Important Information and Recommendations
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Please note: you will only be able to apply for a scholarship after you have submitted an application for a PhD programme at least 5 working days before the scholarship deadline. You must also submit a separate scholarship application for each award you wish to be considered for. Please follow the application guidance on each individual scholarship webpage.
Eligibility
Eligibility for funding will be decided on a range of criteria and we encourage you to apply for those awards where you fit the criteria noted. Note that some scholarships may be tied to specific degrees or research areas, or restricted to applicants from specific countries or regions. Please do not apply for these awards if you do not fit the specific criteria.
Inevitably, there are many more applicants than scholarships, so they are awarded on a highly competitive basis. For guidance, in the 2024/25 scholarship cycle almost 700 applications were submitted for 10 awards. Application numbers per scholarship can be found on the individual scholarship webpages. Full details on application and outcome figures can be found in the 2024/25 Scholarships Overview Report.
Assess whether you are likely to be short-listed.
Applying and proof of evidence
Importantly, you should provide evidence of:
- a high level of academically relevant achievement
- a strong research proposal and supervisory fit
- a tailored personal statement, where one is requested
*Ensure that you supply all required documents as noted on the individual scholarship webpages in order for your PhD programme and scholarship applications to be considered. Please see the guidance on uploading supporting documents to your PhD programme application (which are also included in the scholarship assessment). Supporting documents include research proposal, academic transcripts, references etc. The scholarship application system requests your Personal Statement.
We recommend you submit applications for those scholarships for which you are eligible and where you fit the criteria, so applying for multiple scholarships is acceptable. This includes applicants to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) scholarships – you should also apply for other relevant advertised scholarships.
Research Proposals should be no more than 3 to 4 A4 pages (not including references) in 12pt Times Roman font. Detailed guidance can be found on the University's Postgraduate Study pages.
Updated or additional documents or information for your PhD programme application cannot be accepted after your application has been sent for academic assessment.
Updated or additional documents or information for your scholarship application cannot be accepted after you have submitted your scholarship application.
Late applications cannot be accepted.
You must enter a separate scholarship application for each award you wish to be considered for.
If you are applying for more than one PhD programme, you must also submit separate scholarship applications for each programme.
Please ensure you check each scholarship deadline as they may differ.
Interviews may form part of the scholarship process and will be advised on individual scholarship pages.
Note that if you are awarded more than one scholarship, the Terms & Conditions of those scholarships will determine if you must rescind one offer or if you can retain both awards.
Important: Contacting Supervisors and Postgraduate Advisors (Admissions & Scholarships)
Before submitting applications for the PhD programme and for scholarships, you must identify and contact potential supervisors by name or research interest on the basis of their supervisory fit and expertise with your proposed research. Please advise you wish to study with them and that you are applying for scholarships. Securing agreement in principle of their supervision is required for scholarship applications and your proactiveness strengthens your submission.
Note that the PhD programme you apply for must be from the same subject area as your potential Principal Supervisor. You can find their subject area at the bottom of their profile page in the 'Works within' section. eg Politics and International Relations, Social Anthropology, Sociology etc.
Once you have identified academic staff who are willing to supervise your project, they should be able to provide feedback on your draft research proposal. If you have further specific queries about the scholarship application, please contact the Postgraduate Advisor (Admissions & Scholarships) for your Subject Area. You should advise which scholarships you intend to apply for and send your draft research proposal. The Postgraduate Advisor (PGA) will then contact you with guidance at their soonest opportunity.
Note that you must not rely on receiving information from the PGA before submitting your application. If you have not had a response before the deadline, you are responsible for submitting your application before the scholarship application system closes. Late applications cannot be accepted.
Frequently asked questions - applying for scholarships in the MyEd portal