UK PhD scholarships explained

Studying in the UK for a PhD is not just a personal and academic commitment, but also a significant financial one. Trying to navigate different types of scholarships by yourself can be a bit challenging, so here is a breakdown of the main categories of scholarship available to international students:

1.  Research council funding

Perhaps the most common and easy to explain type of funding is that which is given by a governmental body: for example, ERC, UKRI, or AHRC (depending on if you are in Sciences or Humanities). These scholarships are highly competitive but they offer full tuition and maintenance stipend, as well as specific networking opportunities which are connected to that funding body. As they are organised by the government, they are also consistent and standardised in the amount of money they provide.

2.  University level funding

This type of funding can include general university scholarships, as well as some specialised external bodies which provide funding tied to a specific university (for example, the Gates Scholarship at Cambridge or Ertegun House at Oxford). Some of these require separate applications at the time of applying for the program, while others you are automatically considered for if you are eligible and apply by the main application deadline. It is worth checking in advance which are applicable to you and if you need to provide any additional documentation, so that you are not left rushing at the last minute.

3.  Departmental funding

This specialised type of funding is the least common and often quite rare. Sometimes departments will be able to fund a couple of students either through their main funds or through a bequest left by an alumnus (often for a specific specialism). Often you are considered for these with your main application (as the department will be reviewing your application anyway), so making sure your application is the strongest it can be will increase your chances of obtaining one of these desirable scholarships.