phd research grants uk

Four-year PhD Studentships in Science (Closed)

This scheme offers graduates outstanding training in scientific research.

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We're changing our funding schemes

The way we fund research is changing  to support our  new strategy . 

Current science PhD programmes will continue to recruit PhD researchers up to 2024.

Scheme at a glance  

This scheme is now closed.

Studentship stipend, fees and other costs

Eligibility and suitability  

Who can and can't apply show, who can apply.

You can apply for a studentship on one of Wellcome's four-year programmes if you're a graduate or student who has, or expects to obtain, a degree (or equivalent for EU and overseas candidates) in a relevant subject.

Candidates with other relevant qualifications or research experience may also be eligible.

For more information about eligibility, contact the individual programmes listed in the 'How to apply' section on this page.

Who can't apply

You can't apply to carry out activities that involve the transfer of grant funds into mainland China.

What we offer  

Supported costs and expenses show.

A Four-year PhD Studentship in Science includes support for:

a studentship stipend Show

Our new phd studentship stipend scales from 1 october 2023 are:  .

If you're based outside London:

If you're based in London:

Our PhD studentship stipend scales from before 1 October 2023 are:

Phd registration fees at the home (uk) rate show.

Nationals of the UK and Republic of Ireland are eligible to pay home fees.

Nationals of all other high-income countries will need to pay international fees. From 1 January 2021, this also includes EU and EEA nationals.

We recommend that you check with the relevant programme to see what fees you will need to pay.

college fees (where required)

Laboratory rotation expenses, if required, research expenses, transferable skills training, travel costs, including registration fees and carbon offset costs, and childcare or any other caring responsibility cost show.

Find out about claiming the costs to  offset the carbon emissions of your travel  and cover  childcare or any other caring responsibilities .

transition costs at the end of the studentship to help you move to the next stage of your career

The studentship may be held on a part-time basis.

How to apply  

Individual programmes show.

To apply for a Four-year PhD Studentship in Science, contact one of the programmes below. Please don't apply to Wellcome.

Health Data Research UK

• The HDRUK/Turing Wellcome PhD Programme in Health Data Science

King's College London

• Advanced Therapies for Regenerative Medicine
• Neuro-Immune Interactions in Health and Disease

Queen Mary University of London

• Health Data in Practice: Human-centred science    

University College London

• Optical Biology
• UCL Wellcome 4-year PhD in Mental Health Science

University of Bristol

• Dynamic Molecular Cell Biology
• Molecular, Genetic and Lifecourse Epidemiology

University of Cambridge

• Wellcome Four Year PhD Programme in Stem Cell Biology and Medicine

University of Dundee    

• Dundee Training Programme in Integrated Molecular, Cellular and Translational Biology

University of East Anglia

• EDESIA: Plants, Food and Health: a cross-disciplinary PhD programme from Crop to Clinic

University of Edinburgh

• Hosts, Pathogens and Global Health
• Integrative Cell Mechanisms (iCM)
• One Health Models of Disease: Science, Ethics and Society
• Translational Neuroscience 2 (TN2)

University of Glasgow

• Integrative Infection Biology - Mechanisms and Control of Disease  

University of Leicester

• Genomic Epidemiology and Public Health Genomics

University of Manchester

• Immunomatrix in Complex Disease (ICD)

University of Nottingham

• Drug Discovery and Team Science

University of Oxford

• Cellular Structural Biology
• Chemistry in Cells – New Technologies to Probe Complex Biology and Medicine
• Genomic Medicine and Statistics

University of Sheffield     

• Wellcome Trust Doctoral Training Centre in Public Health, Economics and Decision Science (PHEDS)

In addition, we also fund four-year PhD programmes at the  Wellcome Sanger Institute  and the  Sainsbury Wellcome Centre . Please contact the programmes directly for more information.

Key dates  

Individual PhD programmes recruit students annually.

Recruitment

Programmes start, more information  .

Read  Wellcome's review of PhD training in biomedical research .

See a list of  Non-recruiting Four-year PhD Programmes in Science [PDF 23KB]

If you have a question about your application, contact the relevant university PhD programme. 

Other schemes  

Phd fellowships for health professionals.

Wellcome’s PhD Programmes for Health Professionals offer health professionals outstanding research training in supportive and inclusive research environments. Fellowships supported through these programmes aim to create knowledge, build research capability and train a diverse group of future leaders in clinical academia, within a positive research culture.

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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)

Additionally, Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE) can be part-funded by any non-academic body. 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).
• 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 £16,062 (2022/23 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 .

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https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/are-you-thinking-of-doing-a-phd/how-to-apply-for-a-doctorate-in-the-uk-and-get-funding/who-provides-funding-for-uk-doctorates

This page has been reproduced from the Vitae website (www.vitae.ac.uk). Vitae is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development.

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Who provides funding for UK doctorates

Funding for a doctorate (including fees and living expenses) can come from one or more of a range of research funders, including the UK Research Councils, certain charities or other funding bodies, industry, overseas governments or European Union initiatives. Funding can come from the universities’ own funds or a doctorate can be self-funded by the doctoral researcher or funded by their employer.

UK univerities also receive additional funding to cover the costs of supervising doctorates from one of the national HE funding bodies (e.g. HEFCE - the Higher Education Funding Council for England). 

An analysis of the main sources of funding for all doctoral researchers in the UK in 2012/13 is shown below.

The biggest funders of doctoral programmes are:

• Doctoral researchers themselves - around a third of doctoral degrees are entirely self-funded
• Universities, who provide around 21% of funding for doctoral degrees
• The UK Research Councils, providing around 15%.

There are lots of cases of partial or shared funding, e.g. where different bodies fund a programme jointly, such as a funder and the university, or a funder and an industry partner, or the university and part self-funding by the doctoral researcher.

How can I find funding for a doctorate?

Several specialist services are available which list doctoral funding sources (these are often referred to as funding for PhD studentships), for example:

• EURAXESS UK funding search
• EURAXESS EU jobs site

How does PhD funding work?

Funding bodies support doctoral researchers in different ways: some will pay programme fees and also a stipend (i.e. to cover your living costs and expenses), some will only pay programme fees and others simply make a one-off award of some kind. Each funding body will have its own criteria for eligibility.

The UK Research Councils make their funding available through the participating universities rather than directly to doctoral researchers. Research Council awards cover university fees (currently about £4,000 per year) and provide an annual stipend for the doctoral researcher of just under £14,000 per annum (2014/15 rate) which is paid tax-free. The 7 UK research councils are:

Arts and Humanities Research Council Economic and Social Research Council Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Medical Research Council Natural Environment Research Council Science and Technology Facilities Council

For more information on additional costs you might encounter, see: How much does it cost to study for a UK doctorate?

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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!

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• Education and learning
• Student finance

Funding for postgraduate study

You can get funding for postgraduate study through loans, studentships, bursaries and grants - you might also get help from your employer.

You can now apply for funding for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

Search for postgraduate funding on the Scholarship Search website or Prospects website .

Postgraduate Master’s Loan

If you’re starting a master’s degree, you could get a Postgraduate Master’s Loan to help with course fees and living costs. You can get up to:

• £12,167 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2023
• £11,836 if your course started between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023
• £11,570 if your course started between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022

Postgraduate Doctoral Loan

If you’re starting a doctoral degree, you could get a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan to help with course fees and living costs. You can get up to:

• £28,673 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2023
• £27,892 if your course started between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023
• £27,265 if your course started between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022

It is not based on your income or your family’s and it’s paid directly to you.

Studentships

Studentships are postgraduate positions that have funding attached for fees, living expenses or both. They’re mainly funded by UK Research and Innovation .

Teacher training, social work, medical and healthcare courses

You can apply for funding for:

• Initial Teacher Training
• social work - through a social work bursary
• some medical or healthcare courses - through an NHS bursary
• most medical or healthcare courses - through a student loan

Graduate-entry medical students can also get support from Student Finance England for fees charged over £3,465.

Charities and trusts

Charities and trusts sometimes provide grants, often for students from poorer backgrounds or those who’ve achieved academic excellence. Find out more at your local library in these publications:

• the Educational Grants Directory
• the Charities Digest
• the Grants Register
• the Directory of Grant Making Trusts

You can also use the Family Action grant search .

Learned societies

Societies sometimes offer funding for postgraduate or postdoctoral research. They include:

• the British Academy (for humanities and social sciences - postdoctorate only)
• the Royal Academy of Engineering (for engineering)
• the Royal Society (for science - postdoctorate only)

You might be able to get funding from:

• an individual - sometimes people donate awards to help postgraduates (these are usually offered through your university or college)
• your employer - they might sponsor you if the course is relevant to your job
• a Disabled Students’ Allowance
• the Student Awards Agency for Scotland if you’re from Scotland

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Postgraduate research

Funding for research degrees

Find out about your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

Find funding

• Funding for UK (home) students
• Funding for international (including EU) students

Funding options often vary depending on whether you're classed as a UK or international student for fee purposes. If you're unsure,  check your fee status .

Funding announcements

• If you're applying for a PhD, you may be entitled to a Doctoral Loan backed by the UK Government .
• If you're applying for a MPhil or MA/MSc by research, you may be entitled to a Masters Loan backed by the UK Government .
• Our interdisciplinary doctoral training programmes offer studentships funded by UK Research Councils .

[email protected] +44 (0)1904 325962

Related links

• Tuition fees and expenses
• Teach while you study
• The alternative guide to postgraduate funding

Bristol Doctoral College

Bristol has one of the largest concentrations of funding and support for postgraduate research in the UK. Here is an overview of funding options and some tips for exploring funding to support your postgraduate research programme.

Overview of funding

Scholarships.

The University offers a number of funded postgraduate research scholarships for outstanding applicants in all faculties. All of the scholarships available are listed in the online search facility - just use the ‘Research postgraduate’ filter on the form to see a full list of what’s available for postgraduate research students. Awards normally cover full tuition fees and a stipend paid at the  UK Research Council rate , although this can vary according to faculty.

Search the Student Funding database

Studentships

More than 300 funded PhD studentships are available across our six faculties for outstanding students. These vacancies will usually cover tuition fees as well a monthly stipend to cover living costs. They are attached to specific research projects or fields and are advertised individually on school and faculty webpages, or searchable on the jobs.ac.uk web pages.

Search for studentships on jobs.ac.uk

Opportunity Bristol

Opportunity Bristol provides financial support to UK students from Black backgrounds to undertake a research-related Masters degree. The scholarship scheme supports  students in the transition from undergraduate to PhD-level  study. The scheme aims to place students in a better position to pursue a career in research  by supporting their studies at m asters  level.  

Find out more about Opportunity Bristol

Visiting Ukrainian Doctoral Studentships

In 2022, the University of Bristol is offering eight studentships to doctoral students from Ukrainian universities for 6 months.

Find out more

Cohort-based doctoral training

We currently have 29 funded Doctoral Training Centres offering excellent funded postgraduate research opportunities and a wide range of skills training. Funded studentships on these programmes offer the chance to study as part of a cohort of researchers and usually cover fees and living costs. PhD students within these cohorts gain a broad range of skills and knowledge that can be applied across a wide variety of careers within and outside of academia.

Search cohort-based doctoral training

Self-funded study

If you intend to fund yourself through your postgraduate research programme, you might be considering studying part-time in order to work alongside your research to help fund your living costs. Find out more about the cost of living in Bristol .

Doctoral loans

For self-funded postgraduate research students, the UK Government has announced new doctoral loans of up to £25,000 over the duration of a postgraduate research programme. UK nationals who are ordinarily resident in England, aged 59 or under, who are not already receiving funding via a UK Research Council, are eligible. The government is currently considering making EU students eligible.

Doctoral study loans

Employer sponsorship

It might be possible for your employer or company to support your doctoral studies, particularly if the research is valuable and relevant for your employer. Securing sponsorship for your PhD can give you financial support while your employer could benefit from the research you undertake and the skills you bring back to your company.

The Bristol Doctoral College supports opportunities within this portfolio of work and can advise interested applicants further.

Contact us for further information

Funding tips

For further resources, recommendations, and all-things-money related to research degrees, check out our funding tips .

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Opportunities for PhD students and postdoc researchers

We're committed to supporting the next generation of cancer researchers, and our community includes around 550 PhD students and 750 postdoctoral researchers. Our researchers benefit from support including networking groups and events, training, travel grants, and opportunities to begin developing their independent research careers.

Find a PhD or postdoc

Recruitment for PhD studentships and postdoc positions is usually managed independently by the institutes, centres and investigators that we fund around the UK. If you are interested in studying or working with us, we advise you to:

Browse our institutes and centres, and search for positions on their websites

Browse our recently funded awards to find potential supervisors

Search for projects on FindAPhD.com or   FindAPostdoc.com

If you are interested in population research – including behavioural research, epidemiology and cancer prevention – you may be eligible to apply for our Population Research Postdoctoral Fellowship:

Find out more about the Population Research Fellowship

If you already have postdoc experience, you may also be eligible to begin developing your independent research group with our career development fellowships and awards:

Browse our research career development opportunities

Benefits of studying and working with us

As a CRUK-funded student or researcher you will have access to our networking, training and other career development opportunities and benefits, including:

Networking meeting for new PhD students

"Communicating your research" training workshops

Careers day for students nearing the end of their PhD

Annual postdoctoral researchers networking meeting

Annual clinical researchers meeting

Flexible working policies

Disability and accessibility support

We want our research funding to be accessible for everyone. So we’ve developed guidance covering the support we offer grant applicants and grant holders who are disabled or have a long-term health condition.

We welcome researchers from all backgrounds and offer support for anyone needing adjustments in grant applications, interviews and award reporting. 

Entrepreneurial Programmes

Our entrepreneurial programmes will show you how to build a business, connect you to a network of like-minded people and help you find the right advice and support, when you need it.

Black Leaders in Cancer PhD Scholarship Programme

In partnership with Black in Cancer and the Windsor Fellowship, we’re offering a PhD programme for Black undergraduates. By providing funding and comprehensive wraparound support for these students, we can make an immediate and tangible impact on the diversity of our research community. 

Research opportunities for clinical trainees

Clinician scientists provide a valuable bridge between research and clinical practice. We have a number of opportunities to help clinical trainees get a taste of research and develop their careers in cancer research.

Pre-doctoral Research Bursary

Our Research Bursary provides short-term funding to allow clinicians and other health professionals to get involved in research projects early in their career.  

Clinical research training fellowship PhDs

We fund Clinical Research Training Fellowships at each of our translational research Centres. Clinical trainees seeking PhD opportunities should contact Centres directly.

Postdoctoral Research Bursary for Clinical Trainees

This award offers funding for clinical trainees to remain active in research after completion of a PhD.

More career development opportunities

We offer a range of fellowships, bursaries and other support to help outstanding scientists and clinicians develop their independent research careers.

Research career development opportunities

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Stay up to date with research and career development opportunities at CRUK with our monthly  Research Update  email newsletter.

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Research grants

A scheme for scientists in the UK who are at an early stage in their career or returning from a career break and want to purchase specialised equipment and consumables.

Decision by

About the scheme 

This scheme provides ‘seed corn’ funding for up to 12 months for independent researchers. 

The objectives of the scheme are to:

• Enable newly independent researchers to gather preliminary data, develop their research ideas and strengthen applications for further funding
• Support researchers returning after a career break to enable them to develop new ideas and research questions
• Increase the availability of equipment and consumables for researchers at the beginning of their career and those returning from career breaks

The Royal Society recognises that diversity is essential for delivering excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Society wants to encourage applications from the widest range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to maximise innovation and creativity in science for the benefit of humanity. We regularly review and revise policies and processes to embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles in all aspects of the grant making process and ensure all talented applicants have an equitable chance to succeed as per assessment criteria. 

See below for details of adjustments we can provide for disabled applicants. 

Changes to the scheme

This scheme provides ‘seed corn’ funding for up to 12 months for independent researchers. The amount offered through the rounds opening in January and August 2024 is the standard £20,000 to enable researchers to purchase consumables and essential pieces of equipment. Any changes to future rounds will be based on the availability of funding.

What does the scheme offer?

The scheme provides up to £20,000 of funding for up to 12 months.

Funds can cover:

• consumables
• travel costs and subsistence for essential field research

Full funding details can be found in the scheme notes.  

This scheme is for you if: 

• You hold a PhD or equivalent qualification
• You are within the first five consecutive years of an independent research post, at the time of application. This can be either your first permanent independent academic research post or a named limited-tenured/fixed-term academic research post, obtained in open competition (note that tenure must cover the duration of the award)
• You are based at an eligible UK organisation and a UK resident at the time of application
• You are a fully independent researcher with access to your own lab space and with the ability to recruit and be registered as the primary supervisor of PhD students and research assistants. 
• Your research is within the Royal Society’s remit of natural sciences, which includes but is not limited to biological research and biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics. For a full list, please see the breakdown of subject groups and areas  supported by the Royal Society. 

Read the scheme notes for further information on eligibility. Please ensure that you meet all eligibility requirements before applying. 

You will apply through our application and grant management system, Flexi-Grant®.  

See the ‘Application and assessment process’ page  for a general overview of the application and selection steps and see below for details specific to this scheme. Full details of the application and review process are available in the scheme notes. 

Assessment of your application will be overseen by the Royal Society Research Grants panel . Following eligibility checks, applications are initially reviewed and assessed by a minimum of two panel members who have the most appropriate scientific expertise.  Following completion of the panel assessment, a shortlist is drawn up. Shortlisted applications are reviewed by the Panel Chair and the recommendations for funding are made. 

The Royal Society welcomes applications from scientists with disabilities and provides adjustments to ensure that they can participate fully in the selection process. If you need an adjustment when accessing the application form, or for any other part of the application process, please contact the Grants team on [email protected] or visit our contact us page. 

• extension of the deadline
• additional support to complete the application form

If you have further questions regarding the scheme, please contact the Grants team on [email protected] or visit our contact us page . 

• Research grants scheme notes 2024
• Conditions of Award

Related content

The application and assessment process

Further information on eligibility and the application process for Royal Society grants.

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See all upcoming key dates of the Society’s funding schemes.

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Foundation grants UK

We award research funding to original and robust ideas that aim to improve people’s lives.

Grant applications should fall within or across our key areas of interest: Education, Welfare and Justice.

The Foundation believes in the power of evidence to create change

Our funding grants are awarded to research that examines the inequalities, disadvantages and vulnerabilities people face throughout their lives, and produces findings that can influence future policy.

As an independent Foundation, we offer the freedom to frame questions and  enable new thinking to understand and find solutions to the challenges we face . We encourage interdisciplinary approaches in and across our three broad research areas of  Education ,  Justice  and  Welfare . We look for comprehensive proposals that use rigorous methodology and can make a difference.

Learn more about how some of our projects have led to real-world change in both policymaking and wider society. Explore our  impact  section.

For tips on submitting a successful application, watch our webinar on how to get Nuffield Foundation research funding.

For researchers applying for our Research, development and analysis fund , please note that in March 2024, we are pausing funding for strategic grants of over £750,000 while we consult with partners and stakeholders about our new strategy. The pause means that for 2024, the research projects we support will be for grant sizes of up to £750k.

As an inclusive funder, we welcome applications from diverse communities and under-represented groups.

I think that one of the things that is a profound challenge to all of us, and that goes well beyond what individual social scientists can do, is people’s abandonment of evidence in parts of the political debate. It’s a very difficult world now, which requires a lot of thought about how to establish authoritative evidence.

Current funding opportunities

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Each year we fund a three-month fellowship for at least one PhD student at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST).

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Looking for tips on applying for a grant?

We held a webinar on our research interests, our priorities and what we expect from an application. Missed it? We recorded the event.

Webinar | How to get Nuffield Foundation research funding

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Research grant - MRC

Introduction.

MRC research grants are suitable for focused research projects that may be short- or long-term in nature. In addition, they can be used to support method development or development and continuation of research facilities and may involve more than one research group or institution.

A research grant can be awarded for any period of up to 5 years, but those of two years or less are for proof of principle work only. Proof of principle proposals are expected to support high-risk or high-reward research by critically testing a key hypothesis or demonstrating feasibility of an approach that could lead to fundamentally new avenues of research.

All work proposed would need to be fully justified. Applications seeking support of greater than 3 years should provide a clear justification as to why a longer timescale is needed, for example due to specific research deliverables, or the need for prolonged data collection or follow-up.

The budget for research grant awards will not typically exceed £1 million. Research grants do not cover programmatic approaches or research involving randomised trials of clinical treatments. If your proposed research will lead directly to a separately funded clinical trial, please contact an MRC research board manager to discuss its eligibility.

The proposal success rates page shows the number of research grants awarded each year.

Last updated: 24 July 2023

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 .

• Masters’ Scholarships
• PhD Fellowships
• Postgraduate Research Support Grants
• Martin Lynn Scholarship in African History
• Early Career Fellowship Grants
• Early Career Research Support Grants
• Open Research Support Grants
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• Funded Book Workshops
• David Berry Fellowship in the History of Scotland and the Scottish People
• Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships

Research Funding

Allocation of research funding is central to the Society’s work of supporting historians and historical research.

In 2023 the Society awarded £110,085 in funding to historians through open competitions, generously assisted by partner organisations and donors. In 2023-24, the Society is developing and extending its funding programmes for historians, within and outside Higher Education, and at at all career stages.

Funding is available to historians at three career stages. Please follow the links for further information on:

• Postgraduate Research Funding for historians studying for a History Masters degree or PhD
• Early Career Research Funding for historians within 5 years of completing a doctorate in History
• Open Research Funding for historians further on from PhD completion, or in mid / later career employed in Higher Education or in other sectors aligned to history

The Society runs three additional funding programmes open to historians at all career stages. Please follow the links for more on our annual:

• Workshop Grants , enabling historians to come together to discuss projects in detail
• Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships , to facilitate innovative and creative teaching practice
• David Berry Fellowship, to undertake work relating to the history of Scotland or the Scottish people worldwide

Current calls for funding, between May and September 2024

The following programmes are now open and accepting applications (in order of deadline):

• RHS Centenary and Marshall PhD Fellowships – four 6 month Fellowships, held with the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, to support completion of a History PhD. Awards of £8,295 per Fellowship over six months. Next closing date for applications: Friday 31 May 2024.
• Postgraduate Research Support Grants – for History students (who are Postgraduate Members of the Royal Historical Society ), currently studying for a Masters degree or PhD. Awards of either £500 or £1000 to support specified research activities. Next c losing date for applications: Friday 7 June 2024.
• Early Career Research Support Grants – for early career historians (historians who are within 5 years of having submitted their PhD in a historical subject). Applicants must also be members of the Royal Historical Society . Awards of either £500 or £1000 to support specified research activities. Next c losing date for applications: Friday 7 June 2024.
• Martin Lynn Scholarships in African History – to assist a postgraduate researcher of African history. The Scholarship is worth £1,500 and is open to Postgraduate Members of the Royal Historical Society . Next closing date for applications: Friday 6 September 2024 .

In addition to these calls, further programmes will be released in the coming months.

Applicants for Royal Historical Society funding must be members of the Society, with exceptions for several Postgraduate grants. To find out how to become a Fellow, Associate Fellow, Member or Postgraduate Member, please see our Join Us page.

Details of current holders of Fellowships and recipients of Research Funding are available here .

All enquiries about Research Funding should be sent to the Society’s Membership and Administration Officer at: [email protected] .

HEADER IMAGE: Bowl with a scholar, anon, c.1575-99, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, public domain.

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Civil Engineering: Fully Funded EPSRC and TWI PhD Scholarship: AI-Driven Investigation into Predictive Non-destructive Evaluation (RS609)

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Closing date: 31 July 2024

Key Information

Funding providers:  EPSRC DTP and TWI

Subject areas:  Modelling, Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence

Project start date:  

• 1 October 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Supervisors:

• Professor Chenfeng Li (First supervisor - [email protected] )
• Professor Richard Johnston (Second supervisor)

Aligned programme of study:  PhD in Civil Engineering

Mode of study:  Full-time

Project description:  

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is a testing and analysis technique used by industry to evaluate the properties of a material, component, structure or system for characteristic differences or welding defects and discontinuities without causing damage to the original part. Among various NDT approaches, Ultrasound Testing (UT) and X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) are the main focus of this project.

Both UT and XCT techniques can produce large 3D datasets that can be challenging to interrogate for human experts to fully analyse. Small defects or anomalies may be missed when manually examining through the acquired volumetric data. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising solution to automate and enhance defect detection in these complex structural data. The aim of this study is to improve diagnostic accuracy through development an AI system that can perform rapid processing of large 3D data volumes, and identify defects that are difficult to discern with the naked eye and provide a second opinion with a level of certainty to assist human experts. 

From the aspect of research methodology, the research work involves image processing, data analytics and machine learning, as well as image-based material characterization. From the application aspect, the project emphasizes on both metallic and composite materials and components.

Eligibility

Candidates must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline. If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements (see  country specific qualifications ). Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency. 

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only , as defined by  UKCISA regulations .  

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email  [email protected]  with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in. 

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237 and an annual top-up of £1,200.

Additional research expenses will also be available.

How to Apply

To apply, please  complete your application online   with the following information:

In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this event, please email [email protected] where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.

• Start year  – please select  2024
• Funding (page 8)  –
• ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select  No
• ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter  ‘RS609 - Non-destructive Evaluation’

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award ; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

We encourage you to complete the following to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University: 

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form  (online form)  

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via e-mail).  We strongly advise you to provide the listed supporting documents by the advertised application closing date.  Please note that your application may not be considered without the documents listed:

• Degree certificates and transcripts  (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
• A cover letter  including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.
• Two references  (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the  Swansea University reference form . Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
• Evidence of meeting  English Language requirement  (if applicable).
• Copy of  UK resident visa  (if applicable)
• Confirmation of EDI form submission (optional)  

Informal enquiries are welcome, please contact Professor Chenfeng Li ( [email protected] ).

*External Partner Application Data Sharing  – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.