phd stipends uk

Studentships and doctoral training

Get a studentship to fund your doctorate.

UKRI studentships offer funding for doctoral research. They also offer you access to training, networking and development opportunities to help you build a research and innovation career.

Our expectations for research organisations, supervisors and students are set out in the statement of expectations for doctoral training .

You could get:

• a minimum stipend of £19,237 per year for your living costs, which is paid to you in regular instalments
• support for your tuition fees (minimum £4,786 per year)

The stipend is usually non-taxable and does not need to be paid back. Some research organisations may offer more if you study in London, or they or one of their collaborators might decide to top up the payment. This will be outlined in the studentship advert from the research organisation.

We normally pay the support for tuition fees directly to your research organisation.

The levels given here are for the academic year 2024 to 2025. UKRI’s approach to doctoral stipend and fee levels will be reviewed through the  new deal for postgraduate research .

Additional support for your doctoral studies

As a UKRI-funded doctoral student, you may be able to access additional funding to cover the cost of other related training and development opportunities.

This could include:

• conference attendance
• language training
• overseas research visits
• internships or placements with a non-academic partner

The availability of support will depend on the research organisation and the training grants they have on offer. You should contact the research organisation you are interested in applying to, to find out what you could get.

Extra support if you have a disability

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship.

You should speak to your research organisation’s disability advisor to assess your needs. They can help put the right support in place, including a DSA application if necessary. You cannot claim DSA directly from UKRI.

DSA helps to cover the cost of any additional support that a person studying for a doctorate might need as a result of a disability, mental health problem or specific learning difficulty.

The allowance covers:

• non-medical personal assistance
• specialist equipment
• extra travel costs
• general expenses

Find out more about DSA in our framework .

If you are a research organisation you can download claim forms and guidance for DSA .

Who can apply

Any prospective doctoral student wishing to study at a UK research organisation, including prospective international students, can apply for a UKRI studentship.

All UKRI-funded doctoral students will be eligible for the full award, both the stipend to support living costs, and home-level fees at the UK research organisation rate.

How to find opportunities

Many UK research organisations offer some form of studentship funding from UKRI. These opportunities will depend on the subject you want to study and will normally be advertised by the research organisations.

Research organisations may have additional opportunities that do not involve UKRI. UKRI supports around 20% of all UK-based postgraduate researchers. You should speak to the research organisation you are interested in to find out what studentships are available.

You could also consider using a specialist website like   FindaPhD  to look for opportunities.

When to apply

Research organisations set their own deadlines for applications.

Many open for applications early in the academic year and close in January or February. This is not a hard and fast rule. It is important that you check the deadlines for the research organisation where you want to study.

How to apply

You cannot apply to UKRI for a studentship. You must contact the research organisation you are interested in studying with and use their application process.

For doctoral students who are already studying with a studentship, there are opportunities to get additional funding to support placements that are separate from your doctorate.  Find training and development opportunities .

Last updated: 14 February 2024

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

• PhD Salary in UK – Explained
• Funding a PhD

What Are PhD Salaries?

The average cost of undertaking a PhD in the UK is approximately £20,000 per academic year for UK students and £40,000 for international students. To help offset the cost of this, many students question whether undertaking a doctorate comes with a PhD salary.

The salary of a PhD student is governed by three factors: whether they’re assisting in undergraduate teaching, assisting in research, or have secured a PhD with a stipend. Depending on which of the three categories a student falls within, they will receive an income during their studies, however, the amount will differ by a substantial amount.

To help show you how you can fund your postgraduate degree and how much you can expect to earn whilst doing so, carry on reading below.

Types of PhD Salaries

There are three types of PhD degree salaries:

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) . In exchange for a salary, you’ll be required to assist in the delivery of one or more courses over a number of years. This includes, but is not limited to, marking student tutorials, supervising lab experiments and providing support to undergraduates during office hours. Besides this, you may have to teach a small section of the course itself. You can discover more about GTAs on King’s College London’s website.
• Research Assistantships (RAs) . In exchange for a salary, you assist a departmental professor with their research. In the ideal scenario, the professor you work with should also be your PhD supervisor and the research you’re asked to support with relates to your own doctoral project.
• Stipend via Studentship: A stipend is a non-repayable grant provided to doctoral students to help support their studies. A studentship covers a student’s tuition fees whilst a stipend covers a PhD student’s living costs. This includes outgoings such as rent, food, bills and basic travel. Unlike Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantships, stipends rarely have duties attached to them. The only expectation of receiving a stipend will be that you maintain continuous progress within your degree.

It’s worth noting these earning opportunities can be also be combined. For example, it’s possible to be a research assistant whilst also committing time to teach undergraduate students.

Average PhD Salary in UK

The average PhD student salary for teaching assistantships will vary depending on the level of responsibility you’re taking. However, to provide figures, past doctoral students have reported receiving approx. £10/hr for marking tutorials, £15/hr for leading laboratory sessions and up to £20/hr for leading undergraduate classes and tutorials.

The actual amount you can earn from teaching assistance will depend on the rate your department offers and the hours you can realistically take on. If you’re on a Graduate Teaching Assistantship programme, they will require you to dedicate a set number of hours per week. If you’re not on a GTA but would still like to earn an income through this scheme, you will likely need to commit several hours per week consistently. Although this can be a great way to earn whilst you study, you need to make sure you manage your time effectively as to not become overwhelmed by taking on an additional commitment.

The average salary for research assistantships will vary depending on the field of the doctoral degree you are enrolled in. Usually, these positions pay between £25,000 to £30,000 per year, however, it’s possible to come across positions which sit slightly outside of this. As a general rule of thumb, STEM assistors are paid more than non-STEM assistors.

In the UK, PhD students can receive a stipend which varies between £15,000 and £18,000 per annum. As part of the studentship your stipend is provided under, your tuition fees will also be paid for. UK tuition fees will vary between universities but are approximately £4,500 per year for doctoral courses starting in 2021/22 as per the UKRI recommendations .

Although £15,000 to £18,000 per year is the typical range for a stipend, some can be far greater than this. For example, Wellcome Trust , a research-charity based in London, offers an annual stipend of up to £23,300 and £26,000 for doctoral students located outside and within London, respectively.

Are PhD Salaries Taxed?

PhD stipends are tax free. Therefore, you don’t need to pay any income tax nor do you need to make any national insurance contributions. This means you’ll keep all the money you receive from an annual stipend. However, this is not the case for Research Assistants.

In the UK, Research Assistants are employed as university staff members and are paid a direct salary as opposed to a stipend. As a result, it will require you to pay tax on your earnings and make national insurance contributions.

To put this into perspective, for the 2019/20 UK tax year, you’re required to pay a 20% tax on any income above £12,500 but less than £50,000. You’re also required to make national insurance contributions of 12% of your weekly earnings over £166 but less than £962. This means that an annual Research Assistantship salary of £30,000 will equate to a take-home salary of £23,938 per year.

How to Get a PhD Stipend

To find research positions which offer stipends, we recommend you search our PhD database and filter by ‘funded’ positions.

Besides this, you can also secure a studentship from UK Research Councils or directly from your university as a scholarship. Independent organisations, such as charities and research trusts, and innovative firms within your industry also offer funding. You can read our PhD studentship guide to see how these work or our Where to find a PhD guide for further ideas.

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

How to Get a Research Assistantship PhD

Unfortunately, research assistantships opportunities aren’t as common to come across compared to PhD stipends. Besides this, when they are available, they’re predominantly in STEM subjects such as computer science and engineering. The reason for this is these subjects usually have access to greater research grants and have a greater volume of practical work available.

To find a research assistantship, we recommend that you contact the university departments who host the courses you’re interested in directly. This is because research assistantships help professors with their research, and while they may require help, they may not be openly advertising for it. They may, therefore, be able to create a role for you within their department or put you into contact with one of their colleagues who already has an open position.

International Students

It’s worth noting that international students will have a harder time securing a funded PhD position than UK ‘home’ students will. This is largely because there are usually fewer funding opportunities available to international students, which as a result also attract significant competition.

Besides this, if you’re an international student studying in the UK you will most likely than not be on a Tier 4 visa. Although a Tier 4 visa will allow you to work to earn an additional income alongside any studentship you may have, there will be certain restrictions on what you can and can’t do. For example, during term-time, you won’t be allowed to work more than 20 hours per week. For a full list of restrictions, please refer to the government website.

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The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

PhD Salary UK: How Much Do PhD Students Get Paid Compared to Graduates?

Considering whether to stay in university as a PhD student or to leave and get a job? If so, you may be wondering “How much do PhD student get paid?” and “How does a UK PhD salary compare to a graduate salary?” .

In this post I delve into the details and reveal that the difference in take home pay between a UK PhD stipend and a grad position can actually be much lower than it first appears!

If you’re looking to know how much a PhD could boost your career and salary after finishing your doctoral degree I’d suggest checking out my post: Is a PhD Worth It ?

I also have a complementary post covering my monthly expenses as a PhD student. You may also wish to check out my guide to the application process , PhD FAQs and article on how I got a PhD scholarship .

February 2024 : This post has been updated to include figures for the 2023/24 academic year.

Do PhD students get paid in the UK? If so, how much do PhD students get paid?

Before we delve into the details let’s first cover whether PhD students get paid in the UK. Generally, yes, most PhD students get what is called a PhD stipend to support themselves during their PhD. Importantly, a PhD stipend (in the UK at least) is tax free .

It is worth noting though that not all PhD projects automatically include funding. Funding may also not be applicable for every applicant. For example sometimes it may only be available to home students i.e. those from the UK.

Therefore some students may resort to self funding their PhD. In STEM subjects self funding a PhD is pretty rare and often only happens because of limitations in funding eligibility. I’ve personally worked with a mix of funded and self-funded (often by parents) PhD students, though most are certainly funded by grants and scholarships.

If your project doesn’t already include funding, for most people I strongly advise trying to find funding rather than considering self funding. For more information on this check out my post on PhD Funding in the UK.

2023/24 UK PhD Salary

• PhD salary outside of London: In 2023/24 most new PhD students in the UK will receive a PhD stipend worth at least £18,622 per year .
• PhD salary in London : In 2023/24 most new PhD students in London will receive an increased stipend to account for cost of living , which is typically around £20,622 per year .

Notice that the PhD stipend for outside of London is at least £18,622 per year. I’ve seen several advertised at the London rate. There are also some available at an even higher rate. For example I know of CDTs in Bristol paying more like £24,000 tax-free.

Your PhD stipend will usually provide funding for 3.5 years, although it can occasionally be for 3 or 4 years.

These values are for most PhD studentships including those awarded by all UK research councils following the UKRI guidelines .

Certain scholarship schemes pay upwards of £25,000 per year, such as the £25,150 (2024/25 rate) President’s PhD Scholarships at Imperial. For details on how to get such a scholarship, check out this article where I go over how I got awarded my own PhD scholarship.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN)  runs all across the EU. As well as nice training and exchange opportunities it pays a staggering stipend of approx £40,000 – £45,000 . The grant level is reviewed each year and increases if you have family dependents. I personally wish I’d known about it earlier and highly recommend anyone interested puts a reminder in their diary for when the next call opens!

Is a UK PhD stipend taxable?

Here is what PhD stipends look like compared to some fairly typical starting grad salaries in the UK:

At first glance a PhD stipend doesn’t stack up well against the higher wages of a graduate salary which can sometimes be twice this amount or more. But crucially PhD stipends for students are tax free !

There are a few other financial perks that come with being a student so I was intrigued to find out how the two salaries really compared. The results may surprise you!

Below is a high level overview and I’ll delve into each of the numbers in depth later in the post.

Grad salary vs PhD salary starting numbers

As mentioned earlier, in 2023/24 a typical PhD stipend outside of London is at least £18,622 . Within London this will typically increase slightly to account for cost of living to around £20,622 . These rates rise every year for new students, but do not rise for each year of the PhD. So for new students considering starting in 2024/25 a UK PhD salary will likely be around £19,100 outside of London. 

For the sake of simplifying the comparison I averaged the 2023/24 PhD stipend to £19,622 for all PhD students studying in the UK.

A fairly typical grad salary, for someone qualified enough to be considering a science PhD, is around £30,000 . Of course this is an average salary so needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. As the number can vary dramatically it may be considered too low by some, but I think it’s a good benchmark accounting for different regions of the UK.

I’ve included higher and lower graduate salaries too in the summary charts for this post.

Salary Gap: £10,378

On the face of it the PhD student would be earning £10,378 less per year: around 35% lower! This is enough of a difference to put off a lot of potential PhD candidates who’ve likely spent the last few years building up student loans.

But unlike normal wages, PhD stipends are tax free so maybe things aren’t as bleak for PhD students as it seems? Let’s explore how they really compare.

Income Tax & National Insurance Contributions

The 2023/24 Personal Income Allowance is £12,570. This means that you can earn up to this amount and not pay any income tax. Earnings from £12,571 up to £50,270 fall into the basic rate bracket of 20% tax.

PhD Student Salary: PhD stipends are tax free and incur no income tax or national insurance contributions. Remaining stipend: £19,622

Professional Salary: On £30,000 you’d pay £ 3486 in income tax and NI contributions of £2004 . Remaining wage:  £24,510

Salary Gap: £4888 Income tax and national insurance contributions have immediately almost halved the difference in take-home pay from £10,378 down to £4888!

Student Loan Repayment

PhD Student Salary: Even with a PhD stipend you are officially an unwaged student so you won’t make student loan repayments as a PhD student. Remaining stipend: £19,622 [see footnote 1]

Professional Salary: The amount you may have to pay for student loan repayments depends upon when you started your undergraduate course. If you started your undergraduate course since 2012 you pay student loan repayments on earnings above £27,295. Meaning on a salary of £30,000 you’d pay £243 a year on student loan repayments. If you began your undergraduate course before 2012, repayments start on salaries above £22,015 and would be £541 a year . Most of you likely completed your undergrad degree recently so we’ll go with the more recent, lower, repayments. Remaining wage:  £24,267

Salary Gap: £4645

Council Tax

PhD Student Salary: Another cost that students are exempt from is council tax. Though be careful if you share a house with non-students since council tax must then be paid on the property. [2] Remaining stipend:  £19,622

Professional Salary: Council tax varies greatly between council boroughs, and depends on the property you live in. For example in Cardiff I lived in a one bed flat and the annual council tax was £1050 per year. During my PhD in London council tax for a lovely three bed house  in Clapham it was £1000! Now that I live in Bristol it is over £2000 per year for a three bed house. I’ll go to the liberty of saying on average it would be £1150 per year and would be divided between two people: -£575 each. Total: £23,692

Salary Gap: £4070

Private Pension Contributions

PhD Student Salary: Although universities pay a PhD stipend to students, you are not a member of staff and hence do not make private pension contributions. Remaining stipend:  £19,622

Professional Salary: Legislation has been phasing in making contribution to private pensions mandatory. The upside is that employers match your contribution up to varying percentages: sometimes up to about 10% of your salary. Additionally there are tax benefits to contributing so overall you could see it as boosting your salary looking at the longer term view. [3]

I believe there are troubling times ahead for 20-somethings and personally am not relying on a state pension existing by the time we all reach retirement age. Therefore I wholeheartedly recommend making a decently sized contribution at least up to the same amount that your employer matches. For the purposes of this comparison I won’t deduct anything for private pension since it’s not really being deducted so I’ll call this one a draw.  Total: £23,692

Student Discount

Ah the obvious one! Student discount may have been the first thing you thought of when you saw this article, but I’m not going to include it in this analysis.

A student card does allow a significant amount to be saved, not only on luxuries such as entry to attractions and deals in shops but also travel. For example in London, an 18+ student oystercard gets you 30% off travelcards. For a monthly zones 1-3 ticket this would save about £50 a month: over £600 a year!

The reason I’ve not included it? How much you use student discount depends on your circumstances and lifestyle and I wanted to keep the analysis widely applicable. Also, there are ways around needing to pay for travel at all: I started cycling to university every day in London .

Curveball: the £12,570 Tax-Free Personal Income Allowance

So far the recent grad is still earning an additional £4842 per year: almost a third more than the PhD student. Owing to the fact that PhD students are exempt from income tax, national insurance contributions, council tax and student loan repayments the gap in earnings has shrunk considerably.

One last calculation I wanted to try was to consider the scenario of a student earning some additional money on the side. It is a common thing to make extra money with teaching assistant, tutoring and consultancy opportunities. In fact I think every PhD student I know does at least a little. There are of course non-academic routes to make additional money too.

I have written a post about some of the ways that I make extra money , many of which are in fact available to non-students. Do be careful to check that this is acceptable at your institution. My favourite way to make extra money is matched betting which is tax-free for everybody. You can find my complete guide to matched betting here .

Tax-free side-hustle

Currently you can earn £12,570 tax free in the UK . Given that the PhD stipend itself is tax free, unlike an equivalent worker you wouldn’t pay any tax on extra earnings up to this threshold. This might sound insignificant but it’s not.

Admittedly, unless you’re very entrepreneurial, it is unlikely that you would make use of the whole tax-free opportunity. But earning several thousand pounds per year on top of the stipend is certainly common.

As pointed out by a reader, John, in the comments below: a consideration should be that that some universities limit how much paid work you can do per month. Even so, there are lots of ways to make money and your time as a student could even be a great time to start your own business .

I’ve been paid more than £25 an hour doing pretty simple work for the university , so these earnings can mount up quickly.

To illustrate the extra earning potential afforded to PhD students, let’s consider the most extreme case where the tax-free earnings are maximised.

Since 2017 there has been a £1000 tax-free trading allowance for workers in the UK , meaning even those in a normal taxable job can earn £1000 on top of their salary from side-hustle jobs. Therefore the grad will pay additional taxes on £11,570 instead of £12,570.

PhD Student Salary: An enterprising student maxing out the tax-free allowance could earn £12,570 a year and pay no national insurance either, leaving additional take-home pay of  £12,570 . With a PhD stipend of £17,062 the student would in total earn £32,192 for the year. They’d keep 100% of those extra earnings.

Again, yes it is unlikely that someone would really earn this much on the side but it is common to make at least several thousand throughout the year.

Professional Salary: As a grad on £30,000 per year in your main job, to have an equivalent side-hustle earning £12,570, in total you’d pay tax on £41,570. Income tax would be £5800: £2314 higher than on their base salary of £30,000. NI contributions would be £3335: £1331 higher. Plus student loan repayments would be £1284: £1041 higher. Student loan repayments really start increasing considerably when you’re earning more. These additional taxes and costs total deductions of £4686,  leaving the professional with extra take-home pay of  £7884 . Including their day-job the total they’d be left with is £31,576 .

For this extra £12,570 of work, the student would pocket 100% of it and the professional would keep £7884 ( 63% ). Looking at the pre-tax difference in their earnings: at face value the student would be earning £32,192 and the grad £41,570: a difference of £9378. Yet once taxes are considered the final result is two people with remarkably similar take-home pays: a difference of £616 in favour of the student!

Check it out:

Under these circumstances the student would in fact take home £616 more per year than the professional! I used the maximum tax-free allowance to highlight the point and yes it’s unlikely that many students will fully utilise it. Yet the point stands that any additional earnings are much better retained by PhD students.

If someone was running a fully-fledged business on the side then the difference becomes even bigger as the grad salary approaches the next tax bracket for earnings of £50,271 and above, at which point the rate of income tax doubles.

There are very few legal ways of making money which are tax-exempt for everyone. One of these rare cases is also my favourite way to make money on the side: matched betting. Intrigued? I’ve written a huge guide to it here . In this rare instance none of the grad’s extra earnings get eroded by tax.

Grad salary vs PhD student salary conclusion

Starting from a difference of £10,378 in salary, taxes and other outgoings have knocked £6308 off the graduate’s wage. This brings the difference in earnings down to £4070. This equates to £339 per month. More than nothing, but not a huge difference. And this doesn’t include any extra earnings on the side which the student can do a much better job of retaining.

Surprised how small the difference is? I certainly was whilst I was writing this.

Here is a chart for comparing a wider range of salaries:

This analysis doesn’t take in to account the extra earning power that gaining a PhD could bring, nor the potential lifestyle benefits of being a student such as autonomy and flexible working hours which it could be argued level the playing field even further. Plus the opportunities afforded to PhD students, which everyone should seize. And yes, student discount if you use it.

Furthermore if you consider the opportunity to make an additional £12k+ per year before incurring tax  any difference in earnings can become close to negligible!

I hope that this post has helped explain that the wage gap between UK PhD stipends and grad salaries is not as dramatic it first seems. Perhaps it’s even encouraged you to consider a PhD. If so I’ve written posts to help with your application and an article on how to improve your chances of securing a PhD scholarship . Also if you’re curious you can read about life as a PhD student along with profiles of PhD students around the world .

If you’d like personalised help with your PhD application I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

What do you think about this comparison between a UK PhD stipend and grad salary? Do you think there are any additional factors that I have overlooked? Please share your thoughts in the comments below and if you’ve enjoyed this post you can subscribe to hear about more content:

[1] Some people might say that by continuing studying you’re simply delaying your student loan repayment.  Considering most people don’t pay it off in the 30 odd years until any outstanding balance is wiped I think it’s fair to say that this doesn’t ring true.

[2] No council tax is paid on a property if all occupants are students. If you live with one professional they can claim the single occupancy discount of 25% but with two or more professionals the full council tax amount must be paid. If you share in a mixed group it is up to you how you divide it within the group. Ironically given the spirit of this post, last year I voluntarily did pay an equal (third) share of council tax given that my partner was moving to London specifically to live with me…

[3] If you go on to work for a university after your PhD you’ll be enrolled in the USS pension scheme where you’ll usually pay in 9% of your salary and your employer pays in 19%: yes, nineteen! For comparison most often the best private companies may match contributions up to 10%. Pension contributions are often removed from your pay packet before taxes. This effectively leaves you with a smaller salary and hence pay less taxes and national insurance contributions. Between this and your employer’s contributions overall your salary could be “boosted” by quite a bit, around 20% in the USS example, if you consider the pension as part of your long-term salary.

All calculations were carried out using the tax calculator on Martin’s Money Saving Expert. A fantastic website for all things personal finance.

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17 Comments on “PhD Salary UK: How Much Do PhD Students Get Paid Compared to Graduates?”

It’s probably worth factoring in that most HEIs limit PhD students to a maximum I’m of 10hours pw of external work. By my rough estimate, the student would have to earn £25 an hour to make the money you’ve described here. The side hustle, should probably be halved to reflect a more typical salary. Still a fair whack though.

Hi John, yes that’s a good point and I’ll update the post to reflect this. In my experience £25/hour is realistic, at least here at Imperial, though I appreciate it would rarely get fully utilised. Thanks again

Hello Jeff! I am a Sustainability Consultant from India, looking at PhD opportunities in UK. It would be great if we can connect and discuss a bit about your experience and journey. Looking forward!

Hey Akhyata! Great, yes let’s have a chat. I’ve emailed you to arrange it. Best wishes, Jeff

Hi Jeff! I love your article, I’m a pharmacist juggling the idea of a PhD. I would love to take up on your offer to connect.

Hey Kai! Great, I’ll email you now to arrange it.

Hi Jeff, I am a law grad very interested in further study and pursuing a PhD.

I would love the chance to chat to you further about this article and your experience!

Thanks in advance

Hey Clara, Yeah no worries. I’ll send you an email now to discuss.

Hi Jeff, I’m putting together a PhD proposal at the moment and would really appreciate your input on a few things about the process when you have some free time. Cheers, Ben

Hi Ben, sure no problem, I’m happy to try and help. Let’s discuss over email.

Hi Jeff, Thank you for taking the time to write the articles you do. On this particular article, you have saved us all quite a lot of time. With such a minimal difference even without an additional income, it makes a lot of sense, especially with an increase when you graduate.

Those from the UK can take a £24k loan from the Gov (as if they didn’t have enough debt already). Still, it could enable a student to focus more on academia, speeding up the process and increasing the quality of work.

Apologies Jeff, the stipend and student loan are not available at the same time.

Thanks very much for your comments Tyrone. I’m pleased you find the website useful!

If you can get funding, I agree that there isn’t much of a reason to not do a PhD.

I must admit I’ve never looked much at postgraduate loans, in part because I encourage everyone doing a PhD (in STEM at least) to pursue funding. We’re doing PhDs which can help wider society and it doesn’t make sense for people to have to sacrifice even more by adding extra debt if they can avoid it. Interesting to hear that you can’t take out a loan if you have a stipend, thanks for letting me know.

Perhaps of interest to you, there is a post going live tomorrow which should put the length of a PhD in context of someone’s whole career. In short it doesn’t sacrifice much of a career but of course but make a very useful addition!

If there are any other topics you want to see covered please do let me know.

Best wishes.

Tax Free is not a perk. If you are not paying tax in the UK you cannot contribute to your pension. This may not seem important now, but it will later. This is especially important for mature students who can really lose out if there is a break in their NI contributions.

Thanks for your comment Marie.

The point is that normal tax-paying jobs don’t actually pay quite as much more than PhD stipends once you consider tax. I agree that over the long term avoiding paying taxes is neither a good idea because of things like pensions, nor is it socially ethical. But I don’t think there is any harm in taking 3-4 years out for a PhD:

You have to pay NI for a minimum of only 10 years to qualify for some level of state pension in the UK. After this the pension received simply increases linearly with the number of years of contributions, up to a max of 35 years. With retirement age edging up to 70 that gives at least 45 years between undergrad and retirement so most people will comfortably qualify (for now) for the full state pension. I’d argue that there is ample time to earn some tax free money as a PhD student without having to worry about making enough NI contributions. You can even voluntarily pay NI to gain additional qualifying years on your record. More generally I’d suggest also to not rely on receiving the state pension, I’m not personally betting on there even being a state pension by my own retirement (nor do I want to retire at 70+) so it’s always a good idea to build up your own private pension and savings too!

Hi Jeff, I was looking for funded PhD projects in the Marie Curie network and found a few on the EURAXESS website, but they all require a Master’s degree to apply. I was wondering if there is something I am missing or if you know where to find PhD funding opportunities in the Marie Curie network with only a bachelor’s degree. Thank you.

Hi Alex, thanks for your comment. I must admit I’m not an expert on all of the different Marie Curie funding routes available. If you’ve already done an extensive search then it sounds like yes they all may require a Master’s. By the way, when I first wrote this post I believed that all PhDs funded by UK research councils (UKRI) were at the very specific levels as mentioned in the post. However, I now know that there are some exceptions. For example, the Interactive AI CDT here at Bristol pays a stipend of £22,106: quite a bit higher than the standard non-London rate. CDTs such as this one include a foundation year and not everyone has a Master’s, so it may be worth considering schemes such as this. Best wishes, Jeff.

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PhD studentships

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

Who awards PhD studentships?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How much can I receive?

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

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

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

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

Is my programme eligible for a PhD studentship?

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

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

Am I eligible?

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

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

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

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

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

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

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

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

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

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

You can improve your chances of success by:

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

What other PhD funding is available?

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

• crowdfunding
• employer sponsorship
• PhD loans .

Find out more

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

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LSE PhD Studentships

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

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

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

Eligibility

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

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

How to apply

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

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

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

Find out about ESRC Studentships .

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

Student stories

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact us Get in touch with the Financial Support Office

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

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships

by Alumni Team | Aug 2, 2022

COMMONWEALTH PHD SCHOLARSHIPS

How to apply, supporting documentation, advice for applicants, choosing a university/course, applicant eligibility.

• Eligible countries

Completing the application form

• Selection process and criteria

Tenure and placement

Financial assistance, general conditions, faqs and enquiries.

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for applicants from least developed countries and fragile States, as classified by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), in the Commonwealth,  for full-time doctoral study at a UK university.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

Purpose: Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) , Commonwealth PhD scholarships contribute to the development needs of Commonwealth countries by supporting research that will have a developmental impact. They also enhance individual teaching and research capacity leading to increase institutional capacity in academic and other sectors in Commonwealth countries, and will contribute to UK higher education and research by attracting high-calibre international applicants and encouraging links and collaboration, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.

Intended beneficiaries: Commonwealth PhD scholarships are for high-quality graduates who have the potential to undertake world-class research of a developmental nature and to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries.

These scholarships are offered under the six  CSC Development themes .

Applications for Commonwealth PhD scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year are now closed.

Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.

The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via the online application system .

Applicants are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.

As well as applying to the CSC, applicants must apply to a nominating agency .

There are three types of nominating agency for PhD scholarships:

• National nominating agencies  – this is the main route of application.
• Selected universities/university bodies  – which can nominate their own academic staff.
• Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies .

Nominating agencies put forward applicants to the CSC for consideration. The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships.

Each nominating agency oversees its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria.  Applicants must check with the nominating agency for their specific advice and rules for applying, and their own eligibility criteria.

Nominating agencies may set their own closing dates for applications.

Agencies will nominate candidates to the CSC by December 2023.

Applicants can expect to hear the outcome by July 2024. We will contact all applicants by email and they should ensure all folders of their email accounts are monitored, including junk mail and spam folders. A scholarship offer may be withdrawn if an applicant is emailed but does not respond within a specified time.

Applications must include supporting documentation to be eligible.

Please note that applicants are required to collect references and supporting statements, on institution letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from referees and proposed supervisors in the UK and then upload them in PDF format to the application system with their other supporting documentation.

The references and supporting statements must be uploaded to the application system by the deadline for applications and we are unable to accept references and supporting statements any other way or after this date.

Applicants must upload the following documents with the application:

• Proof that they are a citizen or have refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
• Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English. Where any transcripts are missing or do not include all pages, the application will be considered ineligible.
• References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
• A supporting statement, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from a proposed supervisor in the UK from at least one of the institutions named on the application form.

Applications will be considered ineligible if any of the required documentation is not included by the closing date.

The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted outside the online application system.

When completing the references, referees should be asked to comment as fully as possible on the applicant, keeping in mind the following points for inclusion, as appropriate:

• How long, and in what capacity, the referee has known the applicant.
• The referee’s views on the applicant’s suitability for the proposed Scholarship and the need for the particular subject of study in the UK.
• Information on how, and to what extent, the applicant has shown ability in terms of capability to grasp concepts and reason analytically; capacity for original thought; and motivation and perseverance in achieving objectives.
• Assessment of the applicant’s particular strengths and weaknesses.
• The applicant’s potential to impact development in their home country.
• Any other general qualities which the referee considers would make the applicant a good recipient of a Scholarship.

Please note that the CSC does not charge apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its online application system.

When completing supporting statements, proposed supervisors should be asked to confirm that they are, in principle, prepared to have the applicant working with them and that they have the facilities to undertake the research. They should also be asked how the applicant’s plan of study fits with the expertise of their department and to indicate how much of the applicant’s plan of study, if any, they wrote. Any additional comments they make will be appreciated by the Commission.

Applicants can find general information about applying for a Commonwealth Scholarship on our advice for applicants page .

Please read and complete the PhD Scholarships eligibility checklist before submitting your application.

Applicants may find the following resources useful when researching their choices of institution and course of study in the UK:

• Study UK – British Council website, with guidance for international students and a course and institution search
• Steps to Postgraduate Study – a guide to asking the right questions about taught postgraduate study in the UK
• Postgrad.com  – information for postgraduate students, with a course search
• Prospects – information on postgraduate study in the UK
• Research Excellent Framework 2021 results – results of a system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions
• UCAS Postgraduate – guidance on how to find and apply for a postgraduate course
• Discover Uni – the official website for comparing UK higher education course data
• UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) – advice for international students on choosing a course of study

The CSC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Applicants can also discover how Commonwealth Alumni are making an impact and leading change across critical development issues by visiting our development impact stories page .

To apply for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2024.
• By September 2024, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)*.
• Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university or in their home country before September/October 2024.
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

*The CSC recognises that disabled people have often faced and overcome challenges or barriers in their education journey which have prevented them achieving the academic requirement for a Commonwealth Scholarship. Disabled applicants who can demonstrate their potential to contribute to international development but who do not hold a 2:1 Undergraduate degree may be considered for a contextualised nomination through the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF) nominator. For more information, please contact CDPF directly using the details on our NGOs and charitable body nominators page .

The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants. For further information on the support available to scholars who share that they have a disability, see the  CSC disability support statement .

There is no age limit for CSC applications. Applicants are advised to confirm with their employers any age restrictions on leave entitlement they may have in place.

Eligible Countries

Please note that only applicants from the eligible countries listed below can apply for Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (for least developed countries and fragile states, as classified by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), in 2023/24.

Bangladesh Cameroon Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Nigeria Pakistan Rwanda Sierra Leone Solomon Islands Tanzania The Gambia Togo Tuvalu Uganda Zambia

In the application form, applicants are asked to:

• List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.
• List up to 10 publications and prizes.
• Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK.
• List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application.
• Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts.

In the first part applicants should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to:

• Development issues at the global, national, and local level
• Development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector

The second part should explain how they intend to apply their new skills once the Scholarship ends.

The third part should outline what they expect will change in development terms following the Scholarship, including:

• The outcomes that they aim to achieve
• The timeframe for their implementation
• Who the beneficiaries will be

In the fourth part applicants should write about how the impact of their work could be best measured and evidenced.

Applicants are also asked to:

• Confirm what their award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme.
• Confirm what their career plans are for the 5 years following the Scholarship.
• Confirm their long-term career plans.
• Provide a detailed plan of study.
• Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which their personal background has encouraged them to want to make an impact in their home country. Applicants may wish to highlight any areas where they have already made significant contributions, including overcoming personal or community barriers in accessing higher education or within their field.
• Summarise the ways in which they have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities they have had to demonstrate leadership.

Selection Process and criteria

Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:

• Academic merit
• Quality of research proposal
• Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s come country

For further details, see the Commonwealth Scholarships selection criteria .

Applicants should note the criteria carefully and link their answers in the application form to each point listed.

Scholarships are tenable at any approved UK university or higher education institution with which the CSC has a part-funding agreement for a specific programme of research for 36 months of full-time study only. For the full list, see here: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/uk-universities

Scholarships are to obtain one degree; funding will not be extended to enable candidates to complete a qualification in addition to or higher than that for which the selection was made.

Scholarships are made in respect of full-time study only and no other course of study may be undertaken at the same time.

The CSC does not provide new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, defined as the extraction, production, transportation, refining and marketing of crude oil, natural gas or thermal coal, as well as any fossil-fuel fired power plants.

Applicants must make clear in the application which qualification they are applying for. This will enable the CSC to consider the application in the correct category. Applications which do not make this clear may be considered ineligible.

Applicants are advised to list three universities and supervisors that they think are the most appropriate for their study, in order of preference, and to explain their reasons. This is important because the CSC will not change the university or supervisor (or the order of preference) of a provisionally selected candidate after the point of selection, unless exceptional information becomes available that could not have been foreseen at the time of application.

Applicants may propose to study at one university for a four-year PhD, but this must be based in a recognised Doctoral Training Centre. They must research this option thoroughly and justify its added value compared with a three-year PhD. As the CSC will fund only a limited number of four-year PhDs, applicants are strongly advised to also propose at least one three-year PhD choice.

The CSC will make the final decision on institution of study, and reserves the right to overrule any preferences indicated by the candidate. The CSC will consider the suitability of the course and its value for money when deciding on any overrule.

Applicants must take the necessary steps to apply for admission to their preferred universities in advance of their scholarship application. Many courses have strict admission deadlines and candidates should check admission requirements carefully when applying. If an applicant is selected for a scholarship and has not applied and been accepted for a course, it may not be possible to proceed with the scholarship.

Applicants must provide a supporting statement for a named supervisor from at least one of the UK universities to which they are applying. Details of what the supporting statement should include are outlined in the supporting documentation section. Applicants are strongly advised to provide a supporting statement from a supervisor at the first choice university. If not, the CSC reserves the right to select for placement at another university for which a statement is provided.

Each scholarship provides:

• Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).
• Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and Scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee.
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,347 per month, or £1,652 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
• Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (the cost of one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location), where approved.
• Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to the Scholar’s home country, unless they have claimed or intend to claim spouse and/or child allowances during their scholarship or have received a return airfare to their home country for fieldwork.
• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse but no children: spouse allowance of £290 per month for a maximum period of nine months, if they and their spouse are living together at the same address in the UK (unless the spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).
• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse and children: spouse allowance of £290 per month and child allowance of £290 per month for the first child, and £143 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their spouse and children are living with them at the same address in the UK (unless their spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).
• If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of child allowance of £576.61 per month for the first child, and £143 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.

If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

The CSC’s family allowances are intended to be only a contribution towards the cost of maintaining a Scholar’s family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and Scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support any family members who accompany them to the UK.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars .

Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

A Commonwealth Scholarship covers fees, approved fares, and personal maintenance. Other scholarships, awards, or bursaries that cover the same costs may not be held concurrently.

For the CSC to administer the application effectively and efficiently after submission, it will be necessary to create a record in the applicant’s name. If they apply for an award to the CSC, their details will be kept on file. Basic anonymised demographic data for all applicants will be kept for analytical research. The CSC is committed to protecting personal information and to being transparent about the information we are collecting about applicants and what we do with it. To find out more, see our privacy notice .

Applicant’s personal information will be used to conduct necessary due diligence checks to CSC’s satisfaction, before CSC proceeds with any type of formal agreement or contractual relationship. In most cases, the due diligence checks will be straightforward, however further information may be requested, so we ask for full co-operation to speed up the process.

If an applicant does not agree to personal data being used for the purpose of conducting due diligence, unfortunately CSC will not be able to proceed further with the application process.

If an application is successful, the CSC will notify the applicant that they have been provisionally selected (selected for an award subject to the CSC agreeing terms of admission to the university) at which point they will be a provisional scholarship candidate.

The CSC does not require any applicants to take an IELTS (English language) test.

The CSC will not be able to offer a scholarship if it would contravene the terms and conditions of another scholarship previously held.

When terms of admission to the university have been agreed, the CSC will provide a Notification of Award (formal offer of a scholarship).

When all conditions of the Notification of Award have been met, the CSC will provide a formal Confirmation of Award.

Candidates will be required to submit a Health and Disability Form  before the Confirmation of Award can be issued.

Candidates will be required to sign an undertaking to return to their home country as soon as possible after the end of the award.

Candidates are expected to start the award on the date stated in the Notification of Award.

If a candidate requires a Student visa to come to the UK to study, they must meet all relevant immigration requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration. They should check the GOV.UK website for updated information.

All UK immigration regulations are set by UK Visas and Immigration and are subject to change. The CSC has no control over these regulations.

Candidates will be selected for an award based on the plan of study outlined on the application form, which is not expected to change significantly during the award. Any such changes must be agreed by the CSC.

Throughout their award, Scholars are expected to reside in the UK, and must seek approval from the CSC in advance of any overseas travel.

Scholars must not undertake paid employment during the award without approval from the CSC in advance.

Collaboration is a feature of doctoral research. The CSC expects that participants in collaborative projects will develop a collaborative agreement to clarify the contributions and rights of each partner. The CSC will not get involved in negotiating an exploitation agreement but will need to be assured that an arrangement acceptable to all parties exists. Arrangements should be made to identify, protect, and value any arising intellectual property and to secure a suitable return to the institution and the investigators through exploitation. The CSC considers the intellectual property ownership to lie initially with the student; however, many universities have their own locally applicable policy. In many cases, it is in the best interest of a student for ownership to be vested with the university, which will have greater negotiating powers and will be likely to be able to seek the best returns in any exploitation agreement. Award holders are expected to notify the CSC when CSC-funded intellectual property is exploited.

The CSC will consider a request to extend a Scholar’s leave to remain in the UK after their award only if they wish to move from Master’s to PhD study. Strict conditions will apply.

The CSC cannot provide a letter of support or permission for Scholars to remain in or return to the UK after the award to enable them to work or undertake postdoctoral study.

The following are not eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship; an employee, a former employee, or relative of an employee of the Government of the United Kingdom; or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities or the British Council; or a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner, former Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner or a relative of a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner. Former employees of the organisations listed above are eligible to apply three years after ceasing their employment with them.

In line with the UK Bribery Act 2010, any applicant convicted of bribery will be banned from reapplying for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship for a period of up to five years.

Applicants are expected to adhere to the CSC’s Code of Conduct for award holders and the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure .

An award may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance, or if registration is suspended or terminated by the university for any reason.

The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner. For more information, see the CSC Anti-Fraud Policy and Procedure at and the FCDO guidance on reporting fraud .

The CSC is committed proactively to safeguard and promote the welfare of our beneficiaries, and to protect its staff, Commissioners, beneficiaries and all those with whom the CSC comes into contact. The CSC requires staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding. Applicants should note the  CSC Safeguarding Policy which sets out the obligation for staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding.  Any safeguarding concerns should be reported to the Commission at:   [email protected]

All conditions of award are subject to UK local law and practices and are subject to change by the CSC.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars . Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

For general information about applying for Commonwealth Scholarships or Fellowships, please see our FAQs page.

For queries not covered on the website, please use the contact us form .

Privacy Overview

• Schools & departments

Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships

The University will offer PhD scholarships for students starting their PhD research at the University in the 2024-2025 academic session.

In order to attract the best and brightest PhD students, the University seeks to offer not only unparalleled research facilities and superb supervision, but also to provide development opportunities which will support our research students as they progress beyond their PhD, through an exciting scholarship scheme.

The University of Edinburgh has been working for some time to embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in its activities and to widen participation (WP) for students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds . The Doctoral College is committed to embedding EDI in all of its policies and processes, and by widening access to postgraduate study to traditionally underrepresented groups, including BAME students and those from the most deprived communities in Scotland and the rest of the world. The Doctoral College wishes to attract the greatest diversity of applications to this scheme and will ensure that recruitment processes are robust and unbiased.

Each scholarship covers the University tuition fee as well as a stipend of £ 18,622p.a.  Subject to satisfactory progress, the scholarships are awarded for between three and four years as agreed by the School/Deanery (or pro-rata for part time).

** For the Business School only : Four year EDCS funding is only available for applicants to the 4 year integrated PhD programmes. Applicants on 3 year PhD programmes are eligible for 3.5 years of EDCS funding but the award holder would be funded by the Business School for an additional 6 months.***

Eligibility

The awards are open to UK and overseas students applying to start their first year of study for an on-campus research degree in 2024-2025.

Applicants must have already applied for admission to a full-time or part-time on campus PhD research programme of study at the University. We encourage applicants who wish to apply for this scholarship to make contact with their academic school regarding any admission deadlines.

Please check the Entry Requirements for your proposed programme of study for details of other acceptable English language qualifications. 

You may apply for the scholarship prior to obtaining the necessary English language test results but the results should be uploaded as soon as possible.

These awards cannot be held concurrently with fully-funded scholarships but can be held with partially-funded scholarships and will be reduced pro-rata.

Applicants must be of outstanding academic merit and research potential. Candidates must have, or expect to obtain, a UK first class or 2:1 honours degree at undergraduate level or the international equivalent.

Other factors such as financial status, nationality and the proposed field of study are not taken into account.

The University will not generally consider candidates who have already obtained a PhD, or formal equivalent, as a result of direct research training.

Undertake a package of training and development which will help them to develop the necessary skills required to meet their career choices and offer them a breadth of development opportunities in areas such as teaching, public engagement, entrepreneurship, data science, and research.

Terms and Conditions

Applications are no closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applications deadlines will vary by School/Deanery and will be linked to the application deadline for programmes.

Further information about each school can be found by clicking on the specific school link below table.

Selection Procedure

The University will use the information you provide on your scholarship application form together with the information contained in the supporting documentation (reference and academic transcript) which you submitted as part of your application for admission to administer and assess your scholarship application and to select successful applicants.

Shortlisted candidates should expect to be invited to attend an interview which will take place either in person or by telephone.

Notifications

All applicants will be notified of the outcome by the relevant school.   For further information, please contact the school directly.

UKRI increases stipend for PhD students by £2,000

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Funder increases stipend by further 10 per cent to £17,668 amid cost of living crisis

UK Research and Innovation has announced it is increasing the minimum PhD stipend by 10 per cent for the 2022-23 academic year, following a backlash from students over the previously announced, lower, rise.

From 1 October, the minimum stipend for UKRI-funded PhD students will be £17,668—a 10 per cent increase on the previously announced 2022-23 level.

This means the minimum stipend level will be over £2,000 more in 2022-23 than in 2021-22, UKRI said on 2 September.

‘UKRI committed to reviewing its funding offer’

“I am pleased to announce this increase in stipend levels as a result of our review this summer of the support we provide our postgraduate research students,” said Melanie Welham, UKRI champion for people, culture and talent.

“As well as raising the minimum stipend now, UKRI is committed to further reviewing its funding offer as part of its current work on the new deal for postgraduate research.”

The increased amount will be provided to students in receipt of a UKRI stipend from 1 October 2022.

The announcement follows a consultation with the research community earlier this year considering the cost of living crisis, which has seen inflation and energy prices soar.

During the consultation, thousands of postgraduate researchers urged the national funder to increase the support further.

The funder had initially planned to increase the stipend from £15,609 to £16,062, an increase of just 2.9 per cent.

‘Work on stipends had to be prioritised’

In a statement published alongside the announcement on the UKRI website, Welham said: “The response from the community to our call for input and the messages we received from students, supervisors, research organisations and mission groups directly and via social media, made it clear that the work on stipends had to be prioritised ahead of other elements of the new deal for postgraduate research.”

She added that the funder’s initial plan had been to provide a “smaller one-off payment to students”.

“However, we have listened to your feedback and worked up our more substantive proposal.”

As part of its work on the new deal for postgraduate research, Welham said the funder was considering the principles by which UKRI funds postgraduate students, as well as how it determines the amount it will pay them in future and how its policies interact with the activities of other government departments.

‘Positive step’

Rory Duncan, former UKRI director of talent and skills and pro-vice-chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University, told Research Professional News it was a “positive step” to see UKRI provide the additional support.

“I know a lot of people have worked behind the scenes to make this happen,” he said. “I hope that other funders and hosts can match this commitment for the majority of [postgraduate researchers] who aren’t funded directly by UKRI.”

Alex Kirby-Reynolds and Ellie Munro, co-leads of the University and College Union’s Postgraduate Researchers as Staff campaign, who have campaigned for a stipend increase, told Research Professional News: “We are relieved that UKRI has finally announced an initial pay rise for its funded researchers, but we know it will still leave many PGRs struggling to make ends meet.

“Disabled PGRs, those with caring responsibilities and those without independent income will continue to be hit hardest, and face tough choices about whether they can continue their research.

“Now it’s up to universities to ensure at least the same support is extended to all PGRs, regardless of funding source, and to make sure self-funded researchers and international PGRs aren’t left picking up the tab through fees.”

A spokesperson for the Russell Group of research-intensive universities said: “We’re pleased to see UKRI taking the lead in helping the research community deal with the rising cost of living by increasing the minimum student stipend, which will provide much needed financial support to the next generation of researchers and innovators.”

But they also called for more support for undergraduates.

“While this is a welcome move for postgraduate researchers, most of the measures the government has announced so far to address the cost-of-living crisis will not benefit undergraduate students,” they said.

“Universities are therefore stepping up support for their students ahead of the start of the new term, including boosting financial aid and other support programmes.”

10 PhD scholarships in the UK for international students 2022

With a strong research culture on top of encouraging interdisciplinary research, the UK is a great choice if one wants to pursue a PhD scholarship in an exciting and stimulating environment with many research links. The UK is one of the most popular destinations for many international students with many top-ranked and world-class universities and a welcoming culture as well.

Being a research powerhouse means more access to cutting-edge research facilities, which can go a long way in conducting research during your PhD studies. The UK, however, as a developed Western country, has higher living costs, with some major cities and programmes bearing notoriously expensive price tags.

This can be a heavy burden for international students seeking a UK PhD degree. Fortunately, the UK has a great list of university PhD scholarships that may help you realise your dream.

The UK is a research powerhouse. Source: Christine Bird/Shutterstock.

Leeds University Business School: International Business Department Scholarship

The International Business Department of the Leeds University Business School is offering up to two PhD scholarships for international applicants; the deadline is Apr. 1, 2022. One of the world’s leading units for international business and among a handful of triple-accredited business schools in the world, this department is well-known for their exceptional research and teaching.

The award is for three years; the last two years are renewable subject to academic performance. The successful recipient will get a maintenance grant worth 15,609 pounds (standard UKRI rate for Session 2021/22).

University of Cambridge: Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholars Programme

Awarded to a select group of 25 brilliant University of Cambridge PhD students of all disciplines and nationalities, this programme aims to produce graduates who can make a tangible difference to the academic community with their excellent research. The majority will be affiliated with St Catharine’s College; the rest will be distributed among the other colleges. 

Depending on your chosen department, the last deadline is Jan. 6, 2022. The PhD scholarship winners will receive a generous package including the University Composition Fee and a 6,000 pounds personal allowance throughout their studies, an annual stipend of 18,000 pounds and student visa costs.

SOAS University of London CHASE

SOAS University of London is among the world’s top 50 for Arts and Humanities (QS rankings 2021) and is a top 20 UK institution for these same subjects (THE rankings). As part of the Consortium of the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, this Doctoral Training Partnership offers up to 56 Arts and Humanities studentships; a limited number is available for international applicants. 

You should first apply to SOAS by Jan. 10, 2022 so that you can work with your proposed supervisor(s) on the CHASE application to submit by Jan. 28, 2022. You can expect to receive a training grant and a stipend as well.

Aston University College of Business and Social Sciences

As a multidisciplinary college in Aston University, Birmingham, the College of Business and Social Sciences is home to researchers from Aston Business School, Aston Law School and the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Up to six fully-funded PhD studentships are available for application to any of these schools’ programmes – the deadline is Feb. 28, 2022.

You will get full tuition coverage at the international rate plus an annual maintenance grant of 15,840 pounds (2022-23 rate) throughout your three years. You should have obtained a merit for your master’s dissertation besides a first class or second upper class honours degree.

University of St Andrews: Doctoral Scholarship in Biology and Statistics

St Leonard’s Postgraduate College at the University of St Andrews is offering a doctoral scholarship to a suitably qualified student to take up research on developing novel methods for estimating the abundance of breeding grey seals. You will have three co-supervisors, and can choose to matriculate in either Biology or Statistics.

The PhD scholarship covers full tuition fees for up to three and a half years on top of an annual maintenance stipend (the 2021-22 annual rate is 15,609 pounds). You will have access to the free GRADskills training programme as well. 

University of Liverpool: Accounting and Finance Subject Group

This PhD scholarship takes on a slightly different form as a  Graduate Teaching Fellowship (GTF) – the deadline is Jan. 7, 2022. If you have a first or upper second class honours degree plus a distinction for your master’s degree besides being committed to research, this GTF allows you to collect teaching experience together with your PhD studies.

Under the Accounting and Finance Subject Group, you will have the opportunity to complete a teacher training programme offered by the University of Liverpool . A living stipend of 15,609 pounds plus a fee waiver will be awarded to exceptional applicants.

Swansea University: the UKRI CDT in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Advanced Computing

At Swansea University , you can apply for the four-year fully funded opportunity to research upon these broad areas of particle physics and astronomy, biological and health, and mathematical and computer sciences. You will be trained in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and high-performance data analytics.

After training in the first year, you will have several short-term work placements in the second and third years. Besides full tuition fees, you will enjoy a stipend of  15,921 poundsand other allowances; the closing date is Feb. 11, 2022.

University of Exeter – PhD Scholarship

The University of Exeter’s generous funding scheme consists of two funding parts funding – one Research Masters in Economics and then a PhD programme in either Finance or Economics – both at the Business School; you have to apply by Jan. 21, 2022. As part of the scholarship, students have to work as teaching or research assistants for about 180 hours (23 days) a year, which can help enhance your research and education skills.

The funding includes a combined stipend and teaching allowance for 180 hours of 19,000 poundsper year. Students can also apply for additional funding for research, development and conference travel expenses. 

Imperial College London: Chemical Engineering PhD Scholarship

One of the best universities in the UK, Imperial College London has up to 10 fully-funded Chemical Engineering PhD scholarships via the Chemical Engineering Department . You should have a First Class Honours Degree at master’s level in chemical engineering or a related engineering/science field. This scholarship is tenable for 42 months, covering both tuition fees and 21,400 pounds for maintenance.

You should apply by Jan. 31, 2022. If you are successful, you would be asked to select two projects; depending on your supervisor’s agreement, you can be given either your first choice or second one.  

Oxford University – Clarendon Scholarship

The Clarendon Scholarship is one of the most famous PhD scholarships. You do not need to submit a separate application form for this scholarship; when you apply for a Oxford University PhD programme, you automatically qualify to apply for the Clarendon Scholarship.

Your preferred programme at Oxford may have different deadlines but generally, January is the last application deadline to be eligible for this scholarship. This particular PhD scholarship covers full tuition fees and a living stipend of 15,609 pounds (2021-22 rate).

All in all, if you have been planning to pursue your PhD studies in the UK but are short on funds, these scholarships are great choices, and will definitely help you achieve your dream!

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Funded PhD research programmes 2024 UK

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

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

Our deadline has passed for the October 2024 start for funded PhDs, but there will be further announcements shortly. Meanwhile, please visit our PhD funding advice pages . 

Visit our PhD disciplinary programme lists

What UK PhD studentships are available ?

Our academics at the University of Brighton regularly develop research projects in which they can offer outstanding support and which they are committed to developing and growing.

The studentships available will be given to candidates who best fulfil the promise outlined by these academic departments.

These funded PhD opportunities are generally open to home and international students. 

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

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

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

The application for our schemes will usually involve:  

• submitting a full application through the university's PhD application portal, accessible from the  PhD funded projects webpages . You will upload your research proposal as part of this process.
• The submission must include two letters of reference, academic qualifications, a proposed project approach, a personal statement and your CV (resumé).
• Please note, deadline for 2024 start on the most recent funding scheme was 29 February 2024 16:00 (UCT/GMT).
• Shortlisted applicants are likely to be invited for interview.

Details of application for fully funded PhD studentships

To apply for your studentship at the University of Brighton, you should first review the specific projects or project areas that our academics are offering to support. 

All eligible applications for the funded PhD will be reviewed, with shortlisted candidates entered for final decisions on the allocations of funding, which will rest with the university's central Doctoral College. 

What does PhD funding include?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can I get PhD funding at the University of Brighton?

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

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

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

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive atmosphere and structure for your studies. Show us your own qualities and your suitability for these programmes. We look forward to receiving your application. Good luck!

Imperial College London Imperial College London

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• Fees and funding
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President's PhD scholarships

• What the scholarship covers

Check if you're eligible

How to apply, review and selection, when you'll hear, current scholar or imperial staff member.

If you have a question about the application process/application form, please speak with the relevant Admissions department and/or your department or supervisor.

If you have a question about our President's PhD Scholarships, please email the Student Financial Support team:  [email protected]

If you are a high performing undergraduate or Master's student and have a strong desire to undertake a PhD programme at a world-class research institution, a President's PhD Scholarship could provide you with the outstanding opportunity to receive full funding for tuition fees and a generous stipend for a 3.5 year PhD place at Imperial College London.

The President’s PhD Scholarships allow students to undertake a research project of their choosing with the support of an excellent supervisor, alongside cohort-building opportunities with other President's PhD Scholars.

Meet our scholars

Read stories of Imperial students who have received a President's PhD Scholarship.

What the scholarship covers

Each of the 50 scholarships available provides the following support during the 3.5 years of study:

• Full funding for tuition fees
• A stipend of £25,150 (2024-25 rate) per annum to assist with living costs 
• A consumables fund of £2,000 per annum for the first 3 years of study
• A programme of bespoke opportunities and events delivered by the Graduate School

You will also have access to the  full range of support available to postgraduates at Imperial, including tailored support for disabled and international students, and the wider Graduate School programme of professional skills courses.

This competitive scheme has higher than usual eligibility requirements, attracting candidates that show excellent academic performance and promising research potential. 

We accept applications from talented candidates from Imperial College London, the UK and worldwide. There are no restrictions on nationality.

The scholarship applies to both full- and part-time study.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds, as we recognise that diversity not only benefits Imperial but also helps the sector to better represent the communities that we serve.

Academic criteria

• Candidates must be in receipt of, or due to receive, a  first class or equivalent  in an undergraduate or integrated Masters degree; or if this has not been achieved
• Candidates must be in receipt of (or where this has yet to be received be able to provide evidence of high performance that will lead to) a distinction in a standalone Master’s qualification.

This allows candidates who have demonstrated excellence at Master's level, but not achieved a first class undergraduate degree, to be able to apply to the scheme.

Candidates with only a single undergraduate degree or integrated Master’s must still must be in receipt of, or due to receive, a first class or equivalent.

Other criteria

• Applications are accepted from talented candidates from Imperial College London, the UK and worldwide. There are no restrictions on nationality, although some departments may be unable to support international candidates.
• The scheme is only open to new PhD applications. Current registered Imperial PhD students are  not eligible  to be considered for a President's PhD Scholarship.

Read our scholarships terms and conditions .

Applications for this scholarship scheme will be considered at three points throughout the academic year – see 'When you'll hear' below.

Before you apply

• You must have made contact with a supervisor in an academic department at Imperial College London who has agreed to supervise your research project.
• Supervisors are limited to supervise one scholar at any time. Please review the  President's PhD Scholarships - Unavailable Supervisors page for more information.

Application process

• There isn't specific scholarship application form. 
• You should submit your application for admission to study at Imperial through our  online admissions system  and your department will put you forward for the scholarship based on academic merit and potential.

Scholarship-specific instructions for the admissions process are below; you must also meet any additional application requirements stated by your department of choice.

Additional admissions instructions

• For the 2024–25 academic year, the earliest start date for funded places is 1 August 2024, the latest start date is 1 November 2024.
• the first page should be a personal statement (motivations for applying to Imperial and the scholarship, and any other supporting information not included elsewhere on the form that you feel will enhance your application)
• the second page should be your research proposal. You may submit updated versions of this statement if required following application submission if your department shortlists you for the scholarship. You are encouraged to write in the first person. 
• When prompted for the names of  two academic referees , these should be people who can provide an academic reference in support of your application (e.g. your personal tutor or yopur thesis supervisor). You should not include your proposed PhD supervisor. You are encouraged to share  this guidance  with your two referees, noting, in particular, the recommendation to use ‘they/them’ language (rather than gender pronouns).
• To be considered for the President's PhD Scholarship scheme, you must select this option in the funding section of the additional questions tab within the online application form.

50 scholarship places are available. Applications will be reviewed by a two-stage process:

• Candidates meeting or predicted to meet the eligibility criteria will be reviewed by the Department to which they have applied. Departments will select a shortlist of candidates to present to the College Selection Panel for consideration. 
• A Faculty allocation stage will score and rank candidates in Departmental shortlists, making initial offers to the most promising candidates. Faculty Vice Deans present these candidates with justification for offers at the College Selection Panel.
• The College Selection Panel makes additional offers from a ring-fenced allocation to candidates that meet widening participation or other strategic alignment goals. 

Assessment criteria

Candidates are assessed by the Faculties and College Selection Panel against the following criteria:

• past academic results
• transcripts
• relative class position
• distinctions
• the candidate’s research experience to date
• their interest in discovery
• the research plan and its potential contribution as described in their research proposal
• the departmental statement, which also reflects on performance at interview

Successful candidates will receive written confirmation of their scholarship. Any offer of a PhD place will be conditional on the candidate receiving the predicted qualifications.

Applicants not selected for the scholarship will automatically be considered for a standard PhD.

Successful candidates will receive written confirmation of their scholarship. Any offer of a PhD place will be conditional on the candidate receiving the predicted qualifications.

• Applicants who apply by 23:59 (UK time) 6 November 2023  and are awarded a scholarship will be notified by  end of  January 2024. 
• Applicants who apply by 23:59 (UK time)  8 January 2024  and are awarded a scholarship will be notified by  end of  March 2024.
• Applicants who apply by 23:59 (UK time)  4 March 2024  and are awarded a scholarship will be notified by end of  May 2024.

If you're a current Imperial President's PhD Scholar or Imperial staff member, please find information for you at the following links:

• information for current scholars
• information for Imperial staff

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• CAREER FEATURE
• 23 May 2022

PhD students face cash crisis with wages that don’t cover living costs

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Chris Woolston is a freelance writer in Billings, Montana.

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Salaries for PhD students in the biological sciences fall well below the basic cost of living at almost every institution and department in the United States, according to data collected by two PhD students.

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