As the Empowering University, we offer various types of financial support for doctoral students. You can explore our current funded PhD scholarships. You can also find out more about our tuition fees.
We realise that finding funding for your degree can be quite a daunting task, so we have provided a glossary of common terms below to help.
Studentship /scholarship - These terms mean the same thing, but a studentship is the term most commonly used by funders such as UKRI and Research England for example.
Full studentship - Funding is provided to cover tuition and living expenses (in the form of a monthly stipend), but other expenses are generally not covered. In most cases, the research project is already defined, so applying for a funded studentship is a bit like applying for a job. You’ll need to demonstrate how you meet essential criteria and you will usually have to be interviewed as part of a competitive recruitment process.
Partial studentship - This is a studentship where you will receive funding to cover either tuition fees or living expenses but not both. In most cases, tuition fees will be covered, so you will need to be able to pay for your living expenses for the duration of your research degree.
Full scholarship - Like a full studentship, funding is provided to cover tuition and living expenses (in the form of a monthly stipend), but other expenses are generally not covered. In most cases, the research project will already be defined and a supervisor assigned to the project. As for a studentship, you will need to apply and be interviewed as part of a competitive process.
Fee waiver-only scholarship - This type of scholarship provides funding to cover tuition fees only.
Stipend - A stipend is funding to cover living expenses, usually paid monthly into students’ bank accounts and is usually tax-free. It is unusual to have stipend-only scholarships.
Bursary - A bursary is a type of general financial support for students, which may include stipends.
Grant - This is a one-off payment to cover specific activities.
De ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ University alumni discounts
Alumni discounts for the academic year commencing October 2025 onwards are currently under review and not being awarded.
Government Doctoral Loans
A can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD.
Other funding bodies
Numerous charities, foundations, and trusts offer financial support for postgraduate students, from targeted grants to comprehensive scholarships. Whether you're pursuing a specific field or meeting general criteria, there may be funding available. Explore the additional funding available on the list below for more information.