Postgraduate Research Funding
Resources to help identify funding:
Studentships on Jobs.ac.uk website
Scholarships for international students
British Council guidance for international students
Visit the Careers Service to use "Funderfinder" software
This webpage has information about funding for prospective and current research students.
The application process needs to be started well in advance of the PhD start date. Some Research Councils and internal schemes require applications to be submitted around eight months before commencing the PhD.
Research Councils
The Research Councils are the main source of British government funding for postgraduate study in the UK. All offer funding for Masters and PhD level research.
Application processes vary between Research Councils. Generally speaking, funding in the Science and Engineering disciplines is allocated to University departments, who then advertise specific PhD scholarships. By contrast, in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines, individual students compete with each other for scholarships, which are allocated directly by the relevant Research Councils.
To check what the situation is in your discipline, visit the individual research council websites, and speak to your supervisor about how the process works.
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)
AHRC Studentships for September 2012
The University of Salford, in conjunction with the University of Keele, has been successful in securing funding for AHRC postgraduate studentships in the arts and humanities over the next two years.
For details of studentships available for September 2012 please visit our postgraduate fees and funding pages.
The closing date for applications is 17 February 2012.
PGR Student Fund
Purpose and Scope
The PGR Student Fund is available to any current University of Salford postgraduate research student in good standing with the university. The aim of the fund is to encourage research students to engage in wider research activities that are related to their ongoing research in an interesting and innovative way. These include:
- Presenting at a national and international conferences;
- Purchase of exceptional items of equipment/materials essential for completion of research;
- Development of complementary research skills;
- Engaging internal and external community in research activities;
- Organising/hosting PGR workshops and events;
- Any other innovative and creative research ideas/proposals;
In your application you will be required to identify which of these categories you are applying for.
The award is up to £500. This scheme will NOT fund more than £500 per proposal application.
Key Dates
| Invitation for 1st submission: | Invitation for 2nd submission: | Invitation for 3rd submission: |
| Deadline: 1 December 2011. | Deadline: 1 March 2012. | Deadline: 28 June 2012. |
| Announcement: 15 December 2011. | Announcement: 15 March 2012. | Announcement: 12 July 2012. |
Criteria
1. Evidence of paper/presentation acceptance (where applicable).
2. The application must be submitted within the registration period.
3. The activity must normally be carried out in the same academic year as the award.
4. A student may only apply once in any one year and, where quality permits, priority will be given to students who have never received an award.
5. The extent to which the proposed activity will allow the research student to reach out and engage with others outside his or her immediate working environment.
6. The level of originality and innovation in the proposal and its intentions.
7. A feasible plan of activity, including an expenditure budget, and indications of the researcher’s ability to deliver the project in the timescale indicated.
Note: The final decision is at the sole discretion of the Head of Research and Development within the Research and Innovation Division.
Application Process
Before the deadline please submit your:
- Completed Application Form;
- Up to date CV;
Note: No more than 4 weeks after the completion of a project, an award holder will be expected to deliver a 500 word written report specifically addressing items 3 and 4 from the PGR Student Fund Application Form.
Please forward all the correspondence by email to Mrs Linda Kelly: pgrsupportfund@salford.ac.uk
Annual Bursaries
A number of other public and non-governmental organisations also hold annual bursary competitions. In some instances, the money is available for study anywhere; in others, you may be required to apply for study at a specific University or in a specific country.
The list below is by no means definitive: it includes only information about bursary competitions sent to the University by specific organisations and will be updated on a regular basis as and when we receive relevant information.
Fulbright Commission Postgraduate Student Awards
Each year between 12 and 16 awards are offered to UK citizens for the first year of postgraduate or doctoral study, or for 'special student research', in any subject at any accredited US institution. Successful candidates will work with the Fulbright Commission and the Institute of International Education (IIE) to identify and apply to the university departments which offer the best academic fit for them.
The closing date is the end of May.
The Trust offers scholoarships for postgraduate study for one year at Harvard University or Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Applicants must be British citizens at the time of application, and resident in the UK. They should have recently graduated or spent at least two of the last five years studying at a UK university. The closing date for applications is in late October.
British Federation of Women Graduates
BFWG gives awards annually to women in their third and final year of doctoral studies. The awards are given on the basis of evidence of academic excellence and are NOT expected to provide for financial need. The do not cover fees. The amounts offered range upwards from £1000 with the average award being around £3000. Applicants need to be registered at a University in England, Scotland or Wales. the closing date is late March
See also Funds for Women Graduates for other small grants (run independently from BFWG scholarships).
Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust
The Trust offers annual grants (normally from £300 - £1000 in value) for postgraduate study in any subject area at any British university. Applicants must be graduates with a first or upper second class honours degree, who are over the age of 24 on 1st October of the proposed year of study.
Small Funds
Look out for small funds which can help support your research activities, for example by covering the costs for conference attendance or helping to fund research trips and field work. You supervisor may be able to advise you of specific organisations and charities in your discipline that offer small grants to researchers.
Educational Trusts and Charities
Educational Trusts and charities sometimes offer small amounts of money (usually up to £500) to eligible postgraduate students who have been unable to get funding elsewhere.
The following resources offer further information:
- The Directory of Grant Making Trusts - published by The Directory of Social Change
- The Grants Register - published by Palgrave Macmillan
Both publications are available in the University libraries.
- The University Careers Advisory Service has access to Funderfinder, a computer programme that can help you locate educational trusts and other bodies. The Careers service is located on the lower ground floor of University House.
- The University Funding Team can offer assistance to researchers looking for external funding. They run a series of training sessions targeted specifically at PhD students, through the SPoRT programme. These sessions provide advice on small grant awards as well as postdoctoral funding, and offer guidance on grant applications.
Working to Support Yourself
If you are a full-time postgraduate student find yourself suffering financial hardship for any reason, one option may be to seek part-time paid employment. Before you decide to do so, it is important that you talk to your supervisor or personal tutor about what is realistic.
As far as the University Regulations are concerned, postgraduate students registered as full-time candidates may work up to 20 hours per week during term-time, subject to the approval of the Registrar. To gain this approval, students should contact the Postgraduate Office. However, if you are in receipt of a studentship or bursary or any kind, including a Research Council award, you may be subject to additional restrictions, which you must check before seeking employment.
If you are an international student, there are certain restrictions on how many hours you can work while on a student visa. There are more details available from the British Council and from the UK Border Agency. For advice on visas and working in the UK, you can also contact theUniversity's International Student Advisers:
Chris Saunders, c.saunders@salford.ac.uk
Dave Robinson, d.a.robinson@salford.ac.uk
Neil Harvey, n.g.harvey@salford.ac.uk
If you do decide to look for part-time work, the Careers Service runs the Job Shop, which helps students to find part-time, weekend and vacation work.
For further details of studentships commencing in September 2012 and how to apply please visit our postgraduate fees and funding pages.
The closing date for applications is 17 February 2012.