Postgraduate research students relaxing on the lawn

Funding your research degree

There are many ways to fund your PhD or research degree. Learn about the different routes to secure funding.

You will be charged tuition fees for studying your PhD. Depending on the type of project you want to apply for, there are different routes to fund your research degree.

We offer:

  • funded projects with a living allowance
  • funded projects without additional financial support 
  • opportunities to explore your own research proposal (you’ll need to source your own funding)

Some projects do not have funding secured until after the project has been advertised and a candidate recruited.

It’s important to know where your funding will come from before applying for a project.

Funded projects

For projects advertised as 'fully funded' or 'competition funded', your university fees will be paid and you will not need to apply for additional funding.

Competition funded projects will go ahead if the funding is awarded by the funding body. You can talk with the lead supervisor to find out more. 

See our current research degree projects

Fees paid plus a living allowance

A funded project will cover your study fees.

Some projects come with an additional sum of money to cover things like accommodation, travel and maintenance expenses. This is tax free.

Fees paid with no living allowance

Some project funding will only cover your university fees. You will need to cover your living expenses yourself. 

If you need help to cover your living costs, UK students can apply for a doctoral loan through Student Finance England. International students can check if they are eligible to receive a scholarship or bursary.

Projects advertised with no funding yet

Some advertised projects do not have funding secured yet. The lead supervisor will usually source funding once they have found a suitable PhD candidate. 

Contact the lead supervisor to find out about the specific funding options if there’s a project you’re interested in.

Doctoral training partnerships and integrated PhDs

Some research degrees are run through doctoral training partnerships and come with guaranteed funding. Check the details in the advertised project for how to apply.

Funding your own project

You should tell your supervisor if you plan to self-fund your research project. You’ll need to say how you intend to pay your fees when you apply. 

You could consider: 

  • a postgraduate doctoral loan
  • external funding bodies (charities, government and the private sector)
  • university scholarships
  • your own funds
  • combining different funding sources

Take out a doctoral loan

You can apply for a government loan to cover your fees. Doctoral loans are not means tested and you can decide how much you want to borrow.

Find out about doctoral loans on GOV.UK

Apply for funding from a charity

You may be able to win funding from 1 or more organisations to help fund your PhD or research degree.

Learn about charity funding on FindAPhD

Get advice on funding your PhD

You can speak to the supervisor you wish you work with or contact the faculty graduate school. 

Graduate school contacts: