurance for the first five years. Once enrolled in the program, students must complete the Apprenticeship in Teaching Program and ultimately write and defend a full research dissertation in a seminar open to the public.

Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University in St. Louis

Ph.D. students in the computer science or computer engineering program at Washington University in St. Louis receive full tuition support and health insurance. According to the university's website: "As a doctoral candidate, you will also receive a generous stipend to cover living expenses and a new, high-end Apple laptop computer. This support is guaranteed as you continue to make satisfactory progress towards your degree." Doctoral students may also qualify for one of three fellowships.

Jeff Miller | UW-Madison

• Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison

Incoming Ph.D. students at the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin—Madison are guaranteed full funding for the duration of the time that they are expected on campus, according to the university's department of counseling psychology website. Doctoral students also receive a benefits package that includes health insurance. Funding may come from financial aid, fellowships, assistantships and/or traineeships.

Emory University |

Ph.D. in economics at Emory University (GA)

Students enrolled in the economics Ph.D. program at Emory University typically receive full funding, according to the Georgia university's website. The stipend provided to students is $36,376 per year for five years, starting in fall 2023, and the full tuition scholarship is worth $70,200 per year. Funding for admitted students also includes a $4,370 annual subsidy that covers 100% of a student's cost of health insurance. First-year students have no stipend-related work requirements.

• Ph.D. in education at New York University

New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development offers more than 30 degree programs. Many can be pursued on campus or online. Ph.D. degrees are offered in areas like developmental psychology, educational leadership and childhood education. Full-time NYU Steinhardt Ph.D. students are eligible for a funding package that includes an annual stipend – $32,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year – tuition coverage for required coursework and student health insurance for five years.

L.A. Cicero, Stanford News Service |

Ph.D. in education at Stanford University (CA)

Stanford University's Graduate School of Education allows students numerous fellowship and assistantship opportunities at the California school, along with a "five-year funding guarantee that provides tuition aid, fellowship stipend, and assistantship salary, and covers the standard cost of attendance," the program website reads. At the Graduate School of Education, doctoral students can choose from a range of academic areas like curriculum studies and teacher education, and developmental and psychological sciences.

• Ph.D. in education at the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education provides full funding to Ph.D. students as part of a fellowship and research apprenticeship package. This funding includes a living stipend, health insurance and coverage of tuition and fees for up to four years if the student maintains full-time enrollment. Some students may also qualify for additional summer funding.

• Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Doctoral students in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor can choose from numerous areas of specialization under umbrella categories like aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, macromolecular science and engineering, and robotics. All engineering doctoral students are guaranteed full funding, a monthly living stipend and health insurance. The exact amount can vary, according to the program's website, and funding comes from a range of sources, including graduate student instructor positions and fellowships.

Boston University Photography |

• Ph.D. in English at Boston University

Annually, doctoral students studying English at Boston University receive a stipend plus full tuition, fees and basic health insurance. This funding is guaranteed for at least five years, with two of those years typically free from teaching requirements. Funding can sometimes be extended up to seven years, according to the university's website, but it's not guaranteed. Students may also apply for various prizes, fellowships and short-term research and travel grants.

(Stephanie Diani) |

• Ph.D. in English at the University of California—Los Angeles

Applicants to the Ph.D. in English program at the University of California—Los Angeles are automatically considered for various funding options. A six-year funding package includes "a minimum of two years of full fellowship, four years of summer stipend support and up to four years of teaching assistantships," according to the school website. Beyond tuition, fees and health insurance are also covered.

Jeff Watts |

Ph.D. in international relations at American University (DC)

American University offers doctoral students in its international relations program who do not have external funding a renewable four-year Dean's Fellowship that is contingent on making satisfactory academic progress. The fellowship includes the cost of tuition, fees and a stipend that must be earned via a part-time role as a teaching or research assistant. Students also must "demonstrate competency in a modern foreign language" before graduating.

Jonathan Cohen | Binghamton University

• Ph.D. in management at Binghamton University—SUNY

All students admitted to the interdisciplinary management Ph.D. program at the Binghamton University—SUNY School of Management in New York receive a combination of a full-tuition scholarship and a teaching or research assistantship for each academic year, up to four years. This STEM-designated business doctoral degree prepares students for careers in academia and work in the public and private sectors, and has a student-faculty ratio of 1-to-1, according to the university's website.

Duke University Communications |

Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University (NC)

Doctoral students at Duke University in North Carolina studying materials science and engineering generally receive full tuition, a stipend and fee support for the first five years. Students also receive up to six years of health insurance if they are on the university's student medical insurance plan. The doctoral program aims to help students publish with a faculty adviser and develop research skills, with the opportunity to present research at professional conferences.

Homewood Photography | JHU

Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University (MD)

The School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland provides most doctoral students with three fully funded years of study. Available financial aid includes graduate assistantships, targeted fellowships and nursing-specific funding. The university aims to "advance the theoretical foundation of nursing practice and healthcare delivery" with the degree, its website reads. "By graduation, most Hopkins nurse scholars have been awarded grants that continue their research and set them well on their way to a successful career."

• Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Virginia

All students admitted to the University of Virginia 's Ph.D. in Nursing program are eligible for four years of scholarship funding to cover tuition, insurance and fees, as well as annual stipends. To receive certain aid, students must work 10 hours per week as a graduate teaching assistant. With a heavy research focus, students can expect courses in qualitative, quantitative and historical research, and will have to submit a research proposal for peer review.

Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University (CT)

At Yale University in Connecticut, the School of Nursing offers full funding to its Ph.D. students. They receive a monthly stipend for four years in addition to paid tuition and health care. The program allows students to gain in-depth knowledge in a particular area of study. Every incoming Ph.D. student gets paired with a faculty adviser "whose area of expertise and active research most closely matches with the student’s scholarly interest," according to the school's website.

University of Minnesota |

• Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program to study psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities are guaranteed full funding for five years as long as they maintain satisfactory performance and degree progress. This funding includes full-time tuition, a nine-month stipend and subsidized health insurance. Funding comes from some combination of teaching assistantships, traineeships, research assistantships and fellowships. Students in the program can specialize in areas like cognitive and brain sciences, industrial-organizational psychology and social psychology.

Matt Cashore | University of Notre Dame

Ph.D. within the Romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame (IN)

University of Notre Dame doctoral students who focus on French and Francophone studies, Iberian and Latin American studies or Italian studies are guaranteed five years of funding. Funding includes a full scholarship, including tuition and fees, plus a stipend and health insurance. Anyone who completes the Ph.D. degree requirements at the Indiana university within five years will automatically receive a one-year postdoctoral fellowship via the university's 5+1 Program. Fellows will have a teaching load limited to one course per semester.

Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College (PA)

Students admitted to Bryn Mawr College 's Ph.D. program in social work receive full tuition waivers and "substantial stipends" toward living expenses. The Pennsylvania college's website says: "Consistent with our model, all Ph.D. students are funded equally, and do not compete for basic financial support during coursework." The program's cohorts typically include only three or four students each year. According to the college, it awarded the first Ph.D. degree in social work in the U.S. in 1920.

Vanderbilt University |

Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University (TN)

Funding is guaranteed for all admitted doctoral students enrolled in the special education Ph.D. program at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. This includes full tuition, a "competitive" monthly stipend and health insurance for up to four years. Students may also be nominated for additional honor scholarships and fellowships. Areas of focus within the Ph.D. program include high-incidence disabilities and early childhood education.

Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University (IL)

This interdisciplinary Ph.D. program at Northwestern University in Illinois combines coursework in humanities, social science and the visual arts. The program's students receive a five-year full-tuition scholarship plus an annual living stipend. Ph.D students enrolling at this program in fall 2022 will receive a living stipend of at least $36,960 during the 2023-2024 school year. Stipend amounts may change from year to year. Students can apply for subsidies to facilitate conference travel and summer language study.

(Photo by Sarah L. Voisin | The Washington Post via Getty Images)

• Ph.D. in women, gender and sexuality studies at University of Maryland

At the University of Maryland 's Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Ph.D. students without a master's degree usually have five years of guaranteed funding. Those with a master's degree usually are funded four years, with awards stemming from a mix of departmental fellowships and graduate teaching assistantships. Since the program's establishment in 1999, the department has granted 36 Ph.Ds, according to UMD's website.

Learn more about paying for graduate school.

Finding a fully funded program isn't the only option to offset the costs of graduate school. See these seven strategies to pay for graduate school to learn more. Check out the latest Best Graduate Schools rankings to see the country's top business, medicine and law programs – and more. For additional grad school tips, follow U.S. News Education on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn .

Ph.D. programs that are fully funded

• Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University
• Ph.D. in business at Rice University
• Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University
• Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University—St. Louis
• Ph.D. in economics at Emory University
• Ph.D. in education at Stanford University
• Ph.D. in international relations at American University
• Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University
• Ph.D. within the romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame
• Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College
• Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University
• Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University

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•       Financial Aid       PhD Scholarships and Financial Aid

PAYING FOR YOUR PHD Expert Tips, Scholarships Opportunities and Resources for Financing an Advanced Degree

The average yearly tuition for a PhD program is slightly above $16,000, which means students will invest about $80,000 in tuition fees alone for a five-year program. Add in fees, cost-of-living, travel expenses and the figure can easily surpass six figures. Yet, it is possible to fund a PhD program without breaking the bank and going into debt.

Featured Online Schools

• PhD Cost Breakdown
• PhD Financial Aid Options
• Expert Spotlight: Lawrence Burns, PhD
• Earning Outlook for Phd Students
• Most Lucrative PhD Careers
• Expert Spotlight: Darren Pierre, PhD
• PhD: By The Numbers
• Additional Financial Aid Resources

PHD COST BREAKDOWN

The value of a college education should not be understated, but neither should its actual cost. Earning a doctoral degree can be an expensive proposition. According to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the average tuition and fees for a graduate program of study was $16,435 in 2012-2013. The table below outlines the 2012-2013 graduate tuition and fees by academic institution.

• All Institutions $16,435
• Public $10,408
• Private Non-Profit $23,698
• Private For-Profit $14,418

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

A rough calculation of the number of years it takes to complete a doctoral program, multiplied by the average 2012-2013 tuition and fees from the NCES, reveals the following total cost figures by academic field of study.

A five- to six-figure education is something to take seriously as there are debt implications after leaving finishing a PhD program. Graduating doctoral students in 2013 left school with an average debt of just over $15,000, according to the National Science Foundation. By field, students in the Social Sciences, Education and Humanities graduate with the highest levels of student debt:

• Education: $26,566
• Social Sciences: $26,222
• Humanities: $21,485

Conversely, the science and technology fields graduate students with the lowest debt figures:

• Physical Sciences: $6,342
• Engineering: $7,031
• Life Sciences: $11,905
• Physical Sciences 78.2%
• Engineering 75.1%
• Life Sciences 67.2%
• Humanities 48.4%
• Social Sciences 46.5%
• Education 44.1%

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2013

While these figures may seem alarming, a deeper dive into survey data from the National Science Foundation actually paints a more positive picture. Overall, more than 62 percent of all doctoral recipients graduate from school without a single dollar of debt.

Prospective students can use the table below to get a better sense of the percentage of students who take on debt at incremental levels in each field of academic study. A majority of students graduate with $10,000 or less in debt after finishing their doctoral degree.

PhD Cost Factors

The total cost of earning a doctoral degree is variable because of the sheer number of different factors involved. Tuition is not the only cost to consider when thinking about applying to a PhD program.

Typically, students pay full tuition rates during their first three years of doctoral study and receive reduced tuition rates for the remainder of the program. However, the actual cost of tuition does vary and may be dependent on the student’s actual degree program.

Graduate students pay a range of fees, with the most common including:

• Health Services (access to health facilities on campus)
• Health Insurance (personal health insurance)
• Student Activity (subsidizes athletics and other clubs)
• Student Recreation (access to recreational facilities on campus)

Some programs estimate students should be prepared to pay between $3,000 and $4,500 per academic year in student fees and health insurance costs.

Students with a master’s degree or coursework in a similar graduate program may be able to transfer credits into their doctoral program. That can lower the total number of credits required to graduate, which can lower the total cost of the degree. However, some institutions do limit the amount of tuition credits that can be applied for graduate work done in a related field at other institutions.

Whether or not the student has an assistantship does not affect the cost of textbooks and other academic materials. Books are a revolving charge, one a student should plan upon each semester or quarter.

Housing, utilities and food are considered indirect expenses students incur during their education. PhD students should plan on anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000 and up for living expenses each year. Again, this figure is highly variable based on the location of the university and the cost-of-living in that area.

Owning a car means additional budgeting for insurance, car payments and gas. Additionally, students may need to travel for conferences and research. Without funding from a graduate student association or grant program, the student will have to cover these costs individually.

PhD students with children may have to account for childcare costs. Purchasing a new computer and other supplies may also be required. This type of budgeting will vary from individual to individual, program to program.

Most PhD programs allow students to progress at their own pace, requiring them to complete and defend their dissertation within a certain time period (e.g. six years). However, the time it takes to complete a dissertation depends on the student, area of study, research, etc. This can impact cost of attending a doctoral program.

Example Cost of Attendance

A student’s budget should include the total cost of attendance—that is both direct (tuition and fees) and indirect costs (e.g. housing). This budget is the starting point for determining the student’s financial need, how much financial aid they require, and if they can afford to attend a doctoral program. Below is a sample five-year total cost of attendance chart based on an in-state tuition program, with a budget that assumes fixed costs for fees and indirect costs, such as housing. It also does not take into account assistantships and tuition waivers for assistants.

Based on a figure that’s slightly below the 2012-2013 average graduate tuition cost, the total cost of attendance can still produce sticker shock. An average student in a program that charges $12,000 per year in tuition could have to pay between $30,000 and $45,000 year in total costs.

PhD FINANCIAL AID OPTIONS

Prospective PhD candidates have an abundance of financial aid options to help fund their graduate studies. Typically, students are fully funded by a combination of sources, including scholarships, fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or student loans.

It is important for students to note that most sources of aid are awarded by individual academic programs, so they should follow-up with their department for up-to-date information.

Below is a high-level overview of the common types of graduate financial aid.

Prospective PhD candidates can turn to a variety of funding sources, including scholarships, grants, and fellowships to support their education financially. As discussed, most students use a combination of one or more of these funding sources to finance their degree program and research.

PhD students can apply for a variety of scholarships that award students with funds that can be used to help cover the cost of tuition, books and other fees.

Grants are similar to scholarships and are academic-based awards that can be used to augment other sources of financial aid.

Fellowships are a different type of funding that may encompass a scholarship or grant and can be used to fund research, study and teaching in the US and internationally. Many fellowships provide full tuition and a yearly stipend to students.

A PhD should never be an end in itself but rather a means to an end. The path to a PhD is an arduous one and should never be undertaken without serious thought to what it will bring the student. That said, there is money available for graduate study in most fields, and a student in the humanities should be very careful to apply to appropriate programs which fund their grad students.

• Engineering
• Physical Sciences

The SMART program is designed to support graduate students studying in STEM disciplines and offers a range of other benefits, including supplies and health insurance allowances and employment placement services with the DoD after graduation.

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship is a three-year graduate fellowship that is designed to support doctoral students across fifteen engineering disciplines.

This three-year fellowship program supports the research efforts of doctoral students in STEM-related fields of study and allows them to pursue their work at any accredited graduate program in the country.

Renewable award for graduate students enrolled in a full-time APA-accredited doctoral program of study in psychology. Underrepresented, minority students are encouraged to apply.

This fellowship is open to female scholars and is designed to help offset the doctoral student’s living expenses during her final year of working on a dissertation.

This fellowship is a single-year of funding that is designed to support the doctoral research of a student working in child psychology.

The Javits Fellowship is provided on a needs- and competitive-basis to graduate students pursing graduate degrees in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts.

Two fellowships are awarded to support doctoral students who plan to study at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece for a year.

The Richard M. Weaver Scholarship is open to graduate student members of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and supports the academic work of scholars pursuing teaching careers at the college level.

The AICPA fellowship is designed for minority students pursuing or planning to pursue a doctorate in accounting.

Five scholarships are available to provide financial assistance to graduate students pursuing studies in accounting and plan on earning CPA licensure.

This fellowship provides financial support to female scholars conducting research and economic analysis into natural resource, food, or agricultural issues.

This renewable, four-year fellowship is designed to support a scholar’s work in the field of stewardship science: nuclear science, high density physics, and materials under extreme conditions and hydrodynamics.

This multi-year fellowship supports doctoral research in several fields, ranging from chemistry to geology, materials science to physics and connects fellows with NPSC employer partners.

The NWRI fellowship program is open to full-time doctoral students conducting water-based research in areas such as water quality, water treatment and technologies, water supplies and water resources.

Really think about your reasons for getting a PhD. Critically exam the support systems you have in place to get you through the journey: 50 percent of doctoral students suffer from depression. Utilize services like the counseling center on your college/university campuses to help you respond to the stressors that may occur with the transition.

ASSISTANTSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND LOANS

Graduate assistantships.

Graduate assistantships are a form of academic appointment and are provided by individual departments. Competitive in nature, they are typically awarded on the basis of the student’s academic accomplishments and potential in the graduate program of study. Most programs provide appointments for one year at time and students receive a tuition credit or waiver and monthly stipend. There are three types of assistantships: Teaching Assistantships, Assistant Lecturers, and Research Assistants.

Teaching assistants perform a range of support duties for faculty members at a university, including grading papers and teaching classes.

Lecturers may serve as instructors in the academic department where they are studying.

Research assistants conduct and assist faculty members with research projects in the student’s area of interest.

Fellowships

Fellowships are short-term funding opportunities (typically 9- to 12 months) provided to students in the form of tuition credits and/or stipends. They support a student’s graduate study in their field of choice, may assist them in their research, or gain professional training in an area of interest. Fellowships are competitive and are available in two types: University-based and External.

Individual schools, colleges, and departments at a university (e.g. College of Science, Department of English) may have endowed fellowships. Students are either nominated for an award by their department or may be open to an application process.

External fellowships are funded by foundations, government agencies and other groups and provide opportunities to study both in the US and abroad. For example, the Department of Defense offers the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship to engineering students studying in one of sixteen engineering specialties.

Corporations

Many companies and businesses have created scholarship, fellowship, and tuition reimbursement programs for their employees. Depending on the company, there may be a possibility it supports the graduate school efforts of its employees. Speak to the Human Resources department to learn more about the potential funding avenues available.

Graduate students may borrow funds from the federal government under two loan programs: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Perkins Loan Program.

Private financial institutions, including banks and credit unions, offer unsecured educational loans to graduate students. These loans must be repaid with interest. The interest rates, loan amount, and repayment terms are based on the credit worthiness of the borrower.

Federal work study provides students with demonstrated financial need part-time job opportunities that allow them to earn income while they are in graduate school. The program focuses on placing students in community service situations related to the student’s academic course of study. A majority of jobs are on-campus, but some schools may have some off-campus jobs with nonprofit agencies and other groups. It is important to note that some universities may not allow students to use their federal work study for tuition, but other related expenses (e.g. books, fees).

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Lawrence Burns, PhD

What should a future phd student consider when selecting a program of   study .

Speaking in the humanities, a student is best advised, I think, to select the faculty member with whom he or she wishes to study rather than simply a program. This faculty member becomes the student’s mentor, a relationship that lasts well beyond graduate school years. Because the mentor becomes the student’s primary reference, his or her standing in the field can and does have an impact on pre- and post-doctoral grants a student might win as well as on the student’s success on the academic job market.

It is a delicate balance though, because one must also look at programs that have standing in a particular field and at institutions that can afford to fund their PhD students throughout their graduate years.

Much is made about the saturation of PhD graduates and not enough   positions — both in academic and the private sector. Should that dissuade   a student from pursuing a PhD?

Yes, of course. Again, a PhD is not something that comes easily, and it should not be pursued without a reason for it. On the other hand, for students who are committed to their fields, and for whom that field is a career choice, the PhD is still the only way into the university job market. 

There is a catch-22 in the world of post-graduate education. Research universities need to turn out research, and researchers often depend on their grad students to assist them–in all fields–and departments on their PhD candidates to teach many undergraduate courses. PhD students are thus recruited regardless of the job market for the PhD holders.

The challenges in funding the PhD for me were less about how am I going to pay for this degree, but making the adjustment from being a full-time salaried employee to now, taking a significant pay cut to serve as a graduate assistant.

EARNING OUTLOOK FOR PHD STUDENTS

Potential career earnings should be a significant part of the discussion when considering whether or not to pursue a doctoral degree. Completing an advanced program of study could increase an individual’s earning potential with their current or future employers.

Research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals a direct correlation between educational attainment and career success—both in employment opportunities and annual salaries. Doctoral degree holders are some of the highest paid professionals in the country. The table below outlines the difference in earnings by degree level in 2014.

source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Earnings and Unemployment by Educational Attainment

• Industry or Business $97,700
• Government $82,000
• Nonprofit Organizations $72,500
• Other $70,000
• Academia $60,000

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates

In turn, prospective students should consider how their sacrifice of time and money will pay off when they embark in their careers. Some professional fields have a higher return on investment than others. A majority of PhD candidates endeavor to become tenured-track faculty members, but they should realize that academia is one of the lowest paying sectors for individuals with a doctoral degree.

A review of National Science Foundation survey information shows that the best paying professional areas for PhD graduates include Industry and Business—with an average salary of $97,700. At the bottom of the list? Academia.

MOST LUCRATIVE PHD CAREERS

So, which PhD degrees pay the best?

According to the NSF, business, economics, and engineering are consistently among the best earning academic fields regardless of industry. The following tables outline the highest paying academic fields by professional area of work after graduation.

• Business Management and Administration $110,000
• Economics $82,000
• Engineering $79,000
• Health Sciences $70,000
• Education $60,000
• Business Management and Administration $135,000
• Economics $115,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $115,000
• Geosciences $110,000
• Engineering $98,000
• Economics $112,500
• Business Management and Administration $96,590
• Engineering $96,500
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $95,300
• Health Sciences $94,000
• Business Management and Administration $105,000
• Economics $100,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $100,000
• Health Sciences $98,000

At the occupational level, 2012 employment research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed the best paying doctoral career was Physicist ($109,600), followed by Astronomers ($105,410), and Engineering Professors ($94,130).

Overall, the top 10 most lucrative PhD careers include the following:

• 1 Physicists $109,600
• 2 Astronomers $105,410
• 3 Engineering Professors $94,130
• 4 Economics Professors $90,870
• 5 Health Specialties Professors: $90,210
• 6 Agricultural Sciences Professors $86,260
• 7 Biochemists and Biophysicists $84,940
• 8 Forestry and Conservation Science Professors $84,090
• 9 Physics Professors $80,720
• 10 Medical Scientists $79,930

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Darren Pierre, PhD

How has earning a phd impacted you personally and professionally.

Personally, the PhD was an incredibly introspective process. I believe for many, they go into the PhD thinking one thing, and come out transformed by the experience. I learned and grew personally in how I harness my self-worth, I grew professionally in my ability to humble myself and authentically listen to the feedback given about my work.

Professionally, I move with a greater level of confidence, I have more insight into my own potential in ways I could have never imagined, and all of that propelled me to write my book, The Invitation to Love.

Through your own experience, what are the biggest mistakes   prospective PhD students make when choosing and/or funding their PhD?

The biggest mistake that perspective students make is doing the degree for the wrong reason. If you are doing the degree for any other reason that self-motivated factors, you will falter. Doing the PhD to cover areas of insecurity, or low self-worth; doing the PhD for the prestige or title sake, those reasons will have you floundering and faltering when the psychological stressors being to weigh heavy.

Did you create a roadmap--financially or academically--to stay on track to   completing your PhD?

Absolutely, you have to have a plan and work that plan. Each Sunday, I would develop the week's action plan, I would carve out everything from when I was doing assignments/research to when I would work out, everything was on a schedule so that even when the fog of the process set in, I had headlights (my schedule) that allowed me to drive consistently when the road ahead was hard to see.

PHD: BY THE NUMBERS

Doctoral education in the U.S. is a varied and broad system, one that has been growing in popularity. In the 2013-2014 academic year, more than 178,000 doctoral degrees were conferred to students nationally, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

• Doctoral Education Continues to Grow
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Dominate
• STEM Fields are the Most Popular
• Only Half of Students Earn a PhD in the Same Academic Field as their Master’s Degree
• Doctoral Degrees are an Investment in Time
• Primary Source of Funding Varies by Program

In its survey of earned doctorates, the National Science Foundation learned the number of doctoral recipients increased by nearly 30 percent between 2003 and 2013.

The most popular academic areas of study were Engineering and the Physical Sciences.

• Engineering 69.80%
• Physical Sciences 59.30%
• Health Sciences 53.60%
• Life Sciences 44.60%
• Other 38.90%
• Social Sciences 19.90%
• Humanities 9.10%
• Education -25.70%

Within the engineering and physical sciences disciplines, multiple sub-fields have been experiencing explosive interest and enrollments, with some programs (e.g. physics, materials science engineering) growing by more than 70 percent between 2003 and 2013.

• Other engineering 127.5%
• Materials science engineering 86.5%
• Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 74.5%
• Mechanical engineering 70.5%
• Electrical, electronics, and communication engineering 53.6%
• Chemical engineering 46.0%
• Computer and information sciences 119.1%
• Mathematics 83.0%
• Physics and astronomy 76.7%
• Geosciences 28.8%
• Chemistry 22.0%

According to NSF, the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields are the most popular doctoral areas of study.

• Life Sciences 23.3%
• Physical Sciences 17.6%
• Engineering 17.0%
• Social Sciences 15.9%
• Humanities 10.7%
• Education 9.4%

Interestingly, slightly more than 56 percent of graduate students continue into a doctoral program in the same field as their master’s degree. Rates are highest in the humanities, engineering, and social sciences fields.

• Humanities 67.6%
• Engineering 65.7%
• Social Sciences 65.6%
• Education 61.5%
• All Fields 56.1%
• Physical Sciences 53.4%
• Life Sciences 35.5%

It requires approximately 7.5 years of study for the average graduate student to complete a doctoral degree after enrolling in graduate school. Education takes the longest — more than 11 years, while the physical sciences and engineering fields only require 6.5 to 6.6 years of study to complete.

• Education 11.7
• Humanities 9.2
• Social Sciences 7.7
• All Fields 7.5
• Life Sciences 6.9
• Engineering 6.6
• Physical Sciences 6.5

According to the NSF, the most common source of funding for doctoral students are teaching and research assistantships. The table below details the primary source of funding for students by academic area of study.

• Life Sciences Fellowships/ Grants
• Physical Sciences Research Assistantships
• Social Sciences Teaching Assistantships
• Engineering Research Assistantships
• Education Own Resources
• Humanities Teaching Assistantships
• All Fields Research Assistantships

The following table includes a breakout of the primary funding source by major field of study, according the National Science Foundation.

Source: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/2013/data-tables.cfm

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES

The ultimate financial goal of any PhD student should be to complete their program successfully and move into a professional career with as little debt as possible. The resources below are available to help students locate scholarships and other funding sources that can help make that goal a reality.

Unigo offers a selection of financial assistance resources for graduate students, including a scholarship directory, a scholarship match tool, educational information on student loans and funding options, and more.

Scholarships.com is a website that provides a selection of financial aid information, including a searchable scholarship directory, insights into funding trends, financial aid calculators, and information about grants and fellowships.

Peterson’s is an educational resource site that includes a searchable scholarship database, articles and advice columns, and a catalog of graduate school profiles.

FinAid.org is an educational resource site that focuses on financial aid and offers information about student loans, federal financial aid, financing a doctoral education, and includes a scholarship search option.

An office of the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid is the country’s largest provider of financial aid. Graduate students can learn about and pally for loans, grants, and work-study funds to pay for their doctoral education.

FastWeb is a financial aid-focused website that offers a searchable scholarship directory that allows students to focus their search to their major area of study, work experience, and personal and professional activities.

Chegg is an online educational portal that not only offers used textbooks, but a scholarship database as well.

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PhD Funding – A Checklist of Possible Sources

There are probably more funding opportunities for your PhD than you think. It is worth making sure you have investigated them all.

Funding bodies support PhD students in different ways. Some pay course fees only, some include a stipend (maintenance costs) or travel expenses, and others offer a one-off award to ease the financial burden of academic study.

Each funding body will have its own criteria for eligibility. At PhD level full funding will tend to be awarded on academic merit, but there are also some that take into account financial background and other criteria such as gender (such as in the case of the British Federation of Women Graduates).

Research Councils

The seven Research Councils invest in the region of £380 million into doctorate research every year. However, funding is made available through the participating universities rather than the research councils themselves. Universities set up Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) or Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in order to receive funding.

It is then up to the universities to decide who to award studentships to – usually based on academic merit following a competitive application process.

Eligibility criteria and award amounts are standardised and you will find many other funded PhDs referring to research council rates when defining their own. Research council studentships include fees and a minimum stipend per annum which is paid tax-free.

The seven Research Councils include:

Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Medical Research Council (MRC)

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

The above organisations have been grouped together with Innovate UK and Research England in 2018, and the umbrella organisation is called UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) .

UKRI’s key objectives include providing funding for the training of new researchers.

Academic institutions

Universities, colleges and research institutes also fund their own studentships, and these are typically listed on the institution’s own website alongside its research council-funded studentships. Some will offer fees only, while others may offer a stipend as well. Amounts may vary although many use the research council rates as a benchmark.

Commercial and charitable organisations

A number of non-academic organisations help fund research at PhD level in collaboration with the university hosting the study. CASE (Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering) studentships are for four-year PhDs. These are part-funded by a non-academic ‘co-operating body’ such as a UK industrial firm, public sector organisation or charity. Students spend at least three months of the PhD working in-situ at the co-operating body which makes a financial contribution to both the student and the project. Students often find these to be good avenues for finding full-time work at the end of their placement, and will have gained valuable hands-on work experience. There are also CASE-Plus studentships where students spend a further year working full-time on the premises of the co-operating body as an employee following the PhD.

A number of charitable organisations, foundations and trusts can help fund PhDs:

The Wellcome Trust

Cancer Research UK

The British Academy

The British Federation of Women Graduates

The Institution of Civil Engineers

Institution of Engineering & Technology

Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Royal Geographical Society

Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland

Leverhulme Trust

Action Medical Research

The Grundy Educational Trust .

Self-funding

If you are having difficulty in getting funding from the above sources, you may be able to fund your own way through a PhD. You may be eligible for Professional and Career development loans. It is wise to review the specific application criteria to ensure that you are eligible.

A further option is to study part-time while working. This could however place additional demands on your time and financial situation. Be aware that if you have managed to access some funding elsewhere, you may be prohibited from working during your PhD as part of the stipulations of the award.

The jobs.ac.uk website lists some excellent PhD opportunities as well as a wide range of jobs – do take a look at them!

For more PhD tips:

Your PhD Journey – Top Tips 

What Can You Do With a PhD?

PhD Application Tips

What is a PhD and Why Should YOU do one?

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Henrietta Nagy

Henrietta Nagy is a seasoned portfolio worker with over 10 years’ experience in the UK education sector. Henrietta writes educational content, designs academic courses, delivers university lectures, mentors entrepreneurs, and provides career development coaching. One of Henrietta's recent organisational clients is the Oxford University where she has facilitated over 100 hours of learning events. With 9 years of higher education studies internationally (including an MBA), she has worked with CEOs, academics, scholars, managers, women entrepreneurs, academic administrators and other consultants.

Reader Interactions

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10th October 2019 at 12:12 pm

I am a PHD Scholar at Wollegga University, Ethiopia.I need a Research Grant. Would you please help me?

3rd December 2019 at 9:21 am

I am conflict management PhD candidate in South Africa I need funding. My area of focus is Terrorism in Nigeria. Any advice

4th September 2020 at 8:57 pm

I was offered PhD opportunities at Universities of Cape Town, Queen Margaret and Winchester but could not find funding. My area of specialization is health systems management planning and poli

11th September 2020 at 3:25 pm

I am DBA scholar at University of Northampton researching on industrial actions. I need a research grant. Please assist.

4th December 2020 at 5:11 pm

I am looking for an admission to study PhD Medical Imaging or PhD Nuclear Medicine Technology with finding or grants. Kindly specifically help.

6th August 2022 at 6:45 am

I am a PhD scholar in one of the Federal Universities of Technology in Nigeria. I seriously need a funding to allow me carry out a thorough research on Microplastics pollution in coastal areas of Southwestern part of Nigeria. Thanking you for your timely response. Olanipekun Oluwafunmilayo (Mrs)

5th January 2021 at 9:00 am

I am South African and I have been admitted for a PhD programme at the University of Worcester, UK. However, I am struggling to get funding. Please assist where you can.

18th October 2021 at 12:03 pm

I am due to go into my final year of my Professional doctorate in education, and need funding just for this one year. My research is into COVID and the impact upon young children. Please, can anyone guide me towards any potential sources of funding for this one year?

27th January 2022 at 1:42 pm

I have been admitted for a PhD programme at the University College London in 2022 fall, but I find it difficult to get funding as a non-European international student. Any advice! Many thanks in advance.

5th March 2022 at 1:32 pm

Hello, I am a Chinese student. If I am admitted to a PhD programme of Newcastle University in 2022 fall, but I have not applied for CSC, and the program I applied for is not a full prize program, what other subsidies can I apply for?Any advice! Thank you very much in advance!

10th June 2022 at 6:13 am

I am interested in fully funded PhD, I am a master student in de Montfort university presently.

22nd June 2022 at 5:13 pm

My name is Esther, a Nigerian. I am looking for a PHD in Gender studies and Food Economics, please i will appreciate your kind assistance.

31st January 2023 at 2:57 am

I am a Nigerian and will be taking a Ph. D in UK or any European country soon. Please can you share useful information on how to get external funding for my Ph. D in Urban and Regional Planning with specialty in Landscaping and Transportation. Your impactful feedbacks will be highly appreciated.

7th October 2023 at 4:31 pm

My name is Jingrong, a Chinese student. I am a PhD student in the University of Bristol presently, my research is based on the remanufacturing operations. I am interested in some related funding.

13th August 2022 at 5:50 pm

My name is Bulea Christopher, I am seeking to do PhD in Organizational leadership and management. I shall be grateful.

19th October 2022 at 1:31 pm

I am Nigeria and will be taking a Ph. D in UK soon. Please can you share useful information on how to get external funding for my Ph. D in renewable energy system of technology. Your impactful feedbacks will be highly appreciated. Thanks

31st October 2022 at 8:58 am

My name is Nkomo Dalubuhle from Zimbabwe lm looking for a PHD in curriculum studies in education

18th November 2022 at 3:51 am

I am from Pakistan and want to apply for PhD programme at the University of Staffordshire UK. However, I am struggling to get funding. Please assist where you can.

21st October 2023 at 3:56 pm

I am master’s in special education from pakistan.i required fully funded uni of this field.

14th March 2024 at 8:01 am

I’m a Tunisian student who has been accepted into a PhD program at Newcastle University for 2024, specializing in Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as a master’s degree program at the University of East Anglia, focusing on Rural Development. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to secure funding for either program. Do you have any advice on what steps I can take or where I can apply for funding? Thank you in advance!

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How to Find PhD Scholarships and Grants

Financing your PhD studies can be challenging, but it's essential to your academic journey. Scholarships and grants can ease this burden, although finding and securing them may seem daunting. 

Navigating your financial prospects can present a challenge, but scholarships and grants are there as available resources. In this blog, we will explain the opportunities to fund your PhD. We’ll also provide practical advice to help you find the right funding options for your PhD. Our guidance aims to give you a strong foundation for success.

Finding Doctoral Scholarships and Grants

Finding funding for graduate studies can be stressful, but scholarships and grants are available if you know where to look. 

• University Funding: Universities often offer scholarships and research grants to PhD students. For instance, the SMU provides various funding options for doctoral students through the Moody School for Graduate and Advanced Studies.
• Professional Associations: Depending on your field of study, grants are often available from professional associations. Have a look at your specific discipline’s association website or reach out to them directly.
• Government and Non-Government Organizations: Both government and non-government organizations offer grants to encourage research in various fields. Explore resources like Grant.gov and The National Science Foundation.
• Industry Partners: Companies often work with universities to fund research in their industry, supporting specific projects or areas of study.
• International Scholarships: International students can find PhD scholarships in the USA, like Fulbright and DAAD .

Essential Scholarship Application Tips

• Start Early: Keep in mind that securing funding takes time, so don’t wait to start your search. The application deadline is often way before the program application deadline.
• Be Thorough and Organized: Keeping track of deadlines, application components and other details can be overwhelming. Create a system that helps you keep everything organized and in one place.
• Tailor Your Applications: Tailor each application to the specific sponsor to maximize its appeal. Remember to show why you’re a perfect fit for their funding.
• Leverage Your Network: Don't hesitate to use your academic network. Professors, colleagues, and alumni can be valuable resources for scholarship and grant opportunities.

Grants and Scholarships for PhD Students vs. Other Forms of Aid

Initially, most students think of scholarships as a lifeline for PhD funding , but it's surprisingly uncommon for students to fund their PhD with scholarships alone. Can you get a scholarship for a PhD? Absolutely. But scholarships for doctoral students can be quite competitive.

In reality, most PhD students utilize a variety of funding sources. PhD programs commonly offer doctoral assistantships and fellowships, which are typically more widely available. Some students even explore additional routes like postgraduate loans, employer support, crowdfunding, and research council grants.

Knowing the ins and outs of each type of funding can help you make a decision that best suits your academic and financial needs. 

Scholarships

Scholarships, financial awards you don't need to repay, often reward merit or specific factors like demographics or career aspirations.

• Doesn't require repayment
• No obligation to perform services

Potential drawbacks:

• High competition
• May need exceptional qualifications

Grants operate much like scholarships in that they do not need to be repaid. They are frequently awarded based on need, although some may also take into consideration academic merit or field of study.

Benefits: 

• Doesn’t require repayment
• Can offset a significant amount of educational expenses

Potential drawbacks: 

• Competition can be fierce
• May have to meet eligibility criteria or conditions

Assistantships & Fellowships

Assistantships and fellowships are also common ways to pay for a PhD.  Assistantships involve providing services to the university by undertaking teaching or research roles, usually in exchange for a stipend and tuition waiver. Fellowships, like scholarships, are merit-based and don't require repayment or work in return. Fellowships usually offer generous resources and are specific to the student's field of study.

• Provide hands-on experience in teaching or research (assistantship)
• Accompanied by generous funding and resources (fellowship)
• Fellowships often provide greater freedom for research compared to assistantships
• Time commitment can impact personal studies (mainly assistantships)
• High competition may require exceptional qualifications or research proposals

While fellowships, assistantships, grants and scholarships for PhD programs aim to reduce the financial burden, they’re understandably different in their commitments, benefits, and application process. 

Discover PhD Funding at SMU

Finding and securing the right funding for your PhD is crucial in shaping a stress-free and productive doctoral journey. Remember, scholarships and grants, while beneficial, are just pieces of a wider resource puzzle that may include assistantships or fellowships. 

These funding options are aimed to ease your financial commitments, so explore opportunities for each, align them with your academic goals, and pave your way towards a rewarding PhD experience .

For more helpful resources or information about SMU's Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, contact us — we're here to help you on your academic journey!

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• 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.

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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.

We will cover 100% of the costs for local language school classes or up to 50% of the costs of individual tuition.

We will not cover the cost of examinations or personal learning materials such as DVDs and books.

If you have to move to take up the post at your host organisation, you can ask for £1,000. You'll need to justify this.

You can ask for overheads if your grant will be based at a:

• university outside the UK or Republic of Ireland
• research organisation that does not receive core funding for overheads
• charitable or not-for-profit organisation
• small or medium-sized commercial organisation.

You can also ask for overheads on any part of your grant that is sub-contracted to any of the organisations listed above.

If you’re based at a UK university you can’t ask for overheads for sub-contracted activity if your university will include the sub-contracted funding in its annual report to the UK Charity Research Support Fund.

Overheads can include:

• estates, for example building and premises
• non-project dedicated administrative and support staff
• administration, for example finance, library, and room hire.

The total cost for overheads should not be more than:

• 20% of the direct research costs if you’re based in a low- or middle-income country
• 15% of the direct research costs if you’re based anywhere else.

These costs must directly support the activity funded by the grant.

How to apply for these costs

In your grant application you must:

• give a full breakdown of costs (you can't ask for a percentage of the research costs)
• explain why these costs are necessary for your research
• include a letter from the finance director of your host organisation, or the sub-contracted organisation, confirming that the breakdown is a true representation of the costs incurred.

We will add an inflation allowance to your award.

How we calculate your inflation allowance

Your inflation allowance is based on your total eligible costs and the duration of the award. You'll receive the allowance if the costs in your application are in pounds sterling, euros or US dollars.

These rates are calculated using compound inflation at 2.0% a year from Year 2 onwards.

If your costs are in any other currency, we will use an inflation allowance that reflects the inflation rate of the country where the host organisation is based.

What to include in your application

The costs in your application must be based on current known costs, excluding inflation.

You should allow for salary pay awards during Year 1. These should be based on pay awards already agreed; if you don’t know what the pay award is yet then use our inflation rate.

Wellcome's studentship stipend scales include an annual increase for inflation.

Costs you may ask for (you will have to justify these costs in your application):

• fieldwork costs, including survey and data collection and statistical analysis
• specialist publications that are relevant to the research and not available in institutional libraries
• more expensive items, unless you can justify them
• installation or training costs.
• consultancy fees
• expenses for subjects and volunteers – includes recruitment of participants, their participatory fees and travel, as well as interviewee expenses
• reasonable research-associated costs related to the feedback of health-related findings but not any healthcare-associated costs
• costs associated with developing an outputs management plan
• questionnaires, recruitment material, newsletters etc for clinical, epidemiological and qualitative research studies
• public engagement materials where dissemination (including printing and publishing) is a key activity of the project
• recruitment, advertising and interviewee travel costs for staff to be employed on the grant
• formal transferable skills and personal development training, including the International Funders Award
• purchase, hire and running costs of project-dedicated vehicles.

Costs we won’t pay:

• estates costs – such as building and premises costs, basic services and utilities. This also includes phone, postage, photocopying and stationery, unless you can justify these within a clinical or epidemiological study.*
• page charges and the cost of colour prints
• research, technical and administrative staff whose time is shared across several projects and isn’t supported by an audit record*
• charge-out costs for major facilities* – departmental technical and administrative services, and use of existing equipment
• cleaning, waste and other disposal costs*

*We will fund these costs in the case of animal-related research.

• indirect costs – this includes general administration costs such as personnel, finance, library, room hire and some departmental services
• office furniture, such as chairs, desks, filin cabinets, etc.
• clothing such as lab coats, shoes, protective clothing
• non-research related activities, eg catering, room and venue hire for staff parties, team-building events and social activities
• indemnity insurance (insurance cover against claims made by subjects or patients associated with a research programme)
• ethics reviews, unless you are in a low- or middle-income country
• radiation protection costs.

What we don’t offer

If you're a national of a high-income country outside the UK or Republic of Ireland, please be aware that we don't pay international fees. See the 'Eligibility and suitability' section on this page for more information.

How to apply

You must submit your application through the Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker (WTGT).

Stages of application

Before you apply.

It's important to check that your application is competitive. Read the advice in the ‘Eligibility and suitability’ section above carefully. Discuss your application with your research office and your intended supervisor(s) before you apply.   You don't need to contact us before you submit an application. Host organisations will only ask applicants to contact us in exceptional cases.

Get some  tips to help you write a Wellcome grant application .

Submit your application

Complete your application on Grant Tracker .

Make sure you leave enough time for your host organisation to approve your application before the deadline. The authorised organisational approver, usually based in the research office, will tell you how long this will take.

View the Sample full application form for Doctoral Studentships [PDF 260KB]

If your proposal involves clinical research using NHS resources, check if you need to upload a SoECAT form with your full application .

Host organisation approves your application

The authorised organisational approver must approve your application before the deadline.

The Medical Humanities Early Career Expert Review Group or the Social Science and Bioethics Early Career Awards Expert Review Group will review your application, depending on the area of your proposed research.

We give most candidates our decision by the end of May. All candidates will have been informed of our decision by the end of July.

Disabled applicants

If you are disabled or have a chronic health condition, we can support you with the application process .

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

What you need to know if you're a grant applicant or grantholder .

Your application must have been submitted by you and approved by your organisation by 17.00 (GMT/BST) on the deadline day. We don’t accept late applications.

Grants awarded

Find out about some of the people and projects we've funded for this scheme.

Apply for this grant

Log in to our online grants system (Grant Tracker). You can save your application and return to it any time.

Contact our information officers if you have a question about funding.

• Send a message

+44 (0)20 7611 5757

If you have a question about the research content or scope of your proposal, email [email protected] .

Useful documents

• Sample full application form for Doctoral Studentships [PDF 260KB]

Researcher stories

Read about the career journeys of some of our researchers.

Upul's story: a clever blend of chemistry, activism and anthropology

To get into social science research, where his real interest lay, Upul had to do three Master's, find a supportive mentor and gain experience in different disciplines.

Develop your research career

See our other postgraduate training schemes.

Explore all career stages

British Council

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• Our work in education
• Higher education and science
• How we work
• Student mobility
• Newton Fund

Newton PhD Programme

We offer PhD scholarships and placements under the Newton PhD Programme.

PhD scholarships

These provide funding for individual partner country students to undertake full PhD studies in the UK, or vice versa.

PhD placements

These provide funding for individual partner country PhD students to spend a period of their study (up to one year) in the UK, or vice versa.

How to apply

You can find all opportunities on our  Funding and other opportunities page . 

Support for applicants from outside the UK

Universities UK International (UUKI) supports applicants from outside the UK who plan to come to the UK on a PhD grant. This support includes:

• helping candidates identify potential PhD programmes and/or supervisors in their field of study at UK universities 
• facilitating contact between applicants, academics and university admissions staff
• acting as a general point of assistance for PhD candidates/scholars during the application process.

For more information, please visit the UUKI website .

British Council Worldwide

• Afghanistan
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Czech Republic
• Hong Kong, SAR of China
• Korea, Republic of
• Myanmar (Burma)
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• Northern Ireland
• Occupied Palestinian Territories
• Philippines
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• South Sudan
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United States of America

How to Find Charity Funding

Final thoughts, charities that offer postgraduate funding.

Updated January 15, 2024

Anyone considering a postgraduate course will need to ensure that they can secure adequate funding – for academic fees and research, and to support themselves during their period of study.

There are many options for postgraduate funding. This article specifically looks at charities as a source of alternative or additional funding.

Charities do not necessarily advertise these opportunities, so time spent researching what is available and making suitable applications can be well worth the effort.

You should be aware that charities offering funding usually have specific terms and conditions attached, so think carefully about what the application is for and how you would allocate the money.

As you might imagine, searching for relevant charities that offer applicable funding is not the easiest or quickest thing to do. We can help. Here are some good ways to find charity funding that is suitable for you:

Start by visiting your university library or careers service and look for the following books:

Divided into information by country, the Grants Register details over a thousand awarding bodies from which you can make a list of relevant contacts to begin your search. It is not available online.

You can also search the Charities Digest or the online Charity Register to find a comprehensive list of charities relevant to your sector. With over 160,000 charities listed, you will need to narrow the choice down before you start making applications.

Other publications include the Directory of Grant-Making Trusts and the Educational Grants Directory .

Alongside your library research, look at other online services that distil information about charity grants for postgraduate funding, including:

Turn2Us , which has a searchable list of available charitable grants;

The Alternative Guide Online is the online version of The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding and is run by two previous PhD students. They have a database listing over 1,000 funding opportunities. Your university may be signed up to allow you to access this for free.

Using these resources, you should be able to narrow down a list of charitable bodies whose eligibility criteria aligns with your academic, societal or economic background.

Do not forget to consider what seems like esoteric differentiators – there are charitable bodies that offer funding with criteria based on languages, family background, the county in which you live and even eating habits.

How to Apply for Charity Funding

Part of the key to securing charity funding is to consider multiple funding options and not assume you need to secure all of your funding from one place. It is normal to have several smaller sources, so keep persevering even if you feel like you are not succeeding.

Previous postgraduate students have indicated that applying for local funding and awards – relevant to the area of study – helped to give their funding application credibility when applying to larger charities or funding bodies.

The time you allocate to achieving your funding goals will make a big difference. Not only do most opportunities have strict deadlines, but you will also need to factor in plenty of time for research and crafting your applications.

While you may have a broad outline for your applications, each new request will need to be unique. Remember to politely enquire as to why you were turned down – if your application is rejected – and use this information to tailor your next attempt.

Below are some tips for making your charity funding application.

Make Sure You Know What Is on Offer

When you are ready to make your application, ensure you know exactly what's offered and what requirements are set out by the funding body – and ensure you meet them.

Triple-check the maximum amount that is on offer to ensure you are not asking for more than can be awarded. Check also whether the funding is designed to be supplementary and, if so, ensure these other sources have already been secured.

Consider the aims of the charitable body and how those align with your proposal. 

When persuading a charity to award you the funding you need, it is key that there is a clear match between your request and what the charitable body has been set up to achieve.

Sell Your Proposal

Before crafting your proposal, do your research to ensure you cover all the points that the charity requires.

Approach your proposal like a business plan. Be specific about what you’ll use the money for and what the funding body can expect in return (if required). Think about why they should award the funds to you and your study/research rather than the next applicant.

Make sure that you secure references in support of your application. These could be from your tutor or other academic staff.

10 Charities That Offer Postgraduate Funding

Trust funding.

Philanthropists often leave bequests when they die, which are then held in a trust to be awarded for postgraduate study and research.

The most well known are:

1. Sir Richard Stapley Education Trust

Offers annual funding of up to £1,500 across all subjects for UK-based postgraduate study.

2. The Leverhulme Trust

Offers 13 schemes across a variety of requirements, mostly research-centric, and distributes around £100m per year. Some are annual, others triennial.

3. The Wellcome Trust

Operates globally with an endowment of over £20bn. The main focus of The Wellcome Trust is biomedical science and health-related topics.

4. The Nuffield Foundation

Set up to fund research that will improve social policy in the areas of education, justice and welfare, this foundation is mainly aimed at research outside of education. That said, it is worth considering as secondary funding if another grant has covered your fees and living expenses.

5. The Humanitarian Trust

Awards one-off grants of a maximum of £1,000, where students need a top-up to reach the required amount to finish their course of study.

There are also many more local trusts that can offer small grants to help with studies, usually available to specific locations or circumstances.

Industry-Specific Funding

These are charities that operate in very specific industries, so it is worth seeing if anything is available within your own industry. We've given a couple of example charities below.

6. The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers

Supports careers in the British furniture-making industry, including some grants.

7. The Bibliographical Society

Supports research into subjects relating to bibliography, including book illustration and bookbinding.

Person-Specific Funding

These charities operate to assist certain categories of people, ranging from the broad to the esoteric. This is an illustrative list rather than an exhaustive one.

8. Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust

If you are the child (or spouse, widow or widower) of a travelling sales representative, pharmacist or grocer, you can make an application to this charity for a bursary towards postgraduate study of up to £5,000 a year.

9. The Vegetarian Charity

If you’re under 26 and a vegetarian, this charity offers small grants.

10. Funds for Women Graduates

Supporting women pursuing postgraduate study, the FfWG provides a limited number of grants annually to help with living costs.

Working out how to acquire funding for postgraduate study can seem an enormous mountain to climb. With a decent amount of time set aside and an action plan in place, most postgraduate students find that there is funding on offer if you are patient and persevere.

While there are some grants and bursaries on offer that cover the entirety of your postgraduate costs, most students find they need to rely on multiple applications.

Approaching your funding as a portfolio of several smaller funding sources for different financial requirements (e.g. course fees, research expenses, travel expenses, etc.) is likely to lead to greater success.

Securing the first part of the puzzle can often be the hardest, as a lot of applications rely on you having already secured one or more income streams. Once that first piece is in place, though, you can then use that in subsequent applications.

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

Or explore the Postgraduate / Further Study sections.

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

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Funding sources for PhD studies in Europe

PhD positions in European countries are funded through a diverse range of sources. Understanding the different funding sources for PhD studies in Europe is pivotal: With this knowledge, prospective PhD students can turn their abstract ambition to pursue a degree in Europe into a concrete strategy.

Doing a PhD in Europe

Phd funding in europe through university budgets, phd funding in europe through external project grants, phd funding in europe through individual grants from governments & research councils, phd funding in europe through individual scholarships from foundations, phd funding through governmental scholarships from countries of origin, part-time phd funding in europe through non-academic employers.

A brief disclaimer to begin with: There is a huge variety between European countries. Therefore, when embarking on a PhD journey, it is always necessary to check out country-specific arrangements! That said, there are some general differences, for instance, doing a PhD in North America.

For starters, to qualify for PhD studies in most European countries, a master’s degree is required. Furthermore, in many European countries, PhD students are treated as employees. This means that they are formally employed, receive a salary and make pension contributions.

The money that is used to pay for PhD positions can come from a variety of sources. However, prospective students are often not aware of the wide range of possibilities to fund their PhD studies.

Knowing about different funding sources for PhD studies is crucial because often prospective candidates play an active role in securing PhD funding!

The most straightforward funding arrangement is PhD funding via university budgets. This essentially means that a university has money available to invest in PhD students.

The types of PhD positions that stem from university budgets tend to ask for an individual research proposal within the framework of a specific theme. This proposal becomes an important part of the application process, in which a professor selects one or more PhD students to work with.

Prospective PhD students cannot influence this funding source. Often, they simply have to apply to an open position advertised on a university website or a job portal.

Examples of academic job portals:

• Academic Positions
• HigherEDJobs

Many universities rely on external funding to create PhD positions. This external funding often comes in the form of research grants for specific research projects. Common sources of funding are the European Commission and national scientific research councils.

The PhD positions that are created within externally funded research projects are often clearly defined. The PhD student works as part of a larger project team and completes a set of concrete tasks.

During the application process, applicants often have to showcase how they fit into the specific project. Furthermore, they have to make suggestions of how they would approach and execute certain tasks to meet the project’s goals.

Prospective PhD students can rarely influence this funding source. Exceptions exist when they already worked with a Principal Investigator, for instance during a master’s degree. Then they could support the project proposal and grant writing process, in the hope that the project receives funding and creates a position for them.

Example sources for external project grants:

• Horizon Europe
• European Research Council Grants
• French National Research Agency ANR
• German Research Foundation DFG

National scientific research councils play a dominant role in the European academic landscape. Next to providing funding for large-scale (international) research projects, many of them also offer specific individual grants for PhD studies.

The PhD positions that are created from individual grants by scientific research councils often require unique, individual PhD research projects. These projects offer room for creativity but require a high degree of independence.

Individual grants and scholarships are very competitive. Applications often involve multiple stages, including pre-proposals, proposals, and interviews. In some cases, prospective PhD students can only apply for these grants if they already have a potential supervisor and the backing of an eligible university.

Prospective PhD students have a high degree of influence when it comes to this source of funding. They have to proactively approach potential supervisors and universities well in advance of the application deadline, and develop a competitive research idea.

Example sources for individual research grants:

• Economic and Social Research Council ESRC
• National Science Centre Poland
• Dutch Scientific Research Council
• Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
• Stipendium Hungaricum by the Hungarian Government

There are many foundations that either support or fully fund PhD studies in Europe. These foundations are often connected to political parties, religious institutions, specific industries, companies or non-profit organisations.

The PhD studies that receive funding from foundations are diverse but tend to have a concrete link to the funding body. This link can be thematic or ideological. For instance, the foundation of a country’s Green Party is likely more inclined to fund a research project addressing climate change instead of one on fossil fuel excavation.

Furthermore, the profile of the prospective candidate is extremely important in these scholarship applications. Some foundations also target prospective PhD students from specific countries or backgrounds.

Prospective PhD students have a high degree of influence when it comes to this source of funding. They tend to be in charge of the whole application process.

Examples of PhD funding through foundations:

• Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants for Development
• The Green Political Foundation
• The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF)
• German Academic Exchange Service DAAD
• Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund

Several non-EU countries provide PhD scholarships for their nationals to pursue a PhD full-time and are fully funded in Europe. Thus, as an international student, these government schemes are interesting to explore.

The application process for these governmental scholarship schemes is hard to generalise. However, a common denominator is that prospective PhD students seem to have a high degree of influence when it comes to this source of funding.

Applicants usually have to undergo two application processes: One to receive the scholarship, and another one to secure a position at a European university.

Sometimes, the scholarship is attached to certain requirements after the completion of a PhD. For instance, to return to the country of origin and work in the national academic system for several years.

Examples of countries providing scholarships to conduct PhD studies in the EU are China, Turkey and Indonesia.

If there is a connection between a PhD topic and a non-academic job, some employers enter a formal arrangement that covers PhD fees. Furthermore, they allow the PhD student to do PhD-related work during some of their ‘regular’ working hours.

Prospective PhD students are very much in charge when it comes to this source of funding. Entering an arrangement between a non-academic employer and an academic institution requires a lot of coordination. All parties have to agree in advance.

While this is not the most common PhD funding arrangement, the construction of a part-time PhD can have many advantages. For example the increased cooperation and knowledge transfer between academia and non-academic research and practice.

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Establishing an all-round academic profile

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• Postgraduate research
• Doctoral loan

University funded

Sources of funding, uk research councils.

The most substantial forms of external postgraduate research funding for UK/EU applicants are Doctoral Training Partnerships offered by UK Research Councils. These are:

• 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)

Each year, these Research Councils invest around £2.8 billion in research and this includes a number of postgraduate studentships. The majority of awards are for postgraduate researchers, though there are some awards for taught postgraduates. Research Council awards are advertised directly by the University . International students should note that the UK Research Councils do not normally provide funding for students from outside the European Economic Area.

Loans, bursaries and discounts 

You may also wish to consider the range of loans, bursaries, and other funding opportunities available to research students.

Discount schemes

• Centenary Alumni Discount (20% discount on postgraduate course fees for alumni)
• Family Loyalty Discount (10% discount on postgraduate course fees for family of international students and alumni)
• Postgraduate loans (available for MA, MSc, LLM, MBA, MRes, MEM, and MPhil degrees)
• Doctoral loan (available for PhDs and other doctoral studies)
• Sir Thomas White Loan Charity
• Disabled Students' Allowances  

Grants and scholarships

• Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future fellowships (available for women taking courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)
• Saïd Foundation Scholarship Programme (available for Syrian, Lebanese, Jordanian or Palestinian MA or PhD students who are resident in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine or Israel)
• Cumberland Lodge Scholarships  provide access to mentoring, networking and funded residential programmes for doctoral students.

Sponsorship

Many of our postgraduates fund their studies through sponsorship by their employer. Employers are increasingly aware of the value that those with a postgraduate qualification can bring to their organisation, and the full range of benefits that can come from recruiting postgraduates has been highlighted in a number of recent reports. Employers may be particularly keen to sponsor programmes with a clear vocational relevance or where the programme can be taken part-time or by distance learning - allowing you to combine your studies with your career and apply your learning to your work.

Many of our international students also receive sponsorship - usually from their home governments or employers. Potential applicants from outside the European Union are encouraged to research sponsorship opportunities in their home countries that are available to fund postgraduate study in the UK.

Some studentships - such as those funded by the UK Research Councils - are open only to applicants from the United Kingdom or European Union.

• Graduate Teaching Assistants and University of Leicester studentships

Further funding opportunities

In addition to the organisations above, other bodies sometimes provide funding opportunities. These include:

• British Academy
• British Federation of Women Graduates
• Fulbright Commission
• Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust

There are various places to look for more sources of funding. The Directory of Social Change run an online directory including details of nearly 8,000 funders providing combined funding of over £8 billion a year.

You might also look in The Grants Register , an annual publication, containing details of over 4,000 awards from funders in 80 different countries. Reference copies of The Grants Register are available from most larger public libraries and British Council libraries.

Information about funding can also be found at FindAPhD , who run an annual scholarship competition , as well as on jobs.ac.uk , studentfunder , and Prospects .

If you're an international student, it may be worth contacting the British Council .

Alternatively, why not combine your postgraduate course with your career and earn while you learn? Many of our Research Degrees are available part time, subject to eligibility, and we have a number of  distance learning degrees  where you can study part time from where you live in the world.