phd in uk stipend

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 .

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 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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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, at The University of Manchester, the 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

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Home > Research > Research degrees > Funding > PhD Studentships 2024

PhD Studentships for October 2024 start

The application deadline for this competition has now passed.

Kingston University has established an international reputation for high quality, innovative research. Our research degree students are a core part of this.

We are again seeking to make a substantial investment in up to 20 new PhD studentships enrolling in late September 2024. These include targeted awards for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students and for Kingston alumni.

We are looking for students with expertise that matches our areas of research excellence. Application for these highly competitive research studentships is now open.

Deadline: Complete applications must be received by the end of day (GMT midnight), Wednesday 6 March 2024. 

More information on the research areas can be found by following the faculty links below:

Kingston School of Art

• Business and Social Sciences
• Engineering, Computing and the Environment

Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education

Learn more about:

• the University's research.
• support available for students with disabilities .

Funding available

There are three different levels of funding available for new students: fully funded, partially funded, and fees only, all at the home fee rate.

• Full-time and Part-time applications are welcome : Funding for part-time study will be pro rata at 50% of the full-time rate.
• Overseas fee-paying candidates: These awards will cover Home fees only. If you are selected for interview you will need to demonstrate that you can fund the difference in fees for each year of your registration. This is currently £11,288 for the academic year 2023/24 and it should be noted that tuition fees increase slightly each year. You would therefore need to find at least £33,864 over the 3 years, plus the yearly increase.

Note that if you were shortlisted for the Techne 2024 funding competition but were unsuccessful you will automatically be considered for these awards.

Fully-funded studentships

Up to 15 awards are available.

Fees: Home tuition fees only for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time. For 2023/24 this is £4,712 full-time or £2,356 part-time.

Stipend: 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time.

The full-time doctoral stipend for 2023/24 is £20,622 per year; levels are likely to rise slightly for the following years but have not yet been confirmed.

Applications for part-time study are welcomed and will receive pro-rata funding for both tuition fees and stipend.

Race Equality studentships

Fully-funded studentships for black, asian and minority ethnic applicants (home students only).

We encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students and have set aside a number of the studentships listed above for applicants who identify as having these ethnic backgrounds. In addition to the funding, there will be a programme of support and mentoring available to you.

Successful applicants will be offered a place on our RISE Research Leadership Academy , which is designed to develop candidates' leadership skills within academia.

Note that these awards are open to Home fee-paying students only.  Read more about who is eligible for home fee status .

To apply, please follow the process listed below and state ‘Race Equality Studentship' at the top of your Studentship Application Statement.

Once we have confirmed the availability of a potential supervisory team, we will offer application and interview support through a faculty mentor who will be a member of academic staff. To access support in advance of submitting your application please email the relevant Research Student Coordinator (listed below) and ask to be put in touch with a mentor in your subject area.

We are also hoping to have current research students with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds available to discuss their experiences with you. If you would like to take up this opportunity, please email [email protected] to arrange an informal online meeting or phone call.

Note that a representative from the Kingston University People of Colour Staff Network will be part of the awarding panel.

Unsuccessful applicants who reach the interview stage will be offered a feedback meeting to assist with future applications.

Watch a video from one of our current award holders, Salema Foot, whose research focuses on the academic lived experiences of Black postgraduate students in the UK.

Read more about Kingston's approach to reducing the degree awarding gap .

Kingston Alumni studentships

At least one of the fully-funded PhD studentships listed above will be awarded to a Kingston Alumni who has completed an undergraduate and/or masters level degree course at Kingston University or its predecessor institutions. Please note 'KU Alumni application' on your Studentship Application Statement.

Partial studentships

Up to 5 awards are available.

Total contribution to fees and stipend: £11,000 per year for three years full-time or £5,500 per year for six years part-time. Payments will be made towards tuition fees and any remaining funds will be paid as a stipend.

Tuition Fees only studentships

Fees: UK Home tuition fees only for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time.

Awards will cover UK Home tuition fees for three years of full-time study or the part-time equivalent. For 2023/24 this is £4,712 full-time or £2,356 part-time.

• How to apply

If you would like to apply for a Studentship at Kingston University, please follow the steps below.

Academic and administrative staff will be happy to help with queries but please note that they are available during working hours only and some staff work part time, so please give yourself plenty of time to complete the application.

Apply by: Wednesday 6 March 2024 (GMT midnight). Applications received after this time will not be considered.

Eligibility

To apply you must:

• have (or expect to have by 30 September 2024) a postgraduate masters degree or a first/upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed research project. Equivalent professional experience may also be accepted.
• be intending to research in an area that is covered by Kingston University research expertise.
• if you are not from an English-speaking country or have not studied at a UK university before, you must provide proof of Internet-based IELTS at a minimum overall score of 6.5 or 7 (or equivalent qualification). The requirement varies by subject, so please see our English Language Requirements for further details. Note that the qualification must be dated no earlier than 30 September 2021.

Please note that:

• Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
• Current doctoral students are not eligible to apply.
• Tuition fees will be paid at Home level only for 3 years. Overseas fee-paying students may apply but, if short-listed, will be required to provide evidence of how the remaining part of their fees will be paid.
• You should allow plenty of time to apply. Academic and administrative staff will be happy to help but are not able to answer queries outside the working week; some staff also work part time.

Step 1 – Write a research proposal

You will need to write a research proposal to support your Studentship application. For guidance on how to put together a research proposal, please visit the faculty pages:

• Health, Science, Social Care and Education  (note this faculty accepts applications for projects devised by applicants themselves and specific  pre-approved projects ).
• Engineering, Computing and the Environment  (note this faculty only accepts applications for specific pre-approved projects ).

You may want to discuss your research proposal with potential supervisors before you submit your application.

Please explore our staff profiles to find information on University staff and their research interests.

Advertised projects

If you are applying to an advertised project in the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment  or the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education , when you submit your online application please include a separate document stating the advertised project title and name of supervisor. You do not need to include the full project proposal.

Step 2 – Write a Studentship Application Statement

You must write a Studentship Application Statement and submit it with your online application. The statement should cover the points listed below. Maximum 500 words. Note that you do not also need to include a personal statement, unless you wish to.

Please save your statement as ' KU Studentship Application Statement YOUR NAME ' and attach it to your online application at the point where you are asked to include a personal statement. You do not need to include an additional personal statement.

If you would like to apply for a Race Equality Studentship, or a KU Alumni Studentship, please note this clearly at the top of your statement.

In your Studentship Application Statement, please cover these points:

1. Why do you want to do a PhD?

Signing up for a PhD is a big undertaking. We need to know that you understand the commitment required for research and have a passion for your subject.

2. Why Kingston University?

What makes you keen to study with us at Kingston?

3. Why this subject area?

What is it about the area you have chosen that inspires you?

4. What will be the impact of your research and who will be reading it?

The impact of your research is how it will bring change to the wider society beyond academia (e.g. economy, society, culture, public policy, health, the environment and quality of life – both within the UK and overseas).

Who are the wider audiences for your research, perhaps in professional practice, policy-making, popular culture?

Who do you want to reach with your research?

How might you do so?

5. Your academic and/or professional background

How will your skills and expertise help you successfully complete your research project?

6. What personal qualities do you have that make you suited to PhD research?

For example: resilience and tenacity.

7. Assessment of personal development needs

A PhD is all about training to be a researcher. What knowledge and skills will you need to develop to conduct the proposed research?

How can we support your personal development?

Step 3 – Apply online

You should submit your application, research proposal and Studentship Application Statement online.

Please note , there are different application links for each faculty, so please make sure you use the correct apply link.

Make your application using our online portal

Include with your application:

• Your research proposal or information about your chosen advertised project (see Step 1).
• A KU Studentship Application Statement. Please follow our template and guidance outlined in Step 2. If you do not include this statement your application will not be considered for a studentship.
• Copies of your transcripts and/or degree certificates, or partial transcripts if you have not yet completed the degree (you will be required to provide the originals for verification at a later date).
• English language qualification, if applicable (see above).
• CV, including publications (if relevant).
• As part of the online application, under the Finance heading you will be asked to indicate how you will be paying your fees. Please select 'KU Studentship'.

If you have already applied to Kingston University for October 2024 and wish to be considered for a studentship, please email the appropriate faculty listed below with your application reference number and attach your Studentship Application Statement. Please also complete the Equal Opportunities Form .

Step 4 – Complete the equal opportunities form

Kingston University is committed to ensuring that students are selected on the basis of merit. Completion of the equal opportunities form will help us to ensure that our policies and procedures are effective in avoiding discrimination and promoting equal opportunities in awarding studentships.

Your answers will not affect your application in any way. The information will not be seen by your potential supervisors, your referees, or the reviewers assessing your application.

Complete the equal opportunities form . 

Step 5 – Provide references

References are not required with the application but will be required for shortlisted applicants and must be provided by the applicant before their interview .

Shortlisted applicants will be notified and must ensure references are submitted to the relevant Faculty by 19 April 2024.  The applicant is responsible for ensuring that references are submitted to the relevant Faculty.

Referees should be asked to complete the Reference Form .

Who can provide a reference?

References should be from professional or academic contacts and cannot be from family members or friends. At least one reference should be from someone who knows you from your most recent academic qualification.

Step 6 – Attend an interview

You may be invited to attend an interview as part of your Studentship application.

Applicants invited for interview will be informed as soon as possible after the closing date. If you have not heard from us by 6 April, your application has been unsuccessful.

Need more information?

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions – KU Doctoral Studentships 2024 (Doc) .

Read about our past and current research students and their research projects:

• Research student case studies
• Current research student profiles

For more information about research degree programmes at Kingston University .

For faculty-specific enquiries please contact the relevant Research Student Coordinator listed below.

Visit Kingston School of Art's research webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected] .

Faculty of Business and Social Sciences

Visit the Faculty's research webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected] .

Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment

Please see the Faculty's research degree webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected]

Please visit the Faculty's research degree webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at  [email protected] .

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• Postgraduate Research

How to fund your PhD

The costs of studying for a PhD can be met in several different ways.

This includes:

• Through funded PhDs , commonly known as PhD studentships, which cover the cost of your research degree and often provide a stipend to cover living expenses.
• Self-funding your PhD, covering the costs yourself or through other sources
• Applying for PhD scholarships, grants and bursaries, which may cover all or part of your fees and help towards other expenses
• Working alongside your PhD.

Securing funding can be complex and time consuming so it’s important that you start your search early.

Funding bodies support postgraduate research students in different ways; some will pay programme fees and also a stipend (i.e. often a tax free fixed sum of money 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.

Research councils - UK students

Research Councils are funded by the Government and invest £3 billion in academic research each year.

There are seven Research Councils in the UK:

• Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Each year, the Research Councils allocate around 6,000 training grants, commonly known as studentships, to selected universities and departments. Please note, the Research Councils don't fund postgraduate students directly.

Researchers funded by the UK Research Councils or other research funders, such as the Wellcome Trust, are likely to experience a structured doctoral training programme. The main structured doctoral programmes in the UK are Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP), which usually involve a consortium of institutions and research institutions, and Centres for Doctoral Training (CDT), which are focused on a particular research area, often located within one institution.

The UK Research Councils normally fund UK students. If you're an EU or international student see our section on 'Research councils - EU and International students'.

Research councils/ Government Sponsorship - EU and International students

Funding may be available for EU students through research council-funded Doctoral Training Partnerships.  See the guidance offered by each partnership for more information.  EU and international students can also look for funding through a Research Council in the country you normally reside in, or your local (or nearest) office of the British Council.

Studentships / Doctoral Training Partnerships at Liverpool

The University of Liverpool continues to be successful in securing funding from a variety of research councils for Centres for Doctoral Training (CDT or DTC) and Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP) ensuring access to this increasingly influential model for providing postgraduate research studentships.

These initiatives provide researchers with the skillsets required to tackle both current and future challenges as part of supportive and innovative interdisciplinary environments.

Trusts and charities

A large number of charities and trust funds offer funding to students at university level, some of which is available to intending postgraduate students, and some to students who have already started their course (this is more common for PhDs and other doctoral study).

Funding is usually awarded on the basis of two main criteria: either academic excellence, economic hardship, or both. Individual charities may well have additional criteria which relates to the work of the charity itself, and there are sometimes other strict eligibility requirements based on subject or place of residence. The funds provided normally relate to the amount of money a particular charity or trust may have, and can vary in amount from a few hundred pounds to several thousand. They are frequently intended to be partial funding only, so you may find you need to apply to more than one source if you need funds to cover all your study.

You can fund your postgraduate research yourself if you have access to funds such as personal savings. Other ways to help fund your research working alongside your studies, tutoring, and helping undergraduate students by becoming a residential advisor.

Part-time tutoring

Postgraduate research students occasionally supplement their main source of support (within limits set by the Research Councils or other funding sources) by earning payments from the University. Responsibilities can include:

• Teaching and demonstrating work in the departments (for up-to 15 hours a week)
• Exam invigilation
• Administrative duties

Speak to your supervisor to find out what opportunities are available.

Residential Adviser opportunities

By becoming one of our Residential Advisers you can save a minimum of £4750 per year on accommodation, which can be used towards other costs relating to your studies. These important roles involve you providing support and guidance to our undergraduate students, including those living in our brand new £50 million Crown Place at the heart of the Liverpool Campus. This support could involve dealing with anything from lost keys or illness to well being concerns or news of a family bereavement.

We will provide you with the necessary training and you will have 24/7 back-up from our professional student support teams. In return we can offer you accommodation at a reduced rate as well as the opportunity to gain some valuable experience to benefit your future career.  Find out more about becoming a residential adviser .

Grants, bursaries and scholarships may cover all or part of your fees or provide you with contributions towards your living expenses and other costs such as travel and equipment.

Obtaining employee sponsorship can be highly mutually beneficial for both you and the company involved in the arrangement, as it can give financial support throughout the period of study, while at the same time ensuring that meaningful, relevant research is being carried out for the company.

We recommend that you approach your line manager, HR or Training and Development team with a proposal of how postgraduate research can improve your skill set and benefit the organisation.  If your proposal is approved then you will then need to agree the terms and conditions of the sponsorship including the amount they are willing to sponsor you, working and study hours, the amount of time to complete the research and any allowance for learning materials. 

We then recommend you contact us with the proposal you have agreed with your organisation.  

The Government Postgraduate Doctoral Loan of up to £28,673  (if your course starts on or after 1 August 2023) can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.  The amount you’ll get isn’t based on you or your family’s income.

The loan is paid directly to you and you will receive the first payment after your course start date, once your University registration has been confirmed. The loan will be divided equally across each year of your course.

Apply now for a 2023 loan!

Eligibility

Your course can be full-time or part-time. It can be taught or research-based, or a combination of both.

You must be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your course.

You will not be able to get a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan if:

• you’ve received or will receive Research Council funding (for example, studentships, stipends, scholarships and tuition fee support)
• you’re already getting a social work bursary
• you’re already getting an Educational Psychology bursary and your course starts on or after 1 August 2020
• you’re eligible to apply for an NHS bursary (even if you’re not receiving it)
• you’re already getting payments from Student Finance England for another course that you’re studying
• you’ve received a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan before - unless you left your course due to illness, bereavement or another serious personal reason
• you already have a doctoral degree, or a qualification that’s equivalent or higher
• you’re receiving a doctorate by publication
• you’re behind in repayments for any previous loans from the Student Loans Company

Your course must:

• be a full, standalone doctoral course (not a top-up course)
• have started on or after 1 August 2018
• last between 3 to 8 academic years
• be provided by a university in the UK with research degree awarding powers

If more than one university delivers your course and one is overseas, you’ll still be eligible for the Postgraduate Doctoral Loan so long as:

• the UK university is the lead institution
• you spend at least 50% of your study time over the whole course in the UK

Intergrated doctorals

You can apply for a loan if your doctoral programme includes an integrated master’s degree (even if you already have a master’s degree).

You must register for a full doctoral degree.

You will not be able to apply for a separate Postgraduate Master’s Loan.

Distance Learning

To qualify for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan for distance learning, you’ll need to be living in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course.

You’ll also need to live in:

• England for the whole of your course, if you’re an EU national
• the UK for the whole of your course, if you’re not an EU national

This usually does not apply if you’re:

• serving in the armed forces
• a spouse or civil partner of a serving member of the armed forces
• a dependent parent living with a serving member of the armed forces

The academic year is a period of 12 months starting on:

• 1 September, if your course starts between 1 August and 31 December
• 1 January, if your course starts between 1 January and 31 March
• 1 April, if your course starts between 1 April and 30 June
• 1 July, if your course starts between 1 July and 31 July

Your nationality or residency status

You can apply for the Postgraduate Doctoral Loan if all of the following are true:

• you’re a UK national or Irish citizen or have settled status under the  EU Settlement Scheme  or indefinite leave to remain so there are no restrictions on how long you can stay
• you normally live in England
• you’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 years in a row before the first day of the first academic year of your course (apart from temporary absences such as holidays)

If you’ve been living in Ireland or a British overseas territory, you do not need to normally live in England. You can apply for the loan if you attend your course in England or do distance learning in England.

You might also be eligible if you’re a UK national (or family member of a UK national) and you’ve been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years. To be eligible, you must have either:

• returned to the UK on or after 1 January 2018 and by 31 December 2020 after living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• been living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein on 31 December 2020

If you’re an EU national or a family member of an EU national

You may be eligible if you’re an  EU national , or a family member of an EU national, and all the following apply:

• you have settled or pre-settled status under the  EU Settlement Scheme  (no restrictions on how long you can stay)
• you’ve normally lived in the UK, the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or overseas territories for the past 3 years (this is also known as being ‘ordinarily resident’)
• you’ll be studying at a university in England

You could also be eligible if you’re:

• the child of a Swiss national and you and your parent have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• a migrant worker from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with pre-settled status, or a family member of a migrant worker where both have settled or pre-settled status
• a resident of Gibraltar who is a UK or EU national, or their family member
• an EU national and have pre-settled status under the  EU Settlement Scheme  and lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the past 3 years

Student finance for EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein nationals from August 2021

If you started a course on or after 1 August 2021, you usually need to have settled or pre-settled status under the  EU Settlement Scheme  to get student finance.

You need to have started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021. If you’re joining family members in the UK who have settled status, you can apply for student finance before you have been granted pre-settled status.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme. They can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if they wish to - for example, to apply on behalf of a child.

If you have a different residency status

You may also be eligible if your residency status is one of the following:

• refugee (including family members)
• humanitarian protection (including family members)
• child of a Turkish worker who has permission to stay in the UK - you and your Turkish worker parent must have been living in the UK by 31 December 2020
• a stateless person (including family members)
• an unaccompanied child granted ‘Section 67 leave’ under the Dubs Amendment
• a child who is under the protection of someone granted ‘Section 67 leave’, who is also allowed to stay in the UK for the same period of time as the person responsible for them (known as ‘leave in line’)
• granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain
• a child of someone granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain, who is also allowed to stay in the UK for the same period of time as their parent (known as ‘leave in line’)
• you’ve been given settled status but not under the EU Settlement Scheme
• you’ve been given indefinite leave to remain because you’ve been the victim of domestic violence
• you’ve been granted indefinite leave to remain as a bereaved partner
• you or your family member have been granted leave under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) or the Afghan Citizen’s Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)
• you or your family member have been granted leave to enter or remain in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme, the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme or the Ukraine Extension Scheme

If you’re a non-UK national and have lived in the UK for a certain number of years

You could also be eligible if you’re not a UK national and are either:

• under 18 and have lived in the UK for at least 7 years
• 18 or over and have lived in the UK for at least 20 years (or at least half of your life)

You must have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 years in a row before the first day of the first academic year of your course.

For further information, please visit the GOV.UK guide on Doctoral Loans .

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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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• Postgraduate
• PhD and Professional Doctorates
• Fees and funding

Fees and funding for research students

Find out how much a PhD or Professional Doctorate will cost and the funding options available, including PhD studentships, stipends, loans and doctoral awards.

Once you’ve decided to study a research degree, the next step is figuring out how you're going to fund it. There are many different types of funding, including studentships, external grants, and loans. Explore this page to see what’s available and how much a research degree will cost.

How much does a PhD or Professional Doctorate cost?

Our tuition fees are set and reviewed on an annual basis and the amount you pay will depend on the length of your course and mode of study. For some Science and Technology projects, an annual bench fee may also be payable.

Postgraduate Research fees for 2023/24 entry

Postgraduate Research fees for 2024/25 entry

PhD funding

There are many different ways to fund a PhD, including university studentships, funding from research councils, charities or businesses, and doctoral loans. PhD funding falls into three main categories:

• Fully-funded – your PhD tuition fees are covered in full along with an amount for living costs and other expenses (usually called a stipend).
• Partially-funded – part of your fees or living costs are covered, but not both. You will usually need to top up this funding with your own money or other grants.
• Self-funded – you are financing your own PhD fees and living costs through a combination of savings or earnings and loans.

Search our current projects .

ESRC studentships

The Midlands Graduate School (ESRC accredited) is looking to recruit top quality PhD students to commence study in October 2024 across a range of subjects, offering studentships – covering a maintenance stipend and payment of tuition fees at the home fee rate.

NTU fully-funded PhD studentships

Every year we provide fully-funded PhD studentships with opportunities across all our academic disciplines. These cover the full cost of tuition plus a stipend for living expenses for both UK and International students. Applications usually open in October.

Sign up for emails to be notified of the next release and to keep up to date with research funding.

What is a PhD stipend?

Some funded projects may eligible for a stipend – a grant to help cover your living expenses that you don't have to pay back. Find out the  current minimum stipend rates set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Funding for international researchers

Many of our funded PhD projects are open to international students. Check the specific project details to see who is eligible.

FindaPhD also provides a guide to funding for international students looking to study a PhD in the UK.

Other funded opportunities at NTU

We’re pleased to participate in funded projects that improve access to research and benefit local communities.

Midlands4Cities

Funding and supporting outstanding research in Arts and Humanities across the Midlands.

Co(l)laboratory

A Universities for Nottingham project providing funding for locally-relevant, challenge-based research.

Equality and Doctoral Education through Partnership and Innovation (EDEPI)

A funded programme for NHS workers, created to tackle barriers to doctoral education for racially minoritised groups.

ESRC Studentships

Funding and further support for doctoral candidates in a range of subjects and pathways.

Doctoral loans

Student Finance England and Student Finance Wales provide a non-means-tested Doctoral loan of up to £28,673 to help with course fees and living costs for a postgraduate research course, such as a PhD or Professional Doctorate.

These are available on full-time, part-time and distance learning courses if you are living in the UK and you’ll only start to repay when your income is over £21,000 a year.

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) helps to cover the extra costs you might incur because of a disability, including a long-term health condition, mental health condition, physical disability, or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.

Learn more about DSA

Alumni discount

We offer an exclusive 20% discount to NTU alumni who enrol on an eligible postgraduate course.

External funding

A variety of research councils, governmental agencies and charities can provide funding for your research degree. Take a look at some of the opportunities available below.

Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences

• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) - the UK's main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge transfer in the environmental sciences.

Art and Humanities

• Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) - small, large, and project-based grants for students in humanities and social sciences.

Science and Technology

• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) - funding provider for research into biological systems
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) - funding for Information Systems and Mathematics research.

Social Sciences

• Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) - small, large, and project-based grants for students in humanities and social sciences
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) - the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues
• Ford Foundation - provides grants to support research into social change and development
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation - endowed charity that funds a large, UK-wide research and development programme focussing on social policy issues
• National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) - supporting researchers in health and social care
• Nuffield Foundation - fund research and innovation in education and social policy
• Social Science Research Council (SSRC) - an independent non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of social science research and scholarship
• Wellcome Trust - grants for human health-related research.

Situational

• Commonwealth Scholarships - offers opportunities to Commonwealth citizens to study in the UK
• Leverhulme Trust - funding for cross-disciplinary research.

Financial support

Studying through the cost-of-living crisis.

How we can support you, and how you can make your funding go further.

We provide a range of support and resources to help you manage your finances while you're studying at NTU.

Need advice on how to fund your studies?

Our student finance team are here to help. They can offer guidance on postgraduate fees, loans, and money management.

Chat to the  team on Unibuddy , email  [email protected] or call +44 (0)115 848 2494 .

For advice on making secure international payments please visit our international scholarships and fees pages .

Doctoral Studentships (Closed)

This scheme enables researchers to undertake humanities or social science doctoral degrees in any area of health.

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We’re changing our funding schemes

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

Scheme at a glance  

This scheme is now closed.

Stipend, research expenses and tuition fees

Usually 3 years

Application deadline

2 March 2021, 17:00 GMT

Eligibility and suitability

Who can apply.

You can apply for a Doctoral Studentship if you want to complete a 3 year PhD in any humanities or social science area on a topic related to health.

At the point of applying, you should hold, or expect to hold, a relevant Master's degree, or have equivalent research experience. 

You must have been accepted onto a PhD programme with an eligible host organisation in the UK, Republic of Ireland or a low- or middle-income country (apart from mainland China). You should have a written statement to confirm this from someone at the relevant level of authority. 

You must not have started your PhD.

You can be of any nationality.

Fees for nationals of high-income countries

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 your host organisation to see what fees you’ll need to pay.

If you need to pay an international fee (we cover the home fee), you should either:

• Ask your intended host organisation to confirm that they will charge a home fee rather than a higher international fee. In your application you should include written confirmation of this, signed by someone at the relevant level of authority. 
• Get additional funding to cover the difference between the home fee and the international fee from an external source, although the project must remain a Wellcome PhD (we do not part-fund). Please state the source of your funding in your application.

Who can't apply

You can't apply if:

• you've received support for your doctoral studies from another funding body 
• you’ve already started your doctoral studies.

If you've previously been unsuccessful with a full application for this scheme, you can't apply again with the same proposal unless we've invited you to do so. However, you're welcome to apply with a new project.

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

What we're looking for

We will assess:

• the significance and originality of your proposed research
• the suitability and relevance of your approach to your research topic
• the suitability of the host organisation and department for your research and for developing your career
• your track record, for example assessed work during your Master’s course.

Read about the grants we've awarded  and the research we support in the humanities and social sciences .

We encourage you to check that your application is competitive by discussing your project with:

• your intended supervisor(s)
• researchers in relevant health-related fields
• the research office at your host organisation.

Your supervisor and other researchers

Your supervisor and other researchers will give you advice about the intellectual quality, methodology and importance of your project. They will also help you to decide whether it’s the right time for you to apply.

Research office

The research office at your host organisation should be able to advise you on:

how much time the authorised organisational approver needs to approve your application after you submit it – this may need to be done well in advance of the Wellcome deadline 

how to structure your application, including the budget 

what information is needed to support your proposal.

Contact the research office and your supervisors for advice as early as possible in the application process.

What's expected of your host organisation

You must have an eligible host organisation that will administer your fellowship for the full duration of the award.

You should give careful thought to your choice of supervisor(s); they should have strong track records in research, training and mentorship.

If you have a multi-site or multi-method project, you may need more than one supervisor. You should make it clear on your application form how you will all work together.

Your sponsor can also be your supervisor.

Your sponsor should be in a position to guarantee you space and facilities for the full period of your PhD. Sponsors are usually the head of department or head of school/faculty. The sponsor must:

• be based at an eligible sponsoring organisation that will administer your fellowship for the full duration of the award
• hold an established post.

Your supervisor should:

• provide support and advice during the application process and the period of the award
• be committed to helping you achieve your career aspirations.  

Your supervisor(s) and sponsor will write letters of support. These should discuss your suitability for doctoral research, the quality of your project, and the support that the host organisation and relevant department will offer you.

Other schemes

Research fellowships for health professionals, what we offer.

A Doctoral Studentship is usually for three years, although we consider requests to undertake PhDs on a part-time basis (for example, if someone has family commitments or intends to keep up another career for sufficient hours to maintain a professional accreditation).

Support includes: 

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:

We usually provide funds at the level charged to UK and Republic of Ireland students.

We only pay the international student rate for applicants who are from  low- and middle-income countries . 

See the 'Eligibility and suitability' section on this page for more information.

We will add inflation to your fees – you do not need to add it to your application.

We will provide a contribution of up to £5,000 towards the costs of attending academic meetings and conferences. This includes registration fees and childcare or any other caring responsibility cost . You will need to justify the costs and include a breakdown for each part of your trip, for example air fares and number of journeys.

We will pay for the materials and consumables you need to carry out your proposed research, including:

• archival photocopying
• printing associated with fieldwork and empirical research
• materials directly related to hosting workshops and interviews.

Travel costs

You can ask for travel and subsistence costs to cover:

We may cover the costs of other essential visits, for example to facilities and fieldwork. You can include subsistence costs.

Carbon offset costs

This is a new policy. It applies to all types of travel costs Wellcome provides.

You can ask for:

We won't pay for the core infrastructure that your host organisation should provide, unless you're eligible to ask for these costs under our overheads policy . Examples of these costs include:

See our carbon offset policy for travel for information on what you and your organisation need to do.

Subsistence costs

If you’re away for up to one month you can ask for subsistence costs. These include accommodation, meals and incidentals such as refreshments or newspapers.

If your administering organisation has a subsistence policy, use their rates.

If your administering organisation doesn’t have a subsistence policy, please use the HMRC rates .

If you’re away for more than one month and up to 12 months , we will pay reasonable rental costs only, including aparthotels. You should discuss appropriate rates with your administering and host organisations, or Wellcome, as appropriate. We expect you to choose the most economical options, booked in advance where possible.

If you’re from a low- or middle- income country and will be working in a high-income country for more than one month and up to 12 months , you can also ask for up to £10 a day to cover extra costs, such as transport and incidentals.

If you’re away for more than 12 months , we will pay the costs of your housing. You should discuss your needs with your administering and host organisations.

The allowance we provide will be based on family and business need. We will set the maximum allowance we pay for each location. This will be based on current market data or, where data is unavailable, in consultation with your administering organisation, using equivalent market rates. Please contact us if you need help calculating the costs.

We will cover the direct expenses you have to pay to find and rent a home. We will not cover the cost of utilities or any refurbishment.

Overseas research

If you or any research staff employed on your grant will be doing research away from your host organisation, we'll help with the additional costs of working on the project overseas. Please see the 'Overseas allowances' section for details.

• any fieldwork you carry out during the grant
• essential visits to archives and libraries
• any collaborative visits you need to make.
• the cost of low carbon travel where practical, even if it's more expensive (for example travelling by train instead of flying)
• project-related resources or activities that provide an alternative to travel, such as video conferencing, communication and file-sharing software
• costs to offset the carbon emissions of the journeys you make.
• organisation-wide video conferencing packages
• high-speed broadband
• HD screens.

If you or any staff employed on your grant will be spending time in another country, we’ll help you with the additional costs of working on the project overseas.

Our overseas allowances are:

We expect the people we fund to choose travel that has a lower carbon impact, where practical, even if it’s more expensive (for example travelling by train instead of flying).

You can ask for costs to offset the carbon generated by the travel, as part of your overseas allowances.

See a list of low- and middle-income countries , as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

You can ask for the following allowances. You need to provide estimated costs as accurately as possible.

• a contribution towards the personal cost of carrying out research overseas, to ensure that you are not disadvantaged
• provided on the assumption that you’ll be paying income tax, either in your home country, or the country you will be working in (your personal tax is your responsibility).
• provided on the understanding that you or your partner will not receive equivalent allowances from elsewhere
• determined by the amount of time you will spend away from your home country.

If you will be away more than 12 months , we will provide overseas allowances for your partner and any dependants if they are travelling with you.

If you will be away for 12 months or less and can justify why your partner and dependants must travel with you, we may provide overseas allowances for them.

We define your partner as the person:

• you’re married to
• you’re not married to but with whom you’ve been in a relationship for at least a year
• you live with at the same permanent address and share some form of joint financial commitment with (eg a mortgage).

We will pay your travel costs at the beginning and end of your overseas work. Costs can be for air, ferry, train or coach fares.

All fares should be:

• in line with our carbon offset policy
• booked in advance where possible.

If you are away for up to 12 months , you can ask for up to 80kg of additional baggage or unaccompanied airline freight for your outward and return journeys.

If you are away for more than 12 months , you can ask for the costs of shipping your personal items at the beginning and end of your overseas work.

We will pay the full cost of transporting:

• half a standard shipping container if you’re travelling alone
• a whole standard shipping container (20ft) if you’re travelling with a partner and/or dependants.

We will pay the cost of your medical insurance and travel insurance.

If you will be working in a low- or middle-income country we will also cover the cost of emergency evacuation cover.

We won’t pay for medical insurance if you will be based in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

We will pay the costs of visas, vaccinations and anti-malaria treatment.

You can ask for this if you’ll be based in a low- or middle-income country and it is necessary.

Costs can include guards, panic buttons and alarms. You should ask your employing organisation for advice on the level of security you need.

If you’re away for up to one month you can ask for subsistence costs. These include accommodation, meals and incidentals (eg refreshments or newspapers).

If you’re away for more than one month and up to 12 months, we will pay reasonable rental costs only, including aparthotels. You should discuss appropriate rates with your administering and host organisations, or Wellcome, as appropriate. We expect you to choose the most economical options, booked in advance where possible.

If you’re from a low- or middle- income country  and will be working in a high-income country for more than one month and up to 12 months , you can also ask for up to £10 a day to cover extra costs, such as transport and incidentals.

The allowance we provide will be based on family and business need. We will set the maximum allowance we pay for each location. This will be based on current market data or, where data is unavailable, in consultation with your administering organisation, using equivalent market rates. If you need help calculating the costs please contact Grants Management .

If you’re away for more than 12 months we will pay:

Local nursery or school fees

You can ask for these costs if you are in a location where there isn’t free local education of the same standard as in your home country.

Costs include:

• local nursery school fees up to a maximum of 30 hours a week for 3 to 4 year olds
• local junior or secondary school fees, up to the end of secondary school education.

Local international school fees

You can ask for these costs if local schools do not provide the same standard of education as in your home country. We will only pay the published termly school fees.

We will not cover the costs of:

• extracurricular activities, including field trips
• other extras including, but not limited to, uniforms, sports kit and equipment, transport, meals, books and electronic equipment.

Boarding school fees

We will consider paying the cost of boarding school fees in your home country if:

• a local international school is not available
• both parents, guardians or the sole care giver live outside the home country.

The allowance covers:

• up to a maximum of £30,000 a year for each child for the published termly fees only
• the cost of return airfares at the start and end of each school term, in line with our carbon offset policy for travel .
• additional annual leave airfares

We will cover the cost of providing special needs education as far as possible. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

We would not usually expect to provide an education allowance if you will be working in a high-income country.

If you will be away for more than 12 months , we’ll pay for you to travel back to your home country for annual leave. This is in addition to your outward and return travel costs and depends on how long you will be away:

• 12-24 months – 1 annual leave trip
• 25-36 months – 2 annual leave trips
• 37-48 months – 3 annual leave trips
• 49-60 months – 4 annual leave trips
• 61-72 months – 5 annual leave trips.

If you will be away for more than 12 months , you can ask for up to 100 hours of lessons in the local language for you and/or your partner during the first 12 months of your visit.

We will cover 100% of the costs for local language school classes or up to 50% of the costs of individual tuition.

We will not cover the cost of examinations or personal learning materials such as DVDs and books.

If you have to move to take up the post at your host organisation, you can ask for £1,000. You'll need to justify this.

You can ask for overheads if your grant will be based at a:

• university outside the UK or Republic of Ireland
• research organisation that does not receive core funding for overheads
• charitable or not-for-profit organisation
• small or medium-sized commercial organisation.

You can also ask for overheads on any part of your grant that is sub-contracted to any of the organisations listed above.

If you’re based at a UK university you can’t ask for overheads for sub-contracted activity if your university will include the sub-contracted funding in its annual report to the UK Charity Research Support Fund.

Overheads can include:

• estates, for example building and premises
• non-project dedicated administrative and support staff
• administration, for example finance, library, and room hire.

The total cost for overheads should not be more than:

• 20% of the direct research costs if you’re based in a low- or middle-income country
• 15% of the direct research costs if you’re based anywhere else.

These costs must directly support the activity funded by the grant.

How to apply for these costs

In your grant application you must:

• give a full breakdown of costs (you can't ask for a percentage of the research costs)
• explain why these costs are necessary for your research
• include a letter from the finance director of your host organisation, or the sub-contracted organisation, confirming that the breakdown is a true representation of the costs incurred.

We will add an inflation allowance to your award.

How we calculate your inflation allowance

Your inflation allowance is based on your total eligible costs and the duration of the award. You'll receive the allowance if the costs in your application are in pounds sterling, euros or US dollars.

These rates are calculated using compound inflation at 2.0% a year from Year 2 onwards.

If your costs are in any other currency, we will use an inflation allowance that reflects the inflation rate of the country where the host organisation is based.

What to include in your application

The costs in your application must be based on current known costs, excluding inflation.

You should allow for salary pay awards during Year 1. These should be based on pay awards already agreed; if you don’t know what the pay award is yet then use our inflation rate.

Wellcome's studentship stipend scales include an annual increase for inflation.

Costs you may ask for (you will have to justify these costs in your application):

• fieldwork costs, including survey and data collection and statistical analysis
• specialist publications that are relevant to the research and not available in institutional libraries
• more expensive items, unless you can justify them
• installation or training costs.
• consultancy fees
• expenses for subjects and volunteers – includes recruitment of participants, their participatory fees and travel, as well as interviewee expenses
• reasonable research-associated costs related to the feedback of health-related findings but not any healthcare-associated costs
• costs associated with developing an outputs management plan
• questionnaires, recruitment material, newsletters etc for clinical, epidemiological and qualitative research studies
• public engagement materials where dissemination (including printing and publishing) is a key activity of the project
• recruitment, advertising and interviewee travel costs for staff to be employed on the grant
• formal transferable skills and personal development training, including the International Funders Award
• purchase, hire and running costs of project-dedicated vehicles.

Costs we won’t pay:

• estates costs – such as building and premises costs, basic services and utilities. This also includes phone, postage, photocopying and stationery, unless you can justify these within a clinical or epidemiological study.*
• page charges and the cost of colour prints
• research, technical and administrative staff whose time is shared across several projects and isn’t supported by an audit record*
• charge-out costs for major facilities* – departmental technical and administrative services, and use of existing equipment
• cleaning, waste and other disposal costs*

*We will fund these costs in the case of animal-related research.

• indirect costs – this includes general administration costs such as personnel, finance, library, room hire and some departmental services
• office furniture, such as chairs, desks, filin cabinets, etc.
• clothing such as lab coats, shoes, protective clothing
• non-research related activities, eg catering, room and venue hire for staff parties, team-building events and social activities
• indemnity insurance (insurance cover against claims made by subjects or patients associated with a research programme)
• ethics reviews, unless you are in a low- or middle-income country
• radiation protection costs.

What we don’t offer

If you're a national of a high-income country outside the UK or Republic of Ireland, please be aware that we don't pay international fees. See the 'Eligibility and suitability' section on this page for more information.

How to apply

You must submit your application through the Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker (WTGT).

Stages of application

Before you apply.

It's important to check that your application is competitive. Read the advice in the ‘Eligibility and suitability’ section above carefully. Discuss your application with your research office and your intended supervisor(s) before you apply.   You don't need to contact us before you submit an application. Host organisations will only ask applicants to contact us in exceptional cases.

Get some  tips to help you write a Wellcome grant application .

Submit your application

Complete your application on Grant Tracker .

Make sure you leave enough time for your host organisation to approve your application before the deadline. The authorised organisational approver, usually based in the research office, will tell you how long this will take.

View the Sample full application form for Doctoral Studentships [PDF 260KB]

If your proposal involves clinical research using NHS resources, check if you need to upload a SoECAT form with your full application .

Host organisation approves your application

The authorised organisational approver must approve your application before the deadline.

The Medical Humanities Early Career Expert Review Group or the Social Science and Bioethics Early Career Awards Expert Review Group will review your application, depending on the area of your proposed research.

We give most candidates our decision by the end of May. All candidates will have been informed of our decision by the end of July.

Disabled applicants

If you are disabled or have a chronic health condition, we can support you with the application process .

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

What you need to know if you're a grant applicant or grantholder .

Your application must have been submitted by you and approved by your organisation by 17.00 (GMT/BST) on the deadline day. We don’t accept late applications.

Grants awarded

Find out about some of the people and projects we've funded for this scheme.

Apply for this grant

Log in to our online grants system (Grant Tracker). You can save your application and return to it any time.

Contact our information officers if you have a question about funding.

• Send a message

+44 (0)20 7611 5757

If you have a question about the research content or scope of your proposal, email [email protected] .

Useful documents

• Sample full application form for Doctoral Studentships [PDF 260KB]

Researcher stories

Read about the career journeys of some of our researchers.

Upul's story: a clever blend of chemistry, activism and anthropology

To get into social science research, where his real interest lay, Upul had to do three Master's, find a supportive mentor and gain experience in different disciplines.

Develop your research career

See our other postgraduate training schemes.

Explore all career stages

Do You Get Paid for a PhD?

• Katie Baker
• December 19, 2023

For many students who don’t have the luxury of never worrying about money, one of the main considerations when weighing up if a PhD is the right move is how they will support themselves as they pursue their doctoral title. However, gone are the days when the prestigious academic accolade is only available to the upper classes. Several financial options are available for PhD students in the UK, including tax-free stipends and scholarships and seeking employment opportunities around their part-time or full-time studies. 

It is crucial for prospective PhD students to fully understand the financial landscape while contemplating taking a monumental step in their academic career. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of each available option and provide prospective PhD students with guidance towards fully-funded options, which make academia accessible and viable to all.  

The Complex Landscape of PhD Funding

The funding scenario for PhD programmes in the UK is multifaceted. While some PhD programs come with funding, others do not, leaving students to seek financial support independently. The availability of funding can depend on various factors, including the field of study, the university, and the student’s nationality.

For instance, funding for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects is often more readily available compared to humanities and social sciences. Additionally, UK and EU students typically have more funding opportunities compared to international students from outside the EU. Via websites such as Postgraduate Studentships , it is easy to find fully-funded PhD programs in a variety of fields. Alternatively, prospective PhD students can directly search for funded PhD programs at the universities of their choice.

For students who are unsuccessful with their scholarship or studentship applications, there are also alternative avenues to explore, such as taking out a PhD loan, exploring the possibilities of employer sponsorship, and even crowdfunding your PhD study. 

Stipends: A Primary Source of PhD Support

Stipends are a common form of financial support for PhD students in the UK. These are usually tax-free payments made to students to cover their living expenses while they focus on their studies. The nature of these stipends can vary – some are attached to teaching assistantships or research assistantships, where students are expected to contribute to teaching or research work in their department. This not only provides financial support but also valuable professional experience, which can improve the career prospects of PhD graduates. 

Stipend Amounts and Living Costs

For the academic year 2022/2023, PhD stipends in the UK were set at £16,062 for students outside of London and £18,062 for those within London, reflecting the higher cost of living in the capital. These stipends are typically paid over 3.5 years, the standard duration for a full-time PhD programme. However, some institutions may choose to pay the annual stipend for three or four years. 

Students should be aware that the cost of living can vary significantly across different parts of the UK, and these stipends may not fully cover all expenses, particularly in more expensive cities. Surprisingly, when the most and least affordable university towns and cities in the UK were ranked in 2023, London came behind Edinburgh and Glasgow. Meanwhile, the most affordable cities included Bournemouth, Cardiff, and Lincoln.

Scholarships: A More Generous Funding Option

Scholarships are another key source of funding for PhD students. These are often more substantial than stipends, with many exceeding £21,000. Scholarships can be provided by universities, external organisations, or industry partners and are usually awarded based on academic excellence, research potential, or specific criteria set by the funding body.

For example, the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) offers doctoral training partnerships and studentships that provide generous funding and are highly sought after. For more information on PhD scholarships and to find scholarships which may be suited to you, consult the Find a PhD database. At the time of writing, the database contained over 7,000 PhD projects and scholarships in the UK. 

Employment Opportunities for PhD Students

Despite the availability of stipends and scholarships, some PhD students may find it necessary to seek part-time employment to support themselves financially. The key is to find flexible work that can be balanced with the demanding schedule of a PhD programme.

Options such as freelance work, private tutoring, remote data entry, or part-time roles in a field related to their studies can be ideal. If finding work related to your field of study is difficult or the prospect feels too demanding, there’s no shame in seeking less mentally strenuous and taxing options or creating an income which aligns with other passions and interests.

Universities often provide career services that can help students find suitable part-time work. Furthermore, there are several websites dedicated to helping students find suitable part-time work, such as Jobs.ac.uk.

Additional Financial Perks for PhD Students

PhD students in the UK are eligible for various financial benefits that can help ease the burden of living expenses. These include council tax exemptions, which can lead to significant savings, especially in urban areas with higher council tax rates. Additionally, students can avail of various discounts on travel, retail, and entertainment, often through schemes like the NUS (National Union of Students) card. In the grand scheme of things, these savings and exemptions may not add up to much, but while you are crunching the numbers and assessing the viability of pursuing a PhD, it is certainly something to consider.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, while the financial aspect of pursuing a PhD in the UK can seem daunting, numerous options are available to support students through their academic journey. Students can navigate this landscape with careful planning and resourcefulness, from stipends and scholarships to part-time employment.

It’s important for prospective PhD students to thoroughly research and understand the financial support available to them, ensuring they can focus on their academic pursuits without the financial stress of contemplating how they will make ends meet. With the right approach, the financial challenges of a PhD can be managed effectively, paving the way for a successful and rewarding academic career which compensates for years of reduced income. 

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​​Should I Do a PhD in London? Embarking on a PhD journey is a significant decision, one that shapes your academic and professional future. Once

Enquire with us

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We have 1,208 stipend PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK

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stipend PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK

Ai-enhanced dementia prevention: precision risk reduction using large language models, nihr funded phd in medical studies ref: 5100, phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

ZENITH PhD project: Elastic tailoring of composite winglet-wing systems for enhanced performance

Funded phd project (students worldwide).

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Development and Implementation of a "Talent, Health and Wellbeing Monitoring System" for Exeter City Football Club Youth Academy Talent Programme Ref: 5149

Phd studentship in system services in 100 % renewable grids - fully funded studentship (stipend and tuition fees), nanoscale computer modelling of blush in protective coatings, natural sciences (5069), post-combustion co2 capture solvents: addressing the knowledge gap with long-term testing, competition funded phd project (uk students only).

This research project is one of a number of projects at this institution. It is in competition for funding with one or more of these projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The funding is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Lattice-based Cryptography (Zero-Knowledge Proofs and Applications)

Novel generative adversarial networks for rapid engineering design, phd studentship in: impacts of blending drinking water from desalination into existing distribution systems, knowledge-based design of dental surfaces to combat oral biofilms, investigating the local mode of action of anti-perspirants using model systems and advanced probing techniques, life cycle thinking in public policy, generative ai and flexible cognitive robots for discrete manufacturing, from correlations to explanations: towards a new european prehistory, global phd in topic: exploring the cognitive-emotional dimensions of human interaction with social deepfakes.

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UKRI PhD students to get 5% stipend increase for 2023-24

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Campaigners describe rise as “another win” but say those not funded by UKRI “left waiting”

Campaigners have welcomed plans to increase the minimum stipend for doctoral students funded by UK Research and Innovation to £18,622.

The increase—which will apply to PhD students funded by UKRI from the start of the 2023-24 academic year—represents a five per cent rise from the 2022-23 rate of £17,688.

Commenting on the announcement, UKRI’s people and culture champion, Melanie Welham, said: “Postgraduate research training makes a significant contribution to developing the expertise that underpins the UK’s ambitions to be a leading research and innovation nation.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates UKRI’s ongoing commitment to supporting doctoral students. This step is part of our long-term efforts to ensure that the UK remains one of the best places for postgraduate students from all backgrounds to undertake research training.”

‘Another win’

The increase was welcomed by Alex Kirby-Reynolds and Ellie Munro, co-leads of the University and College Union’s Postgraduate Researchers as Staff campaign, who have been campaigning for more support for PhD students.

“UKRI’s decision to match the stipend rate for the coming academic year with predicted inflation may provide some relief to funded PGRs, who will be concerned about the value of their income in the face of rising costs,” they told Research Professional News.

“This should be viewed as another win for PGRs Against Low Pay campaigners, who last summer demanded that UKRI should set stipends in line with the most up-to-date inflation figures.”

However, they pointed out that other postgraduate researchers who are not funded by UKRI “will be left waiting”.

The announcement came after UKRI announced it would increase the minimum stipend by 10 per cent for 2022-23 to £17,688, following a backlash from PhD students struggling to make ends meet during the cost-of-living crisis.

Following the announcement, a number of other major funders and institutions promised similar uplifts, including the Royal Society, the Leverhulme Trust, Cancer Research UK, as well as universities such as Sheffield Hallam University.

Consultation on ‘new deal’

The 2023-24 increase was announced alongside the publication of an analysis of a consultation on UKRI’s ‘new deal’ for postgraduate researchers, which aims to improve the experience and quality of postgraduate research training in the UK.

According to the report, which was carried out by Pye Tait Consulting on behalf of UKRI, one-fifth of respondents would welcome increased flexibility—for example, to accommodate part-time or distance learners. There was also concern about a lack of flexibility in the duration of funding, with many stating that three years was not long enough for a doctorate.

Respondents also raised concerns about what they perceived as a “one-size-fits-all” approach to funding, with some suggesting that funding options should account for personal circumstances, including caring responsibilities, disabilities, geographical location and international students.

In addition, there was discussion of the merits and drawbacks of classifying students as staff. According to respondents, this would improve the rights and conditions of PhD students, in terms of entitlement to pensions, parental leave, childcare and sick pay.

However, some pointed out that this may present problems such as the loss of tax-free status and fewer students being funded.

Following the consultation, UKRI said it was now drawing on the “range of insight and actively working in collaboration with the sector to develop a considered response, expected before the summer”.

Kirby-Reynolds and Munro said they would work with UKRI and PhD researchers across the country to “make sure funders and universities finally start to make the right changes, so we get a better deal for all postgraduate researchers”.

Research Professional News has approached UKRI for comment.

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London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

2024-25 lshtm fund scholarship.

These scholarships have been made possible by donors to the LSHTM Fund. Supported by hundreds of alumni and friends, the LSHTM Fund provides scholarships for the next generation of global health leaders. This year’s two scholarships are intended to support excellent candidates who would be unable to take up a place of study without this financial support.

Award details

Two LSHTM Fund Scholarships are available for 2024-25. The scholarship award comprises

• 2024-25 tuition fees (at the overseas fee rate), including any mandatory field trip fees, and
• a tax-free stipend (living allowance) of GBP 19,500.00

Eligibility criteria

This scholarship is open to applicants intending to study on a one-year, full-time, London-based MSc programme at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in 2024-25.

To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• be nationals of, and resident in,  low to middle income countries (as defined by the World Bank);
• intend to return to a low to middle income country on completion of their MSc year at LSHTM;
• confirm in writing that they would not otherwise be able to pay for the proposed programme of study;
• meet LSHTM’s minimum  English language requirements (as required by LSHTM’s Admissions system);
• a first or upper second-class honours undergraduate degree of a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard;
• hold an offer of admission for 2024-25 for one of LSHTM’s London-based (intensive) MSc programmes of study.

The selection panel awarding this highly competitive scholarship will consider applicants’ experience, qualifications and potential, looking for those with the greatest potential to accelerate in their career and make significant contributions to public and global health, and/or health-related research in a low- to middle income country (following a year’s study at LSHTM).

How to apply

The application process has two steps. To be considered for the funding, applicants must meet all eligibility criteria and complete both steps outlined below by the scholarship deadline of   23:59 (GMT) on Monday 04 March 2024 .

• Submit an application for 2024-25 for a  London-based MSc programme of study , as per instructions under the ‘How to Apply’ tab on the relevant programme of study page.
• In your application to study you should select the scholarships you are applying for in the ‘FUNDING DETAILS’ part of the application form. If you do not select the LSHTM Fund Scholarship on your application, you will not be considered for this funding.
• Attach a Scholarships Application Form (docx) to your application to study completed in Step 1. A completed Scholarships Application Form (docx) must be uploaded as part of this application. This is the only  scholarships attachment required (as applicants should have already submitted references; transcripts; a CV etc as part of their application for study).

Important information

• These scholarships are open to applicants for any of the non-distance learning intensive Masters programmes offered by LSHTM ( excluding our joint programmes: MSc Global Mental Health; MSc Health Policy, Planning & Financing; MSc One Health; MSc Veterinary Epidemiology).
• Applicants are advised to complete Step 1 early to allow time for their GBP 50.00 LSHTM admissions application fee payment to be processed. Until the payment is processed applicants will be unable to submit an application for study.
• We recommend that applicants for this funding complete and submit their application for study at least 2-3 days prior to the scholarships deadline to ensure that there are no Admissions or payment processing delays which could impact on meeting the scholarship deadline.
• Incomplete or late applications will not be considered for this funding. Incomplete applications include those with missing documents at either Step 1 or 2 above.
• Both the application to study and the scholarship application must be complete by the scholarship  deadline as stated on the scholarships advert. Applicants should ensure that all necessary supplementary documents are submitted via LSHTM’s Admissions Portal by the scholarship deadline.
• Applicants whose application for study is successful will be asked to pay a deposit within 28 days of the offer of admission being sent. Applicants applying for scholarships at LSHTM must email the Admissions Team to advise that they are awaiting the scholarship outcome (applicants must provide the Admissions team with both the name of the scholarship and the expected decision date in this email. This must be repeated for every application for which the applicant has applied. The Admissions team will then extend the deposit deadline to match the decision deadline of the scholarship funding.
• Applicants who encounter any technical difficulties whilst using the Admissions application portal should contact LSHTM’s IT Services team, providing the full name of the applicant; the scholarship that is being applied for; and the technical issue that has been encountered. Please also attach a screen shot where possible:  [email protected] .
• For any queries about the application process, scholarship requirements or application deadline, please contact the LSHTM Scholarships team: [email protected]
• By applying for this funding applicants agree to its  Terms & Conditions .
• Please note that all applications will only be reviewed and processed after the deadline. All applications that are submitted before the deadline will be considered equally, regardless of submission date.
• Decisions will be reached, and the successful applicants notified, by 24 May 2024.

Be Aware UK

News and views from dla piper's employment team, uk immigration update: increase to the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker and global mobility routes, and other changes to the immigration rules.

At a glance

• On 14 March 2024, the UK Home Office published its changes to the immigration rules.
• These include an increase to the general and specific thresholds to the Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility routes.
• The changes remove the current Shortage Occupation List ( SOL ) with a shortened Immigration Salary List ( ISL ). Inclusion on the ISL provides a discounted salary threshold to employers.
• The new entrant discount, for students and those aged under 26, has been retained.
• Other changes include updates to the Temporary worker routes and the Electronic Travel Authorisation ( ETA ).
• The changes related to work visas will come into effect from 4 April 2024, with other changes coming into effect later.

The government commissioned the Migration Action Committee ( MAC ) to undertake a rapid review of the Skilled Worker route, and the Immigration Salary List (ISL). This review was published on 23 February 2024.

In its response to the review, the government has accepted the MAC’s recommendations to the ISL in its entirety, except for the exclusion of two fishing occupations (5119 and 9119). These roles will be kept on the ISL temporarily to support the sector.

The government intends on commissioning the MAC to carry out a full review of the ISL, including a public call for evidence over the remainder of 2024.

The changes to the immigration rules have now been published and reflect the MAC’s rapid review from February 2024, and their recommendations of October 2023 to the Creative Worker route.

A summary of the key changes is outlined below.

Skilled Workers

• As announced, the minimum salary threshold to sponsor workers in the Skilled Worker category from 4 April 2024 will be GBP38,700 or higher (if the occupation code specifies a higher salary).
• Transitional provisions confirm employees who were issued with a Skilled Worker visa under the rules in place before 4 April 2024, will not be subject to the new GBP38,700; however, minimum occupation specific salary thresholds for those individuals will reflect a higher amount than the previous rules (see table below). Employers will therefore need to ensure that these sponsored employees are receiving the required salary prior to submitting any extension or indefinite leave to remain applications.
• The new minimum salary rates, including discounted rates that will be available, are as summaries in the table below:

• There is also an increase to the specific salary rates for all occupations as they rely on an updated mechanism. As such, we expect the minimum salary required for many roles to be higher than GBP38,700.
• are carrying out a postdoctoral position in certain specific occupations;
• are being sponsored to work in a UK Regulated Profession and are training towards a professional qualification for that profession; and
• some students who have completed their studies in the UK on certain courses and meets the relevant requirements.
• Jobs considered to fall within the ‘Health and Care ASHE salary job category’ and appropriate sponsoring organisations have been clearly defined. This information has previously been set out in the Health and Care Visa guidance.
• 11 occupations have been removed from the new Skilled Occupations list including Nannies and Au pair, complementary health associate professionals, caretakers and visual merchandisers and related occupations. It will no longer be possible to sponsor new migrants in these occupations but those who are already here, will be able to extend their visa and apply for permanent residency.
• The ISL has been largely adopted as advised by MAC; however, the UK authorities have chosen to retain occupations falling within 5119: Agriculture and fishing trades not elsewhere classified and 9119: Fishing and other elementary agriculture ignoring MAC’s warning on the risk of exploitation.
• These rules apply to any applications that are submitted after 4 April 2024. Importantly, any visa application that is based on a certificate of sponsorship assigned prior to this date, will be considered based on the previous rules (with lower salary thresholds). We expect a significant increase in such applications, and as such any applications/certificates should be submitted as soon as possible.
• The salary thresholds that need to be met by employees when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain will also remain lower those whose visas were sponsored before 4 April 2024, although these rates have also seen a slight increase across the board on the list.
• The definition of supplemental has been amended to include reference to the ISL.

Global Business Mobility

On 4 April 2024, the following changes are being made to the Global Business Mobility routes:

• The minimum salary threshold to sponsor workers in the Senior or Specialist Worker and UK Expansion Worker subcategories will be increasing from GBP45,800 to GBP48,500 or higher (if the occupation code specifies a higher salary). No transitional measures will apply to employees already sponsored in the UK under this subcategory.
• For the Graduate Trainee subcategory, the minimum salary threshold will be increasing from GBP24,220 to GBP25,410 or higher (if the occupation code specifies a higher salary). No transitional measures will apply to employees already sponsored in the UK under this category.
• The Service Supplier subcategory has been extended to contracts for services that are covered by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Transpacific Partnership ( CPTPP ), provided it is in force and ratified as required, and other UK’s international trade agreements. The CPTPP has not yet fully taken affect but the inclusion in the rules reflects the UK’s commitments under the agreement and will allow businesses to apply for a Sponsor Licence under this category. This will in turn allow businesses to sponsor service providers to work in the UK for up to a 12-month period.
• 12 occupations eligible for sponsorship under the Global Business Mobility routes will be removed. It will continue to be possible to extend the visas of individuals already sponsored in the UK under these occupations.

On 4 April 2024, the following changes are being made to the Scale-up category:

• The minimum salary threshold for sponsored and unsponsored visas will be increasing from GBP34,600 to GBP36,300 or higher (if the occupation code specifies a higher salary).
• Transitional arrangements will apply to employees already in the UK under this category with the minimum salary for those who applied for a Scale-up visa under the rules in place between 12 April 2023 and 3 April 2024 remaining at GBP34,600. Prior to 12 April 2023, the minimum salary threshold was GBP33,000.

International Sports Persons

• The Scottish Canoe Association has been listed as the appropriate Sporting Governing Body for international sportspersons being sponsored to participate in Canoeing in Scotland.

Temporary Workers

On 4 April 2024, the following changes are being made to the Temporary Worker categories:

Seasonal Workers

The minimum salary threshold for roles sponsored under occupation code 5431 and 5433 in the poultry production sector will increase to GBP38,700 from GBP26,200.

Youth Mobility Scheme

An increased number of places under the Youth Mobility Scheme are being offered to Australian and New Zealand nationals.

Government Authorised Exchange

• Erasmus, the European Voluntary Service (Youth in Action Programme) and Lord Chancellor’s Training Scheme for Young Chinese Lawyers will be removed from the approved list of schemes.
• The Future technology research and innovation scheme will be added.

The following changes will be coming into effect on 16 May 2024:

Creative Workers

• In line with MACs recommendations, the UK Home Office has removed any reference to the ISL and resident labour market test for workers being employed under this subcategory.
• Employers of Creative Workers will need to provide details of any expenses being paid to these workers and if they will be recouped from the individual.
• If a Creative Workers sponsorship is part of a group and the primary artists or entertainers visa application is refused, all applications relating to the same group will also be rejected.

Private servants in a diplomatic household

Individuals applying for entry clearance will need to meet an English language requirement to at least B1 level in all 4 components.

Electronic Travel Authorisation

The rules incorporate some changes to the ETA which have already been introduced for some Non-Visa Nationals (nationals of countries who do not require a visa prior to travel). We expect a full roll-out later this year.

The ETA requirements currently apply to nationals of Qatar (since 25 October), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudia Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Jordan (from 1 February 2024).

Those who are lawfully resident in the Republic of Ireland and travelling within the CTA will be exempt from requiring an ETA. British Overseas Territory Citizens will also be exempt from requiring an ETA.

For further information, please contact Hamza Malik , Gulcin Kashano or Eilidh Moncrieff in our Immigration team.

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UK election 2024: immigration policy tracker

28 May 2024

This table compares statements on immigration policy made by the Conservative Party and Labour Party ahead of the 2024 election. It covers both visas and the asylum system and will be updated as the election campaign progresses.

The table includes statements about policy that our team has been able to identify as of 4th June 2024. Note that some sources are older than others and may be changed or superseded by new ones. Readers can send any additional sources to [email protected]

Asylum and migration enforcement policies compared

Legal migration policies compared.

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Medical Scholarships

Fund your future in medicine..

Let us help you so you can help others. Whether you’re already in the Army or you want to serve, we have scholarships and financial aid options to support your pursuit of medical school and joining the Army Medical team.

FIND OPTIONS

YOUR DREAMS.

PRIMARY AID OPTIONS:

Cover your full tuition with hpsp scholarships..

The Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) is one of the most comprehensive scholarships available in health care, covering your full tuition for an advanced medical degree. It covers the following fields:

• Medical (including Osteopathy)
• Counseling and Clinical Psychology
• Full tuition for up to four years, depending on specialty
• Funding for books, equipment, and other school fees
• Monthly stipend of $2,700+
• Up to a $20,000 sign-on bonus, plus Officer’s pay for 45 days while on active duty for training
• Salary increases with promotions, time in service, and cost-of-living adjustments

Requirements

There are certain requirements to apply for HPSP Scholarships. See what they are and if you’re eligible.

Be a U.S. citizen by the time you commission as an Officer

Qualify as a commissioned Officer

Be in progress or have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school

Be enrolled full time in or have applied to an accredited professional school in the United States or Puerto Rico

Have full-time student status during the length of the program

Support yourself during residency.

Get a monthly stipend while in residency with the Specialized Training Assistance Program (STRAP), in exchange for serving in the Army Reserve.

Commit to join the Army Reserve and serve when needed

Be currently enrolled in an accredited residency program as a physician, oral surgeon, prosthodontics dentist, or comprehensive dentist

Get a grant to pursue higher education.

The Financial Assistance Program (FAP) provides yearly grants and monthly stipends to applicants.

• A monthly stipend of $2,608
• A sign-on bonus

Commit to serve active duty in the Army after finishing your education

Get your student loans paid back.

If you took out loans to pay for your health care education, the Army could pay them back as part of the Health Professions Loan Repayment Program.

• Up to $250,000 in repayment of a qualifying loan, paid back to the lending institution, depending on the medical specialty and Army status

Have active-duty or Army Reserve status in the Army, depending on specialty

OTHER AID OPTIONS

Medical scholarships.

There are opportunities open to enlisted Soldiers, commissioned Officers, and/or civilians. Talk to an Army Medical (AMEDD) recruiter to see if you're eligible.

Podiatric Surgical Residency

Eligible jobs

• Additional jobs may be available depending on critical skills needed

Description

Officers enter the program as a captain, receive pay and benefits, and have an 84-month active-duty service obligation (including a 36-month residency). Talk to an Army Medical (AMEDD) recruiter to find out what jobs are currently available.

• Active-duty status
• Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
• GPA of 3.25 or
• Minimum GRE score of 290

USAR Accessions Bonus

• Medical jobs including Physician
• Microbiologist, Psychiatrist

Signing bonus for in-demand specialties

• Must join the Army Reserve

Inter-Service Physician Program

• Physician Assistant 

2-year Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies, graduating as first lieutenant

• Active duty, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard
• Completed prerequisite undergraduate work
• GPA of 2.5, Science GPA of 3.0

Army - Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy

• Physical Therapist

30-month entry-level physical therapy training program to receive the Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree (DPT), 100% tuition free program, plus Officer salary and benefits

• Soldier or civilian interested in commissioning as an active-duty Officer in the Army Medical Specialist Corps
• GPA of 3.25 or higher
• Minimum GRE score of 300
• Bachelor's degree with specified prerequisite coursework
• Minimum 100 observation hours in physical therapy

ROTC-HPSP Cooperative Pharmacy Program

5 – 6 years of financial assistance for pharmacy education, graduate as an Officer

• Active duty (includes a six-year service obligation)

Army - Baylor University Master's Program in Nutrition

• Registered Dietitian
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Integrated 24-month entry-level graduated training program and dietician internship to receive a master of nutrition science degree, 100% tuition free program, plus Officer salary and benefits

• Soldier or a civilian interested in commissioning as an active-duty Officer in the Army Medical Specialist Corps
• Bachelor’s degree with specified prerequisite coursework
• Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and prerequisite GPA of 3.25 or higher
• Minimum GRE score of 300 

Active Duty Critically Short Wartime Skills Accession Bonus

• Clinical Psychologist
• Psychiatrist

Cash bonuses may be available for select medical specialties. Talk to an Army Medical (AMEDD) recruiter for more details.

• Active duty or a civilian interested in commissioning as an active-duty Officer in the Army Medical Corps
• Qualifying degree in specialty

Clinical Psychology Internship Program

Army-sponsored 1-year clinical psychology residency program for students at one of four military medical treatment facilities

• Completed coursework in Ph.D., Psy.D., or counseling psychology doctoral program

Clinical Psychology Post-Doctoral Supervision Program

5-year program for Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

• Requirements (Opens in new window)

Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences Army Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program

Audiology externship program.

• Audiologist

1-year clinical externship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, with Officer pay and benefits

Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences School of Medicine

Full tuition scholarship for your MD, plus full pay and benefits

The Army Master of Social Work Program

• Social Worker

14-month course at the University of Kentucky, followed by a 26-month Social Work Internship Program

• Liberal arts undergraduate degree from an accredited university
• Other undergraduate degrees are accepted with certain hours in behavioral/social sciences and statistics

The Army Social Work Internship Program (SWIP)

• Social worker

SWIP is a formal training program designed to give interns structured supervision as they transition from being social work students to independent providers.

• Master of Social Work degree
• GPA of 3.5 or higher

Dental scholarships

• Prosthodontist
• Orthodontist
• Oral Surgeon

Signing bonus

• Join Army Reserve
• Active duty

Advanced Education in General Dentistry 1-Year Program

1 year of graduate dentistry education, plus pay and benefits

• Active-duty status, required for all HPSP seniors

Medical and Dental School Stipend Program (MDSSP)

Eligible Jobs

$2,000+ per month while in dental school

• In dental school

Nursing scholarships

There are opportunities open to enlisted Soldiers, commissioned Officers, and/or civilians. Talk to an Army Medical (AMEDD) to see if you're eligible.

Nurse ROTC Scholarships

ROTC scholarships

• Must qualify for ROTC

U.S. Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing (AMEDD Center and School)

• Nurse Anesthetist

Full tuition scholarship plus full pay and benefits

• Meet Baylor University admission requirements
• At least one year of Critical Care Nursing experience

Critical Care Nurse Student Program

• Critical Care Nurse

Guarantees attendance in the 66S Critical Care Nurse program

• 2 years of MED-SURG nursing experience by time of board date submission

Nurse Accessions Bonus

Up to $30,000

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing

AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program

Up to $16,000 for tuition and books per year, plus full pay and benefits

• Meet requirements for Army Officer
• Complete Nursing degree within two years of enrollment

Common questions about medical scholarships.

Not finding what you need? Chat with us any time .

How can I apply for Army Medical scholarships?

If you’re not in the military, contact an Army recruiter as a first step. If you’re a current Soldier, contact your Army Medical (AMEDD) to inquire about how to apply.

Can I apply for both scholarships and loan repayments or do I have to choose just one type of financial aid?

It varies. In some cases, you can apply for more than one scholarship and also apply for loan repayment. Talk to your Army Medical (AMEDD) to find out the details about the financial aid you’re interested in pursuing.

What bonuses are available for Army science and medicine jobs?

Many Army science and medicine jobs include sign-on bonuses of different amounts, depending on the job, like up to $30K for nursing. Browse the available jobs to see each bonus amount: Science & Medicine Jobs .

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Medical Resident Salary and Benefits

Medical resident income, ucla inspires you to think deeper, collaborate faster, and unlock your potential..

We take care of you so that you can take care of your patients.

Medical Resident Salary Information

Resident/Fellow Union Contract (January 26, 2023 - June 30, 2025)

Medical Resident Salary & Fellow Salary Rates

How much do residents make.

Download full salary scale rates (PDF)

UCLA MD and DO Medical Residents enrolled in ACGME-accredited training programs are represented by CIR-SEIU and receive the following benefits:

• Educational Stipend : $1200 year for all PGY levels (paid out as medical resident salary)
• Housing stipend : $1000/month is included in the medical resident salary
• Meals: $3,000 annual allocation for use in UCLA Hospital cafeterias (Westwood & Santa Monica)
• Medical Residents and Fellows have access to an App-based meal delivery service available for use at select hospital rotation sites
• Relocation Reimbursement : Newly appointed Medical Residents receive up to $2,750 in reimbursement for expenses incurred due to relocation. Subject to the University’s Travel and Relocation Policy.
• License Reimbursement : Covers initial License and renewal fee, USMLE Step 3 fee

Chief Salaries

In-training Chief Residents receive a $50/month stipend in addition to the appropriate PGY-level salary.

Medical Resident Benefits

Uc benefits basics: how uc medical resident, behavioral health and pharmacy benefits work..

UCLA provides trainees a rich package of health and welfare benefits at no cost to trainees, their spouse, and/or their dependents.  These plans include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.

See UC Resident Benefits

UC Safe Harbor Retirement Savings Plan

Residents and fellows are automatically enrolled in the UC Safe Harbor plan, and will continue to be enrolled as long as they are employed by the University of California in an eligible appointment.

Behavioral Wellness Center (BWC)

Our clinicians offer expertise in a variety of modalities to improve well-being for medical residents and fellows .

Fatigue Mitigation Transportation Program

We offer app-based services such as Lyft and Uber so our medical residents and fellows can go home

Policies and Procedures

Dedicated University Housing for Medical Residents

UCLA Housing, in a joint venture with UCLA Medical, purchased The Boulevard in 2020. The 5-building apartment complex is located on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Los Angeles. The complex...

The fact that they’ve invested so many resources into Residents here speaks to how valuable they think you are as a person. I think that’s important in something where you’re also trying to take care of other people, so you want to be taken care of as well.  Dr. Ashley Vuong, UCLA Emergency Medicine

Medical Residency Specialties and Subspecialties

Your standards are high, as they should be..

Find Your Board

Undergraduate vs. Graduate: Educate Yourself On The Difference

• Undergraduate Meaning
• Undergraduate Student And Degree
• Graduate Meaning
• Graduate Degree And Student
• Graduate Origin
• Postgraduate Meaning

⚡ Quick summary

The main difference between undergraduate and graduate is that undergraduate is always used in the context of the first level of college or university education (the level where you can earn a bachelor’s degree ). In terms like graduate student and graduate degree , graduate refers to a level of advanced education beyond the undergraduate level, especially a master’s degree or doctorate . The noun graduate is more general, simply referring to a person who has completed a level of education (someone who has graduated ).

The difference between undergraduate and graduate is a difference of degrees (*throws graduation cap in the air to celebrate the pun*).

The level of education that each word involves varies depending on how the word is being used, and there are situations in which both words can be used in the same situation. For example, you can become a graduate student after graduating with an undergraduate degree.

The word graduate can mean very different things depending on whether it’s used as a noun (as in recent   high school graduates ), an adjective (as in graduate student and graduate degree ), or a verb (as in I plan to graduate next May ). The same goes for its shortened form, grad , which can be used as a noun (as in Congrats, grads! ) or an adjective (as in grad program ).

Undergraduate can also be used both as a noun (as in I’m an undergraduate at Stanford University ) or an adjective (as in I’m working toward my undergraduate degree ). It can be shortened to undergrad in both cases.

By the end of this article, you’ll have an advanced degree in all the different ways graduate, grad , undergraduate , and undergrad are used, and what they mean in each case.

What does undergraduate mean?

An undergraduate is “a student in a university or college who has not received a first, especially a bachelor’s, degree.” For example, a college student might say I’m an undergraduate at the University of Texas if they were pursuing a bachelor’s degree there.

Undergraduate is also commonly used as an adjective in this same context, in terms like undergraduate student , undergraduate degree , and undergraduate studies.

Undergraduate is often shortened to undergrad as both a noun and an adjective.

In undergraduate, the prefix under- is used to indicate a lower rank or status. The educational status of an undergraduate student is below that of a graduate student.

What’s the difference between wisdom and knowledge ? Here’s a lesson on the two terms.

What is an undergraduate student ? And what is an undergraduate degree ?

An undergraduate student is a student who is pursuing a degree at the first level of higher education (meaning the level after high school) at a college or university. Undergraduate students are typically those working to earn a bachelor’s degree (or, less commonly, an associate’s degree ). These degrees are often referred to with the general term undergraduate degree.

Outside of the US, an undergraduate degree is sometimes called a first degree. There are also other types of undergraduate degrees outside of the US, such as a foundation degree (which, like an associate’s degree, is typically a two-year degree).

What does graduate mean?

As a noun, the word graduate  [  graj -oo-it ] refers to “a person who has received a degree or diploma on completing a course of study.” In other words, a graduate is someone who has completed a particular level of schooling or an educational program—a child who just finished kindergarten and a doctor who just completed medical school are both graduates. It can even be used figuratively , as in She’s a graduate of the school of hard knocks.

As a verb, graduate [  graj -oo-eyt ] means “to receive a degree or diploma on completing a course of study.” The process of graduating—and the ceremony itself—is called graduation .

As an adjective, graduate [  graj -oo-it ] means something more specific. It’s used to indicate that a student, degree, or educational program is an advanced one, beyond the level of a bachelor’s degree. This sense of graduate is most commonly used in terms like graduate degree, graduate school , graduate program, and graduate student.

What is a graduate degree ? And what is a graduate student ?

Graduate degree typically refers to a degree beyond a bachelor’s, most commonly a master’s.

A graduate student is a student who’s pursuing an advanced degree after having earned their undergraduate degree (such as a bachelor’s degree) by graduating from an undergraduate program. Calling someone a graduate student most often means they are pursuing their master’s degree, but it may be another advanced degree, such as a PhD (You’d most commonly call such students PhD students. Or you might say they are working toward their doctorate or their doctoral degree.)

To earn a graduate degree, graduate students go to a division of a university known as graduate school , and such a program is often called a graduate program. In all of these terms, graduate is often shortened to grad : grad school , grad student , grad program . (A student doesn’t become a graduate student until they take graduate-level courses. For example, if a student graduates with a bachelor’s degree and then later pursues a different bachelor’s degree, they are still an undergraduate student .)

Some graduate studies are referred to in more specific ways: medical students go to medical school to earn their medical degree ; law students go to law school to earn their law degree.

Do you know the difference between these highly-esteemed graduate degrees and titles: PhD, MD, and Dr ?

Where does the word graduate come from?

Graduate comes from the Medieval Latin graduārī, meaning “to take a degree.” It ultimately derives from the Latin gradus, meaning “a step.” Each time you graduate, you take a step to the next level of education.

What does postgraduate mean?

The adjective postgraduate is sometimes used in the same way as the adjective sense of the word graduate, especially in the UK, as in postgraduate student or postgraduate studies.

Postgraduate should not be confused with postdoctoral , which refers to studies, research, or professional work above the level of a doctorate.

How to use undergraduate vs. graduate

The best way to sort out the different meanings of undergraduate and graduate is to determine whether each word is being used as a noun, an adjective, or a verb. Here’s an easy breakdown of the differences.

• undergraduate (noun): A college student pursuing a non-advanced degree, most commonly a bachelor’s degree. Can be shortened to undergrad.
• undergraduate (adjective): Used in the context of colleges and university programs ( undergraduate programs ) where students are pursuing a degree (generally referred to as an undergraduate degree ) that is not an advanced degree. Also sometimes shortened to undergrad.
• graduate (noun): A person who has completed a particular level of schooling or educational program. Can be shortened to grad.
• graduate (verb): To complete a level of schooling (and, typically, to receive a degree or diploma). You can graduate from kindergarten, high school, college, graduate school, medical school, etc.
• graduate (adjective): Used in the context of advanced schooling—a level beyond a bachelor’s degree, most commonly a master’s program. Used in terms like graduate student , graduate school , graduate degree , graduate program , graduate courses , etc. Often shortened to grad.

Examples of undergraduate, undergrad, graduate, and grad used in a sentence

Let’s look at some examples of these words in actual, real-life use to get the meanings straight.

• As an undergraduate, she had studied engineering; as a graduate student, she switched to architecture.
• I completed my undergraduate degree after five years and a lot of hard work.
• As a graduate student, you will be expected to complete a thesis.
• You should start thinking about graduate school applications before you graduate.
• Most of the applicants for this position are recent college graduates.
• I’m still an undergrad, but I’m hoping to start grad school next fall.
• I’m a UGA grad, but I almost went to Georgia Tech.

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No matter who is graduating, here are tips on how to craft a perfect congratulations card for their achievement.

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