how to get phd funding

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•       Financial Aid       PhD Scholarships and Financial Aid

PAYING FOR YOUR PHD Expert Tips, Scholarships Opportunities and Resources for Financing an Advanced Degree

The average yearly tuition for a PhD program is slightly above $16,000, which means students will invest about $80,000 in tuition fees alone for a five-year program. Add in fees, cost-of-living, travel expenses and the figure can easily surpass six figures. Yet, it is possible to fund a PhD program without breaking the bank and going into debt.

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• PhD Cost Breakdown
• PhD Financial Aid Options
• Expert Spotlight: Lawrence Burns, PhD
• Earning Outlook for Phd Students
• Most Lucrative PhD Careers
• Expert Spotlight: Darren Pierre, PhD
• PhD: By The Numbers
• Additional Financial Aid Resources

PHD COST BREAKDOWN

The value of a college education should not be understated, but neither should its actual cost. Earning a doctoral degree can be an expensive proposition. According to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the average tuition and fees for a graduate program of study was $16,435 in 2012-2013. The table below outlines the 2012-2013 graduate tuition and fees by academic institution.

• All Institutions $16,435
• Public $10,408
• Private Non-Profit $23,698
• Private For-Profit $14,418

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

A rough calculation of the number of years it takes to complete a doctoral program, multiplied by the average 2012-2013 tuition and fees from the NCES, reveals the following total cost figures by academic field of study.

A five- to six-figure education is something to take seriously as there are debt implications after leaving finishing a PhD program. Graduating doctoral students in 2013 left school with an average debt of just over $15,000, according to the National Science Foundation. By field, students in the Social Sciences, Education and Humanities graduate with the highest levels of student debt:

• Education: $26,566
• Social Sciences: $26,222
• Humanities: $21,485

Conversely, the science and technology fields graduate students with the lowest debt figures:

• Physical Sciences: $6,342
• Engineering: $7,031
• Life Sciences: $11,905
• Physical Sciences 78.2%
• Engineering 75.1%
• Life Sciences 67.2%
• Humanities 48.4%
• Social Sciences 46.5%
• Education 44.1%

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2013

While these figures may seem alarming, a deeper dive into survey data from the National Science Foundation actually paints a more positive picture. Overall, more than 62 percent of all doctoral recipients graduate from school without a single dollar of debt.

Prospective students can use the table below to get a better sense of the percentage of students who take on debt at incremental levels in each field of academic study. A majority of students graduate with $10,000 or less in debt after finishing their doctoral degree.

PhD Cost Factors

The total cost of earning a doctoral degree is variable because of the sheer number of different factors involved. Tuition is not the only cost to consider when thinking about applying to a PhD program.

Typically, students pay full tuition rates during their first three years of doctoral study and receive reduced tuition rates for the remainder of the program. However, the actual cost of tuition does vary and may be dependent on the student’s actual degree program.

Graduate students pay a range of fees, with the most common including:

• Health Services (access to health facilities on campus)
• Health Insurance (personal health insurance)
• Student Activity (subsidizes athletics and other clubs)
• Student Recreation (access to recreational facilities on campus)

Some programs estimate students should be prepared to pay between $3,000 and $4,500 per academic year in student fees and health insurance costs.

Students with a master’s degree or coursework in a similar graduate program may be able to transfer credits into their doctoral program. That can lower the total number of credits required to graduate, which can lower the total cost of the degree. However, some institutions do limit the amount of tuition credits that can be applied for graduate work done in a related field at other institutions.

Whether or not the student has an assistantship does not affect the cost of textbooks and other academic materials. Books are a revolving charge, one a student should plan upon each semester or quarter.

Housing, utilities and food are considered indirect expenses students incur during their education. PhD students should plan on anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000 and up for living expenses each year. Again, this figure is highly variable based on the location of the university and the cost-of-living in that area.

Owning a car means additional budgeting for insurance, car payments and gas. Additionally, students may need to travel for conferences and research. Without funding from a graduate student association or grant program, the student will have to cover these costs individually.

PhD students with children may have to account for childcare costs. Purchasing a new computer and other supplies may also be required. This type of budgeting will vary from individual to individual, program to program.

Most PhD programs allow students to progress at their own pace, requiring them to complete and defend their dissertation within a certain time period (e.g. six years). However, the time it takes to complete a dissertation depends on the student, area of study, research, etc. This can impact cost of attending a doctoral program.

Example Cost of Attendance

A student’s budget should include the total cost of attendance—that is both direct (tuition and fees) and indirect costs (e.g. housing). This budget is the starting point for determining the student’s financial need, how much financial aid they require, and if they can afford to attend a doctoral program. Below is a sample five-year total cost of attendance chart based on an in-state tuition program, with a budget that assumes fixed costs for fees and indirect costs, such as housing. It also does not take into account assistantships and tuition waivers for assistants.

Based on a figure that’s slightly below the 2012-2013 average graduate tuition cost, the total cost of attendance can still produce sticker shock. An average student in a program that charges $12,000 per year in tuition could have to pay between $30,000 and $45,000 year in total costs.

PhD FINANCIAL AID OPTIONS

Prospective PhD candidates have an abundance of financial aid options to help fund their graduate studies. Typically, students are fully funded by a combination of sources, including scholarships, fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or student loans.

It is important for students to note that most sources of aid are awarded by individual academic programs, so they should follow-up with their department for up-to-date information.

Below is a high-level overview of the common types of graduate financial aid.

Prospective PhD candidates can turn to a variety of funding sources, including scholarships, grants, and fellowships to support their education financially. As discussed, most students use a combination of one or more of these funding sources to finance their degree program and research.

PhD students can apply for a variety of scholarships that award students with funds that can be used to help cover the cost of tuition, books and other fees.

Grants are similar to scholarships and are academic-based awards that can be used to augment other sources of financial aid.

Fellowships are a different type of funding that may encompass a scholarship or grant and can be used to fund research, study and teaching in the US and internationally. Many fellowships provide full tuition and a yearly stipend to students.

A PhD should never be an end in itself but rather a means to an end. The path to a PhD is an arduous one and should never be undertaken without serious thought to what it will bring the student. That said, there is money available for graduate study in most fields, and a student in the humanities should be very careful to apply to appropriate programs which fund their grad students.

• Engineering
• Physical Sciences

The SMART program is designed to support graduate students studying in STEM disciplines and offers a range of other benefits, including supplies and health insurance allowances and employment placement services with the DoD after graduation.

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship is a three-year graduate fellowship that is designed to support doctoral students across fifteen engineering disciplines.

This three-year fellowship program supports the research efforts of doctoral students in STEM-related fields of study and allows them to pursue their work at any accredited graduate program in the country.

Renewable award for graduate students enrolled in a full-time APA-accredited doctoral program of study in psychology. Underrepresented, minority students are encouraged to apply.

This fellowship is open to female scholars and is designed to help offset the doctoral student’s living expenses during her final year of working on a dissertation.

This fellowship is a single-year of funding that is designed to support the doctoral research of a student working in child psychology.

The Javits Fellowship is provided on a needs- and competitive-basis to graduate students pursing graduate degrees in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts.

Two fellowships are awarded to support doctoral students who plan to study at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece for a year.

The Richard M. Weaver Scholarship is open to graduate student members of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and supports the academic work of scholars pursuing teaching careers at the college level.

The AICPA fellowship is designed for minority students pursuing or planning to pursue a doctorate in accounting.

Five scholarships are available to provide financial assistance to graduate students pursuing studies in accounting and plan on earning CPA licensure.

This fellowship provides financial support to female scholars conducting research and economic analysis into natural resource, food, or agricultural issues.

This renewable, four-year fellowship is designed to support a scholar’s work in the field of stewardship science: nuclear science, high density physics, and materials under extreme conditions and hydrodynamics.

This multi-year fellowship supports doctoral research in several fields, ranging from chemistry to geology, materials science to physics and connects fellows with NPSC employer partners.

The NWRI fellowship program is open to full-time doctoral students conducting water-based research in areas such as water quality, water treatment and technologies, water supplies and water resources.

Really think about your reasons for getting a PhD. Critically exam the support systems you have in place to get you through the journey: 50 percent of doctoral students suffer from depression. Utilize services like the counseling center on your college/university campuses to help you respond to the stressors that may occur with the transition.

ASSISTANTSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND LOANS

Graduate assistantships.

Graduate assistantships are a form of academic appointment and are provided by individual departments. Competitive in nature, they are typically awarded on the basis of the student’s academic accomplishments and potential in the graduate program of study. Most programs provide appointments for one year at time and students receive a tuition credit or waiver and monthly stipend. There are three types of assistantships: Teaching Assistantships, Assistant Lecturers, and Research Assistants.

Teaching assistants perform a range of support duties for faculty members at a university, including grading papers and teaching classes.

Lecturers may serve as instructors in the academic department where they are studying.

Research assistants conduct and assist faculty members with research projects in the student’s area of interest.

Fellowships

Fellowships are short-term funding opportunities (typically 9- to 12 months) provided to students in the form of tuition credits and/or stipends. They support a student’s graduate study in their field of choice, may assist them in their research, or gain professional training in an area of interest. Fellowships are competitive and are available in two types: University-based and External.

Individual schools, colleges, and departments at a university (e.g. College of Science, Department of English) may have endowed fellowships. Students are either nominated for an award by their department or may be open to an application process.

External fellowships are funded by foundations, government agencies and other groups and provide opportunities to study both in the US and abroad. For example, the Department of Defense offers the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship to engineering students studying in one of sixteen engineering specialties.

Corporations

Many companies and businesses have created scholarship, fellowship, and tuition reimbursement programs for their employees. Depending on the company, there may be a possibility it supports the graduate school efforts of its employees. Speak to the Human Resources department to learn more about the potential funding avenues available.

Graduate students may borrow funds from the federal government under two loan programs: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Perkins Loan Program.

Private financial institutions, including banks and credit unions, offer unsecured educational loans to graduate students. These loans must be repaid with interest. The interest rates, loan amount, and repayment terms are based on the credit worthiness of the borrower.

Federal work study provides students with demonstrated financial need part-time job opportunities that allow them to earn income while they are in graduate school. The program focuses on placing students in community service situations related to the student’s academic course of study. A majority of jobs are on-campus, but some schools may have some off-campus jobs with nonprofit agencies and other groups. It is important to note that some universities may not allow students to use their federal work study for tuition, but other related expenses (e.g. books, fees).

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Lawrence Burns, PhD

What should a future phd student consider when selecting a program of   study .

Speaking in the humanities, a student is best advised, I think, to select the faculty member with whom he or she wishes to study rather than simply a program. This faculty member becomes the student’s mentor, a relationship that lasts well beyond graduate school years. Because the mentor becomes the student’s primary reference, his or her standing in the field can and does have an impact on pre- and post-doctoral grants a student might win as well as on the student’s success on the academic job market.

It is a delicate balance though, because one must also look at programs that have standing in a particular field and at institutions that can afford to fund their PhD students throughout their graduate years.

Much is made about the saturation of PhD graduates and not enough   positions — both in academic and the private sector. Should that dissuade   a student from pursuing a PhD?

Yes, of course. Again, a PhD is not something that comes easily, and it should not be pursued without a reason for it. On the other hand, for students who are committed to their fields, and for whom that field is a career choice, the PhD is still the only way into the university job market. 

There is a catch-22 in the world of post-graduate education. Research universities need to turn out research, and researchers often depend on their grad students to assist them–in all fields–and departments on their PhD candidates to teach many undergraduate courses. PhD students are thus recruited regardless of the job market for the PhD holders.

The challenges in funding the PhD for me were less about how am I going to pay for this degree, but making the adjustment from being a full-time salaried employee to now, taking a significant pay cut to serve as a graduate assistant.

EARNING OUTLOOK FOR PHD STUDENTS

Potential career earnings should be a significant part of the discussion when considering whether or not to pursue a doctoral degree. Completing an advanced program of study could increase an individual’s earning potential with their current or future employers.

Research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals a direct correlation between educational attainment and career success—both in employment opportunities and annual salaries. Doctoral degree holders are some of the highest paid professionals in the country. The table below outlines the difference in earnings by degree level in 2014.

source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Earnings and Unemployment by Educational Attainment

• Industry or Business $97,700
• Government $82,000
• Nonprofit Organizations $72,500
• Other $70,000
• Academia $60,000

Source: National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates

In turn, prospective students should consider how their sacrifice of time and money will pay off when they embark in their careers. Some professional fields have a higher return on investment than others. A majority of PhD candidates endeavor to become tenured-track faculty members, but they should realize that academia is one of the lowest paying sectors for individuals with a doctoral degree.

A review of National Science Foundation survey information shows that the best paying professional areas for PhD graduates include Industry and Business—with an average salary of $97,700. At the bottom of the list? Academia.

MOST LUCRATIVE PHD CAREERS

So, which PhD degrees pay the best?

According to the NSF, business, economics, and engineering are consistently among the best earning academic fields regardless of industry. The following tables outline the highest paying academic fields by professional area of work after graduation.

• Business Management and Administration $110,000
• Economics $82,000
• Engineering $79,000
• Health Sciences $70,000
• Education $60,000
• Business Management and Administration $135,000
• Economics $115,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $115,000
• Geosciences $110,000
• Engineering $98,000
• Economics $112,500
• Business Management and Administration $96,590
• Engineering $96,500
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $95,300
• Health Sciences $94,000
• Business Management and Administration $105,000
• Economics $100,000
• Mathematics and Computer Information Sciences $100,000
• Health Sciences $98,000

At the occupational level, 2012 employment research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed the best paying doctoral career was Physicist ($109,600), followed by Astronomers ($105,410), and Engineering Professors ($94,130).

Overall, the top 10 most lucrative PhD careers include the following:

• 1 Physicists $109,600
• 2 Astronomers $105,410
• 3 Engineering Professors $94,130
• 4 Economics Professors $90,870
• 5 Health Specialties Professors: $90,210
• 6 Agricultural Sciences Professors $86,260
• 7 Biochemists and Biophysicists $84,940
• 8 Forestry and Conservation Science Professors $84,090
• 9 Physics Professors $80,720
• 10 Medical Scientists $79,930

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: Darren Pierre, PhD

How has earning a phd impacted you personally and professionally.

Personally, the PhD was an incredibly introspective process. I believe for many, they go into the PhD thinking one thing, and come out transformed by the experience. I learned and grew personally in how I harness my self-worth, I grew professionally in my ability to humble myself and authentically listen to the feedback given about my work.

Professionally, I move with a greater level of confidence, I have more insight into my own potential in ways I could have never imagined, and all of that propelled me to write my book, The Invitation to Love.

Through your own experience, what are the biggest mistakes   prospective PhD students make when choosing and/or funding their PhD?

The biggest mistake that perspective students make is doing the degree for the wrong reason. If you are doing the degree for any other reason that self-motivated factors, you will falter. Doing the PhD to cover areas of insecurity, or low self-worth; doing the PhD for the prestige or title sake, those reasons will have you floundering and faltering when the psychological stressors being to weigh heavy.

Did you create a roadmap--financially or academically--to stay on track to   completing your PhD?

Absolutely, you have to have a plan and work that plan. Each Sunday, I would develop the week's action plan, I would carve out everything from when I was doing assignments/research to when I would work out, everything was on a schedule so that even when the fog of the process set in, I had headlights (my schedule) that allowed me to drive consistently when the road ahead was hard to see.

PHD: BY THE NUMBERS

Doctoral education in the U.S. is a varied and broad system, one that has been growing in popularity. In the 2013-2014 academic year, more than 178,000 doctoral degrees were conferred to students nationally, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

• Doctoral Education Continues to Grow
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Dominate
• STEM Fields are the Most Popular
• Only Half of Students Earn a PhD in the Same Academic Field as their Master’s Degree
• Doctoral Degrees are an Investment in Time
• Primary Source of Funding Varies by Program

In its survey of earned doctorates, the National Science Foundation learned the number of doctoral recipients increased by nearly 30 percent between 2003 and 2013.

The most popular academic areas of study were Engineering and the Physical Sciences.

• Engineering 69.80%
• Physical Sciences 59.30%
• Health Sciences 53.60%
• Life Sciences 44.60%
• Other 38.90%
• Social Sciences 19.90%
• Humanities 9.10%
• Education -25.70%

Within the engineering and physical sciences disciplines, multiple sub-fields have been experiencing explosive interest and enrollments, with some programs (e.g. physics, materials science engineering) growing by more than 70 percent between 2003 and 2013.

• Other engineering 127.5%
• Materials science engineering 86.5%
• Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 74.5%
• Mechanical engineering 70.5%
• Electrical, electronics, and communication engineering 53.6%
• Chemical engineering 46.0%
• Computer and information sciences 119.1%
• Mathematics 83.0%
• Physics and astronomy 76.7%
• Geosciences 28.8%
• Chemistry 22.0%

According to NSF, the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields are the most popular doctoral areas of study.

• Life Sciences 23.3%
• Physical Sciences 17.6%
• Engineering 17.0%
• Social Sciences 15.9%
• Humanities 10.7%
• Education 9.4%

Interestingly, slightly more than 56 percent of graduate students continue into a doctoral program in the same field as their master’s degree. Rates are highest in the humanities, engineering, and social sciences fields.

• Humanities 67.6%
• Engineering 65.7%
• Social Sciences 65.6%
• Education 61.5%
• All Fields 56.1%
• Physical Sciences 53.4%
• Life Sciences 35.5%

It requires approximately 7.5 years of study for the average graduate student to complete a doctoral degree after enrolling in graduate school. Education takes the longest — more than 11 years, while the physical sciences and engineering fields only require 6.5 to 6.6 years of study to complete.

• Education 11.7
• Humanities 9.2
• Social Sciences 7.7
• All Fields 7.5
• Life Sciences 6.9
• Engineering 6.6
• Physical Sciences 6.5

According to the NSF, the most common source of funding for doctoral students are teaching and research assistantships. The table below details the primary source of funding for students by academic area of study.

• Life Sciences Fellowships/ Grants
• Physical Sciences Research Assistantships
• Social Sciences Teaching Assistantships
• Engineering Research Assistantships
• Education Own Resources
• Humanities Teaching Assistantships
• All Fields Research Assistantships

The following table includes a breakout of the primary funding source by major field of study, according the National Science Foundation.

Source: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/2013/data-tables.cfm

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES

The ultimate financial goal of any PhD student should be to complete their program successfully and move into a professional career with as little debt as possible. The resources below are available to help students locate scholarships and other funding sources that can help make that goal a reality.

Unigo offers a selection of financial assistance resources for graduate students, including a scholarship directory, a scholarship match tool, educational information on student loans and funding options, and more.

Scholarships.com is a website that provides a selection of financial aid information, including a searchable scholarship directory, insights into funding trends, financial aid calculators, and information about grants and fellowships.

Peterson’s is an educational resource site that includes a searchable scholarship database, articles and advice columns, and a catalog of graduate school profiles.

FinAid.org is an educational resource site that focuses on financial aid and offers information about student loans, federal financial aid, financing a doctoral education, and includes a scholarship search option.

An office of the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid is the country’s largest provider of financial aid. Graduate students can learn about and pally for loans, grants, and work-study funds to pay for their doctoral education.

FastWeb is a financial aid-focused website that offers a searchable scholarship directory that allows students to focus their search to their major area of study, work experience, and personal and professional activities.

Chegg is an online educational portal that not only offers used textbooks, but a scholarship database as well.

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How to Find PhD Scholarships and Grants

Financing your PhD studies can be challenging, but it's essential to your academic journey. Scholarships and grants can ease this burden, although finding and securing them may seem daunting. 

Navigating your financial prospects can present a challenge, but scholarships and grants are there as available resources. In this blog, we will explain the opportunities to fund your PhD. We’ll also provide practical advice to help you find the right funding options for your PhD. Our guidance aims to give you a strong foundation for success.

Finding Doctoral Scholarships and Grants

Finding funding for graduate studies can be stressful, but scholarships and grants are available if you know where to look. 

• University Funding: Universities often offer scholarships and research grants to PhD students. For instance, the SMU provides various funding options for doctoral students through the Moody School for Graduate and Advanced Studies.
• Professional Associations: Depending on your field of study, grants are often available from professional associations. Have a look at your specific discipline’s association website or reach out to them directly.
• Government and Non-Government Organizations: Both government and non-government organizations offer grants to encourage research in various fields. Explore resources like Grant.gov and The National Science Foundation.
• Industry Partners: Companies often work with universities to fund research in their industry, supporting specific projects or areas of study.
• International Scholarships: International students can find PhD scholarships in the USA, like Fulbright and DAAD .

Essential Scholarship Application Tips

• Start Early: Keep in mind that securing funding takes time, so don’t wait to start your search. The application deadline is often way before the program application deadline.
• Be Thorough and Organized: Keeping track of deadlines, application components and other details can be overwhelming. Create a system that helps you keep everything organized and in one place.
• Tailor Your Applications: Tailor each application to the specific sponsor to maximize its appeal. Remember to show why you’re a perfect fit for their funding.
• Leverage Your Network: Don't hesitate to use your academic network. Professors, colleagues, and alumni can be valuable resources for scholarship and grant opportunities.

Grants and Scholarships for PhD Students vs. Other Forms of Aid

Initially, most students think of scholarships as a lifeline for PhD funding , but it's surprisingly uncommon for students to fund their PhD with scholarships alone. Can you get a scholarship for a PhD? Absolutely. But scholarships for doctoral students can be quite competitive.

In reality, most PhD students utilize a variety of funding sources. PhD programs commonly offer doctoral assistantships and fellowships, which are typically more widely available. Some students even explore additional routes like postgraduate loans, employer support, crowdfunding, and research council grants.

Knowing the ins and outs of each type of funding can help you make a decision that best suits your academic and financial needs. 

Scholarships

Scholarships, financial awards you don't need to repay, often reward merit or specific factors like demographics or career aspirations.

• Doesn't require repayment
• No obligation to perform services

Potential drawbacks:

• High competition
• May need exceptional qualifications

Grants operate much like scholarships in that they do not need to be repaid. They are frequently awarded based on need, although some may also take into consideration academic merit or field of study.

Benefits: 

• Doesn’t require repayment
• Can offset a significant amount of educational expenses

Potential drawbacks: 

• Competition can be fierce
• May have to meet eligibility criteria or conditions

Assistantships & Fellowships

Assistantships and fellowships are also common ways to pay for a PhD.  Assistantships involve providing services to the university by undertaking teaching or research roles, usually in exchange for a stipend and tuition waiver. Fellowships, like scholarships, are merit-based and don't require repayment or work in return. Fellowships usually offer generous resources and are specific to the student's field of study.

• Provide hands-on experience in teaching or research (assistantship)
• Accompanied by generous funding and resources (fellowship)
• Fellowships often provide greater freedom for research compared to assistantships
• Time commitment can impact personal studies (mainly assistantships)
• High competition may require exceptional qualifications or research proposals

While fellowships, assistantships, grants and scholarships for PhD programs aim to reduce the financial burden, they’re understandably different in their commitments, benefits, and application process. 

Discover PhD Funding at SMU

Finding and securing the right funding for your PhD is crucial in shaping a stress-free and productive doctoral journey. Remember, scholarships and grants, while beneficial, are just pieces of a wider resource puzzle that may include assistantships or fellowships. 

These funding options are aimed to ease your financial commitments, so explore opportunities for each, align them with your academic goals, and pave your way towards a rewarding PhD experience .

For more helpful resources or information about SMU's Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, contact us — we're here to help you on your academic journey!

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How To Pay For A Ph.D.

Fact Checked

Updated: Jan 25, 2024, 12:13pm

If your heart is set on earning a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree, you’ll join an elite club. In the United States, only 4.9 million people—about 2% of adults—hold a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree.

A Ph.D. can lead to a significantly higher salary. According to The College Board, the median earnings for those with doctoral degrees was $120,700, 38% more than the median for those with master’s degrees.

However, earning a Ph.D. can be an expensive endeavor. To avoid racking up too much debt, learn how to pay for a doctorate with grants, scholarships and other sources of financial aid.

What Does a Ph.D. Cost?

If your goal is to earn a Ph.D., be prepared for a significant investment of both time and money. Depending on the type of university you choose and your program, a Ph.D. usually takes three to five years to complete. If you attend school part-time, it can take even longer.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), tuition and fees cost, on average, $20,513 for the 2021-2022 academic year, so you’ll spend anywhere from $61,539 to $102,565 to complete a Ph.D. program. In addition, you’ll need to account for about $16,000 to $20,000 per year in added costs, such as room and board, supplies and other fees.

That total is on top of what you spent on a bachelor’s and master’s degree, so your education will likely cost well into the six figures. With such a high cost, it’s no surprise that many Ph.D. earners have substantial student loan balances.

7 Ways To Pay For a Ph.D.

Ph.D. costs can be significant, but a variety of financial aid opportunities can make the price tag more manageable. Paying for a Ph.D. is possible using the following options:

1. Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs

Fully funded Ph.D. programs typically cover the cost of tuition and fees, and they also provide a monthly stipend for living expenses and health insurance. Some examples of fully funded Ph.D. programs include:

• Boston University . Attendees of Boston University’s Charles River Campus can take advantage of a fully funded model. The program includes 100% tuition coverage, a health insurance credit and a living expense stipend. Depending on your program, the stipend ranges from $27,318 to $40,977 per year.
• Duke University . At Duke University, Ph.D. students are guaranteed five years of tuition and living stipends and up to six years of full health and dental insurance coverage. The amount of financial support varies by program and stipend amounts range from $2,538 to $3,217 per month.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management . MIT’s fully funded Ph.D. program covers students for up to five years. The program pays for the full cost of tuition and provides students with a monthly stipend of $4,497, student medical insurance and a new laptop. Students also receive up to $4,500 for travel and conferences.

Not all universities offer fully funded Ph.D. programs, and existing programs are highly competitive. For example, the Stanford University Department of Political Science Ph.D. program selects 12 to 15 students per year.

2. Ph.D. Fellowship Programs

A fellowship program provides students with financial support so they can focus on their academic work. Issued based on the student’s academic merit or research achievements, fellowships may or may not have a service requirement attached.

Fellowships can come from universities, nonprofit organizations or government agencies. For example:

• American Psychological Association (APA) Doctoral Fellowship in Health and Substance Abuse Services . The APA fellowship is for full-time doctoral students who are committed to working in behavioral health. It provides up to three years of financial support, and the stipend amounts vary by year and program.
• Cornell Fellowship . Cornell University operates several fellowship programs. The Cornell Fellowship pays for one academic year of tuition, fees, health insurance and a stipend.
• U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program . The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is a five-year fellowship that gives students three years of financial support. The fellowship includes an annual stipend of $37,000 and pays up to $16,000 per year in tuition and fees.

You can search for fellowship opportunities through the ProFellow database .

3. Doctoral Scholarships

Scholarships are available to Ph.D. students, and these merit-based awards can come from nonprofit organizations, private companies, states and government agencies. The award amounts vary, ranging from smaller awards that may only cover incidental expenses to more substantial awards of $20,000. For example:

• Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program . Certified public accountants (CPAs) intending to earn a Ph.D. in accounting can qualify for up to $20,000 through the Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program.
• American Library Association (ALA) Century Scholarship . The ALA Century Scholarship gives up to $2,500 to library school students with disabilities pursuing a doctoral degree.
• Washington State American Indian Endowed Scholarship . In Washington, Native American students can receive $500 to $2,500 to pay for their education at an eligible school within the state.

You can search for additional scholarship opportunities with tools like FastWeb or Scholarships.com .

4. Ph.D. Grants

Unlike scholarships, grants are usually awarded based on the student’s financial need. Ph.D. grants can be issued by states and nonprofit organizations. For example:

• José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund . This grant, issued to Hispanic students in Florida, is both need-based and merit-based. Eligible recipients can receive up to $2,000 per year.
• Organization For Autism Research Graduate Research Grant . Doctoral candidates conducting autism research can qualify for a grant of $2,000.
• Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program . Virginia residents attending an eligible university can receive between $5,000 and $12,500 per year in financial assistance.

You can find Ph.D. grant opportunities through your state education agency or CareerOneStop .

5. Employer Reimbursement

If you’re currently working full- or part-time, your employer may be willing to help with some of your education expenses. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 48% of employers offer tuition assistance or reimbursement benefits.

Contact your human resources department to find out if tuition reimbursement is available and what you need to do to qualify for the benefit.

6. Federal Student Loans

Depending on the other financial aid you qualify for, you may need to borrow some money to cover your remaining expenses. Federal student loans are a good starting point since they have more borrower protections than other options, and you may qualify for loan forgiveness later on based on your employment.

Ph.D. students may qualify for either direct unsubsidized loans or grad PLUS loans. Unsubsidized loans have lower interest rates but have annual and aggregate borrowing maximums that your program may exceed. If that’s the case, you can use grad PLUS loans to pay for your remaining expenses.

7. Private Student Loans

If you aren’t eligible for federal loans or need to borrow more than the federal limits allow, private student loans are another way to pay for your Ph.D. Private loans come from banks, credit unions and other lenders, and your loan eligibility is based on your credit, income and whether you have a co-signer (someone who agrees to repay the loan if you miss payments).

If you have excellent credit, you could qualify for private loans with lower rates than you’d get with federal loans, and private student loans can have terms as long as 20 years.

If you decide to take out a private loan, compare quotes from several lenders offering loans for Ph.D. programs. Consider the rates, terms and overall repayment costs to find the best loan option.

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PhD Students in the Natural Sciences, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Medical Sciences

Phd students in the humanities and social sciences programs of the faculty of arts and sciences, phd students in humanities and social sciences programs offered in partnership with other harvard schools, acceptance of financial support.

The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) offers incoming PhD students full financial support—including tuition, health insurance fees, and basic living expenses—for a minimum of five years (typically the first four years of study and the completion year). This funding package includes a combination of tuition grants, stipends, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic appointments.

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system.

A typical funding package* includes:

• grants toward tuition and the Harvard University Student Health Program  paid in full for years G1 through G4 and the dissertation completion year
• a combination of stipend, teaching fellowships, and/or research assistantships during years G1 through G4
• summer research support from Harvard Griffin GSAS or faculty grants following the first four academic years.
• subsidy payments to defray dental insurance and transportation costs.

*In some programs, the timing and structure of living expense support may vary from this pattern.

The initial Notice of Financial Support assumes continuous enrollment as a full-time resident student; students not enrolled are not eligible for Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid programs. Students may find that their actual enrollment patterns necessitate adjustments to the timing of their funding. Students wishing to defer Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding indicate this in the Student Aid Portal during the annual financial aid acceptance process. The options for deferring financial support vary by type of aid; please refer to the applicable sections of the financial aid policy web pages for details. Students who are considering deferring financial support are strongly encouraged to contact their financial aid officer to review how such actions may impact their funding in future years.

While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in the sciences typically receive full funding until they complete their programs of study. Contact your department administrator or financial aid officer for details.

See more detailed information about funding for students in humanities and social sciences programs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Humanities and Social Sciences Programs in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

• Celtic Literatures and Languages
• Comparative Literature
• East Asian Languages and Civilizations
• Film and Visual Studies
• Germanic Languages and Literatures
• History of Art and Architecture
• Inner Asian and Altaic Studies
• Linguistics
• Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
• Romance Languages and Literatures
• Slavic Languages and Literatures
• South Asian Studies

Social Sciences

• African and African American Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• History of Science
• Human Evolutionary Biology
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Social Policy

A number of humanities and social sciences PhD programs are offered in partnership with Harvard's professional schools. While funding packages vary by program, PhD students in these interfaculty programs generally receive at least four years of financial support for tuition, health fees, and living expenses; most programs provide dissertation completion fellowships as well. For more information, refer to your Notice of Financial Support or contact your financial aid officer .

Interfaculty Programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences

• Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning
• Business Administration
• Business Economics
• Health Policy
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy and Government
• Public Policy

Each student is provided a Notice of Financial Support at the time of admission and is assigned a financial aid officer who administers this funding and is available to assist with financial concerns. Students are required to formally accept their financial aid offers and acknowledge their understanding of financial aid policies. Students should also consult their academic programs to determine whether program-specific conditions apply.

Each spring, continuing students supported by Harvard Griffin GSAS-administered funding sources are required to activate their funding for the upcoming academic year using the Student Aid Portal, an online financial aid management system. Continued eligibility for financial aid is contingent upon an annual report by the faculty that the student is making  satisfactory progress toward the degree.

Financial Aid

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Funding & Scholarship: Graduate Programs

Financial support for ph.d. students, all students admitted into our ph.d. program receive full financial support., this support includes tuition, fees, $1,004 in transportation and dental subsidies (as of ay24-25), and a cost-of-living stipend ($3655 per month in ay23-24 and $4083 per month before taxes in ay24-25)..

Support is independent of need provided a student remains in good academic standing and is making satisfactory progress towards his/her Ph.D. degree. Students are expected to complete their Ph.D. requirements in four to six years. Financial support takes several forms: fellowships, teaching fellowships, and research assistantships. Ordinarily, first-year Ph.D. students are supported with full fellowships so that they can devote their time to coursework.

For the classes entering in Fall 2024 and beyond : SEAS PhD students are expected to complete two sections of teaching in SEAS in their second year or spread across their second and third years. Both sections may be completed concurrently in a single course. Their research assistantship will be adjusted accordingly during the semester(s) in which they are teaching fellow (TF). The academic requirement for the PhD degree is one section of teaching in SEAS. The student and their research advisor may arrange to replace the second section of teaching with a research assistantship. Beyond the first year, when students are in a better position to teach and assist in research, support is ordinarily provided through research assistantships, or a combination of a teaching fellowship and a research assistantship. For more detailed information, please visit the following pages: GSAS Tuition and Fees  G SAS Financial Support for PhD Students

External financial support for Ph.D. students

Applicants and current students are encouraged and expected to apply for all non-Harvard scholarships for which they are eligible, especially those offered by the  National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program  and  National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) . 

Each year, many SEAS students secure fellowships from external agencies.  Should an incoming student be awarded and accept any fellowship external to Harvard, it is the expectation that the student will utilize these funds in the first year of study in place of Harvard funding.   In advanced (G2+) years in the graduate program, students with external fellowships are advised to have a discussion with their financial aid officers from Harvard Griffin GSAS and SEAS about how to best utilize the remaining years of funding based on their activities and academic requirements.

To ensure equitable treatment of all students, the coordination of external award benefits with a student’s existing funding package is determined by the Harvard Griffin GSAS financial aid officer in consultation with SEAS.

Currently, PhD students with external support are eligible for a SEAS-sponsored academic incentive.  PhD students who bring in open, competitive external fellowships that are equal to 50% or more of total their support (tuition/fees + stipend) will receive a supplemental award of $3,000 in the first year of the external fellowship.  PhD students who bring in open external competitive external fellowships that are not 50% or more of their total support and are at least $10,000 (tuition/fees + stipend or salary) will receive a supplemental award of $1,000.  The full $3,000 bonus may also be awarded in certain cases of multi-year fellowships depending on the total amount of support provided.This policy is subject to review and change.

Financial support for terminal masters students (M.E. & S.M.)

While financial aid is not available for master’s students in our M.E. and S.M. programs, there are a variety of funding opportunities available. Prospective students are encouraged to apply for independent grants and fellowships to fund their studies.  Information about tuition and fees can be found here . Students in our Computational Science & Engineering or Data Science programs-should visit this page and also may contact the  GSAS Financial Aid Office  to learn more.

Students in the  MS/MBA:Engineering Sciences program  are eligible to apply for need-based  HBS Fellowships  and student loans in both years of the program.

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Financing Your Education - Doctoral Programs

A doctoral degree is a significant investment in your future, and financing your education is a critical factor to consider. While the funding we provide covers the basic standard cost of attendance determined by Stanford University for a modest life as a graduate student, accepting an offer from a doctoral program has significant personal, professional, and financial implications. Below you’ll find information on GSE and Stanford financial support for doctoral students, as well as other important considerations when it comes to financing your PhD.

Funding guarantee

Stanford GSE offers all admitted PhD students a five-year funding package that provides tuition aid, fellowship stipend, and assistantship salary which covers the standard cost of attendance. The funding is based on meeting the basic financial need of the student alone for the first five academic years of the doctoral program and entails assistantship work. The cornerstone of the GSE doctoral experience is the apprenticeship that all students undertake, typically under the guidance of their academic advisor, but often with other Stanford faculty as well. In this apprenticeship model, doctoral students are provided with a funding package that consists of opportunities to serve as teaching and research assistants for faculty members' courses and research projects. By this means, and in combination with the coursework, students are prepared to excel as university faculty, education researchers, and leaders in the field.

All funding is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress and performance on the research and teaching assistantships. There is no separate application for this funding.

Assistantships

As part of the academic and professional training and development, students undertake assistantships which provide both salary and tuition. Research assistantships are funded by faculty research grants, other faculty funds or as needed, by the GSE Dean’s Office, and can lead to joint publications with faculty or to dissertation topics. Students who have sufficient expertise and experience may also be selected as teaching assistants for courses at the GSE or other Stanford schools and departments. Assistantships are typically secured in consultation with faculty advisors. Students work 10 hours (25% assistantship) or 20 hours (50% assistantship) a week depending on their year in the program. 

• Research assistantship (RA): Various duties for research projects
• Teaching assistantships (3 types):
• Course Assistant (CA)—course preparation and grading
• Teaching Assistant (TA)—leads regularly-scheduled discussion sections
• Teaching Affiliate (TF)—full responsibility for course

Funding Details 2023-2024

Note: The above figures reflect 2023-2024 rates. Actual amounts will be adjusted to the rates for 2024-25 and future years.

Cost of attendance

Tuition depends on the units taken by the student. In addition to tuition expenses, the cost of attendance of a PhD program involves living expenses such as rent, food, and transportation. The sum of tuition and non-tuition expenses constitutes the standard cost of attendance. 

As you consider applying to graduate school, you can use the standard cost of attendance of your program —plus any additional expenses you might have—to create your financial plan, keeping in mind that tuition and non-tuition expenses of the standard cost of attendance are set by the university on an annual basis.

What you can do now to prepare financially if admitted

• Prepare for how your standard of living may change as a graduate student, especially if you are coming from a full-time job.
• Consider the length of your program, any dependents, existing debt, and additional financial commitments you may have. Students with children may review Stanford support programs for families.
• If you have personal or special circumstances that require additional expenses above and beyond the standard cost of attendance, plan accordingly.
• Start saving as much as you are able to cover any unexpected expenses you may incur while in graduate school.
• Familiarize yourself with federal as well as private student loans, their interest rates, fees, repayment options, deferment policies, and eligibility requirements, so that you are informed if you need to borrow.
• Be ready to cover all initial expenses, since fellowships and stipends will not be disbursed until a few weeks into your first quarter. Onboarding into a PhD program often requires up front out of pocket expenses for relocation.

Additional GSE resources

Once PhD students matriculate, the GSE has a variety of resources available to support academic work and unanticipated needs.

Students are eligible for up to three travel fellowships during their time at GSE if they are attending a conference or other professional development opportunity.

GSE Student Emergency Fund assists graduate students who experience a financial emergency or unanticipated expenses causing financial hardship. This fund is meant to support those who cannot reasonably resolve their financial difficulty through fellowships, loans, or personal resources. 

GSE Dissertation Support Grants help advanced PhD students who require additional financial support for dissertation research activities. These grants, available at up to $6,500 total per student, are available to students who do not have access to other funds to cover their dissertation costs.

Stanford University resources

Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program aims to prepare the next generation of global leaders to address the increasingly complex challenges facing the world. The program selects up to 100 students each year and provides three years of financial support that is integrated into the GSE’s funding package for PhD students.

Vice Provost for Graduate Education awards various fellowships for doctoral students and maintains a list of other Stanford fellowships that students may consider.

Cardinal Care subsidy is an automatic university-wide subsidy program for graduate students. Vaden Health Center manages the university’s Cardinal Care student health insurance.

Stanford Financial Aid Office oversees a number of financial support programs specifically for graduate students with challenging financial situations. 

Additional hourly work is available to students who wish to work for pay as "casual labor" at Stanford up to eight hours a week, provided work does not adversely affect the academic program. Requires approval from the student’s advisor and the Academic Services team.

Other funding sources

External fellowships are integrated into the GSE’s funding package. There are many funding opportunities offered outside of Stanford. The GSE admissions team has compiled an external fellowships and grants document for you to explore, though you should plan to do your own research as well. International students can find additional sources of funding on the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Funding for U.S. Study website and this publication .

Stanford is committed to providing benefits through the Yellow Ribbon Program of the Post-9/11 GI Bill® to students in degree-seeking programs. GSE students who qualify for Chapter 33 benefits at the 100% level may be eligible for additional funding through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Please note that for GSE students receiving tuition fellowship funding, the Yellow Ribbon match may reduce and in some cases replace institutional grants and scholarships. For instructions, visit the page, Activate VA Education Benefits at Stanford .

International students are guaranteed the same funding package as domestic students. However, there may be restrictions regarding the number of hours and opportunities to work during the summer months. To learn more, please contact the Bechtel International Center .

To meet immigration regulations, international students must show proof of adequate financial support to cover the length of time of their graduate program. While international students are not eligible for U.S. federal loan programs, they may qualify for private/alternative loans. Many lenders, however, require that a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-sign the loan. You can find information and tools to help you choose private loan programs most frequently used by Stanford students here. A comprehensive list of private loan programs is available at FinAid.org .

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PhD Funding – A Checklist of Possible Sources

There are probably more funding opportunities for your PhD than you think. It is worth making sure you have investigated them all.

Funding bodies support PhD students in different ways. Some pay course fees only, some include a stipend (maintenance costs) or travel expenses, and others offer a one-off award to ease the financial burden of academic study.

Each funding body will have its own criteria for eligibility. At PhD level full funding will tend to be awarded on academic merit, but there are also some that take into account financial background and other criteria such as gender (such as in the case of the British Federation of Women Graduates).

Research Councils

The seven Research Councils invest in the region of £380 million into doctorate research every year. However, funding is made available through the participating universities rather than the research councils themselves. Universities set up Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) or Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in order to receive funding.

It is then up to the universities to decide who to award studentships to – usually based on academic merit following a competitive application process.

Eligibility criteria and award amounts are standardised and you will find many other funded PhDs referring to research council rates when defining their own. Research council studentships include fees and a minimum stipend per annum which is paid tax-free.

The seven Research Councils include:

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)

The above organisations have been grouped together with Innovate UK and Research England in 2018, and the umbrella organisation is called UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) .

UKRI’s key objectives include providing funding for the training of new researchers.

Academic institutions

Universities, colleges and research institutes also fund their own studentships, and these are typically listed on the institution’s own website alongside its research council-funded studentships. Some will offer fees only, while others may offer a stipend as well. Amounts may vary although many use the research council rates as a benchmark.

Commercial and charitable organisations

A number of non-academic organisations help fund research at PhD level in collaboration with the university hosting the study. CASE (Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering) studentships are for four-year PhDs. These are part-funded by a non-academic ‘co-operating body’ such as a UK industrial firm, public sector organisation or charity. Students spend at least three months of the PhD working in-situ at the co-operating body which makes a financial contribution to both the student and the project. Students often find these to be good avenues for finding full-time work at the end of their placement, and will have gained valuable hands-on work experience. There are also CASE-Plus studentships where students spend a further year working full-time on the premises of the co-operating body as an employee following the PhD.

A number of charitable organisations, foundations and trusts can help fund PhDs:

The Wellcome Trust

Cancer Research UK

The British Academy

The British Federation of Women Graduates

The Institution of Civil Engineers

Institution of Engineering & Technology

Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Royal Geographical Society

Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland

Leverhulme Trust

Action Medical Research

The Grundy Educational Trust .

Self-funding

If you are having difficulty in getting funding from the above sources, you may be able to fund your own way through a PhD. You may be eligible for Professional and Career development loans. It is wise to review the specific application criteria to ensure that you are eligible.

A further option is to study part-time while working. This could however place additional demands on your time and financial situation. Be aware that if you have managed to access some funding elsewhere, you may be prohibited from working during your PhD as part of the stipulations of the award.

The jobs.ac.uk website lists some excellent PhD opportunities as well as a wide range of jobs – do take a look at them!

For more PhD tips:

Your PhD Journey – Top Tips 

What Can You Do With a PhD?

PhD Application Tips

What is a PhD and Why Should YOU do one?

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Henrietta Nagy

Henrietta Nagy is a seasoned portfolio worker with over 10 years’ experience in the UK education sector. Henrietta writes educational content, designs academic courses, delivers university lectures, mentors entrepreneurs, and provides career development coaching. One of Henrietta's recent organisational clients is the Oxford University where she has facilitated over 100 hours of learning events. With 9 years of higher education studies internationally (including an MBA), she has worked with CEOs, academics, scholars, managers, women entrepreneurs, academic administrators and other consultants.

Reader Interactions

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10th October 2019 at 12:12 pm

I am a PHD Scholar at Wollegga University, Ethiopia.I need a Research Grant. Would you please help me?

3rd December 2019 at 9:21 am

I am conflict management PhD candidate in South Africa I need funding. My area of focus is Terrorism in Nigeria. Any advice

4th September 2020 at 8:57 pm

I was offered PhD opportunities at Universities of Cape Town, Queen Margaret and Winchester but could not find funding. My area of specialization is health systems management planning and poli

11th September 2020 at 3:25 pm

I am DBA scholar at University of Northampton researching on industrial actions. I need a research grant. Please assist.

4th December 2020 at 5:11 pm

I am looking for an admission to study PhD Medical Imaging or PhD Nuclear Medicine Technology with finding or grants. Kindly specifically help.

6th August 2022 at 6:45 am

I am a PhD scholar in one of the Federal Universities of Technology in Nigeria. I seriously need a funding to allow me carry out a thorough research on Microplastics pollution in coastal areas of Southwestern part of Nigeria. Thanking you for your timely response. Olanipekun Oluwafunmilayo (Mrs)

5th January 2021 at 9:00 am

I am South African and I have been admitted for a PhD programme at the University of Worcester, UK. However, I am struggling to get funding. Please assist where you can.

18th October 2021 at 12:03 pm

I am due to go into my final year of my Professional doctorate in education, and need funding just for this one year. My research is into COVID and the impact upon young children. Please, can anyone guide me towards any potential sources of funding for this one year?

27th January 2022 at 1:42 pm

I have been admitted for a PhD programme at the University College London in 2022 fall, but I find it difficult to get funding as a non-European international student. Any advice! Many thanks in advance.

5th March 2022 at 1:32 pm

Hello, I am a Chinese student. If I am admitted to a PhD programme of Newcastle University in 2022 fall, but I have not applied for CSC, and the program I applied for is not a full prize program, what other subsidies can I apply for?Any advice! Thank you very much in advance!

10th June 2022 at 6:13 am

I am interested in fully funded PhD, I am a master student in de Montfort university presently.

22nd June 2022 at 5:13 pm

My name is Esther, a Nigerian. I am looking for a PHD in Gender studies and Food Economics, please i will appreciate your kind assistance.

31st January 2023 at 2:57 am

I am a Nigerian and will be taking a Ph. D in UK or any European country soon. Please can you share useful information on how to get external funding for my Ph. D in Urban and Regional Planning with specialty in Landscaping and Transportation. Your impactful feedbacks will be highly appreciated.

7th October 2023 at 4:31 pm

My name is Jingrong, a Chinese student. I am a PhD student in the University of Bristol presently, my research is based on the remanufacturing operations. I am interested in some related funding.

13th August 2022 at 5:50 pm

My name is Bulea Christopher, I am seeking to do PhD in Organizational leadership and management. I shall be grateful.

19th October 2022 at 1:31 pm

I am Nigeria and will be taking a Ph. D in UK soon. Please can you share useful information on how to get external funding for my Ph. D in renewable energy system of technology. Your impactful feedbacks will be highly appreciated. Thanks

31st October 2022 at 8:58 am

My name is Nkomo Dalubuhle from Zimbabwe lm looking for a PHD in curriculum studies in education

18th November 2022 at 3:51 am

I am from Pakistan and want to apply for PhD programme at the University of Staffordshire UK. However, I am struggling to get funding. Please assist where you can.

21st October 2023 at 3:56 pm

I am master’s in special education from pakistan.i required fully funded uni of this field.

14th March 2024 at 8:01 am

I’m a Tunisian student who has been accepted into a PhD program at Newcastle University for 2024, specializing in Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as a master’s degree program at the University of East Anglia, focusing on Rural Development. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to secure funding for either program. Do you have any advice on what steps I can take or where I can apply for funding? Thank you in advance!

25th June 2024 at 10:26 pm

My name is Wendy Mbele from South Africa lm looking for a PHD in business administration studies

25th June 2024 at 10:30 pm

My name is Wendy Mbele from South Africa lm looking for a DBA funding please.

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The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

How To Get A Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

It may come as a surprise, but when you’re applying for a PhD the difficult part isn’t always getting offered a place at the university. I found this out the hard way!

Instead, securing the funding to support your research can often be the biggest barrier to starting a PhD. Securing a fully funded PhD scholarship can be a great means of funding your research because it offers you lots of academic freedom.

It took me several tries (see my applications timeline and PhD application failures ), but after a few years I was eventually able to secure a fully funded PhD scholarship at my first-choice university.

Now I want to help guide you through how to get a fully funded PhD scholarship for yourself.

Is it Hard to Get a Fully Funded PhD Scholarship?

There are a lot of different types of PhD funding. In fact I’ve written a full post about the PhD funding landscape which you can read here .

Any PhD funding is better than none, yet there is a hierarchy and scholarships sit at the top:

Scholarships and fellowships are typically the most prestigious types of PhD funding and usually come with the highest PhD stipends, therefore they can be tough to secure. As a side note if you’re interested in learning more about how much PhD students typically earn, check out my post here .

PhD scholarships and fellowships are pretty similar (and roughly interchangeable), so to keep things simple I’ll just refer to them both as scholarships going forward.

Project-specific funding comes about when a supervisor is awarded a grant by a funding body and uses this money to employ researchers and carry out the research as outlined in the grant application. If you go with this type of project there are usually restrictions on how much you can change the PhD topic.

Similarly to bursaries, PhD scholarships and fellowships are awarded to the individual student rather than a specific project grant. You therefore have far more academic freedom and scope to tailor a project to your own interests, without having to worry about whether it fits the theme of a certain grant.

Since scholarships are the most lucrative they are usually the most difficult type of PhD funding to get. Your CV and application will therefore need to be stronger than when applying for project-specific funding.

My Journey to Securing a PhD Scholarship

It took me several years to secure PhD funding:

Over this period I decided to work as a research assistant at a few different universities. Firstly this was so that I had a job and was earning money. Secondly, it was relevant experience which would help boost my chances of success when reapplying for a PhD.

It turned out that this work experience would be a big part of how I secured my PhD scholarship. Later in this post I’ll be mentioning papers I authored and prizes I played a part in winning and I want to make it clear that I didn’t do all of this as an undergraduate.

In fact, I did none of it as an undergraduate!

Outstanding undergraduate students may already have names of papers, patents, prizes or something else to show research prowess, but that wasn’t me.

If you’re struggling with securing PhD funding, getting a job as a research assistant in the meantime can be a great idea. Along with building up your research credentials it can also help you to understand whether you’d enjoy a career in research prior to committing to a PhD.

How I Got a PhD Scholarship at Imperial

When I was looking for PhD projects at Imperial I got in contact with a potential PhD supervisor who had advertised a PhD online and we discussed different funding routes.

Before applying for the scholarship I eventually got, there were a few other potential funding options on the table:

• Project-specific funding already in place. This is what initially got me chatting with the supervisor. I had previously learned my lesson that seeing a project advertised online doesn’t mean it is automatically funded!
• An in-progress grant application to a research council which would have funded my PhD. We did also eventually get this grant.
• The prestigious President’s PhD scholarships which funds 50 projects per year at Imperial. I did apply for this but was unsuccessful with the application and didn’t make the short list. This scholarship was more prestigious than the one I eventually won.

During these discussions I got told about the possibility of applying for another scholarship, which was the one I went on to get awarded. This highlights the value of having several applications on the go for different funding pots.

Had I not engaged directly with a supervisor who was within the university I would have never found out about the scholarship, since as far as I know it wasn’t ever advertised online.

Applying for the PhD Scholarship

The first I heard about the PhD scholarship was when I got told that the department was considering putting me forward for it. It turned out that the scholarship would fund one PhD across the entire university, and each department could only put forward one student to apply.

Just one PhD project across the whole university! Even just getting selected to represent the department would be tough.

This all sounded extremely intimidating to me. We’ll shortly come onto things you can do to boost your chances of success.

Here is what I had to provide for the application:

• A copy of the standard university online application: form, CV, personal statement, undergraduate transcript
• PhD scholarship proposal
• Two references
• A statement from the Supervisor / Head of department in support of the scholarship application

How Long Does it Take to Get a PhD Scholarship?

Here is the timeline to me securing my scholarship, from finding a PhD advert through to getting the all important scholarship offer.

• Mid December 2015 – I found an advert for a fully funded PhD project.
• 4th January 2016 – I emailed the potential supervisor with my CV and a cover letter attached, saying that I was interested in the project.
• 15th January – Response from the supervisor: “You have a very strong cv and I think you should apply for a PhD scholarship, have you considered this? Have a look at the details for the President’s scholarship. With a first class degree and several papers I would say you have a strong chance of winning one.”
• 18th January – First chat with supervisor on the phone. We discussed how I had already applied for a PhD in the past (got the place but no funding) with someone who turned out to be a close collaborator of his. We decided this person would be my second supervisor if we got funding.
• 25th January – Supervisor sent me a PhD scholarship project proposal that he and the co-supervisor wanted to propose to me. Yes, they basically wrote it for me. Yes I got lucky.
• 26th January – Received feedback on my personal statement from the supervisor, and got pushed to submit the online application.
• 9th February – First I heard about the scholarship . Since I had been in contact for a few weeks and they had my CV, the supervisor had been speaking about me to support staff. I got told that the department wanted to put me forward for the scholarship: I would be the department’s top choice. Eek!
• 12th February – Deadline to submit the scholarship application. Because I’d already been applying for other funding, this mostly just needed the statement of support from my supervisor and finalisation of the PhD proposal.
• 10th March – Unofficial email from supervisor saying we were successful
• 11th March – Official email notifying me that I’d be awarded the PhD scholarship :

I got the PhD scholarship and was elated! 🎉

From initially speaking to the potential supervisor to getting the scholarship took about 9 weeks. From finding out about the scholarship to getting it took just over 4 weeks.

I certainly don’t expect I was the smartest person to be put forward, even just from the department let alone the whole university. My application included my mediocre A level results (AABC) and not-so-committed marks in the first couple of years of my undergraduate degree.

Even so, I was successful. Let’s now dive into what you can do to get your own PhD scholarship.

How to Get Your Own Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

Step 1: identify available scholarships.

To find potential PhD scholarships I suggest looking on the university website and searching online for funding relevant to your domain. For instance Google has its own PhD fellowships .

The best thing you can do is start chatting with potential supervisors. They will know the funding landscape at that specific university very well and will have a good idea of the best routes for PhD funding.

Also, having a supervisor such as mine who was willing to help so much with the application is incredibly useful to boost your chances of success. It is also a very good indicator that they will be supportive throughout your PhD.

I remember when I was first cold emailing potential supervisors: most replied but some never even acknowledged my message: a good sign that maybe they wouldn’t be the best supervisors to work with…

With all PhD funding it is really important to check your eligibility. There are sometimes some limitations to be aware of, for instance:

• Nationality / Citizenship. Some funding is not available to overseas students. Thankfully this isn’t usually the case with scholarships since they aim to attract the best students.
• Background, including undergraduate marks. There are sometimes minimum requirements for the grade you achieved during your prior degree(s). Of course to get a scholarship you’re competing against other students so we’ll shortly come onto how to stand out.

Step 2: Put Together an Outstanding Application

The bits of your scholarship application you can control usually revolve around:

• Your CV – showcasing why you’re a good choice (see my full post on writing a CV here and examples of other researchers’ CVs here )
• Personal statement – your motivation for wanting to start a PhD
• PhD scholarship proposal – what you would like to spend the scholarship money on

I won’t go into depth now on the actual writing of the application, but let me know if you’d like a separate post about how to compose the personal statement and scholarship proposal.

Generally in order to put yourself in a good position make sure to:

• Give yourself as much time as possible
• Incorporate feedback from your potential PhD supervisor(s)
• Be ready to pester your referees to make sure they submit your references on time

Right, now let’s move onto what you can do to bolster your application in order to give yourself the best chances of winning a PhD scholarship.

How to Improve Your Chances of Securing a Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

Imagine you’re in the position of awarding PhD funding. How do you decide which candidate to pick?

A good starting point would be looking at how much research experience candidates have and what outcomes they achieved. If someone already has a track-record of conducting research it takes away some of the risks during a PhD and is reassuring for funders that they’ll probably do a good job during the PhD.

The more research experience you can evidence in your application, the far stronger you’ll make the PhD scholarship application.

Some of the main traits that the scholarship committee could be looking for in a PhD student include:

• Research competence
• Enthusiasm for research & outreach
• Academic potential and a thirst for knowledge
• Technical knowledge
• Interpersonal skills

Let’s look at what you can do to evidence each of the above.

Demonstrating Research Competence

1. undergraduate research projects.

Hopefully during your degree(s) you’ve had some research experience. Perhaps this is what got you thinking about starting a PhD.

Being able to use this experience to illustrate your interest, experience and competence in research is extremely beneficial in your funding application. Bonus points if you submitted your work to a journal or conference, as we’ll come onto in a moment.

Examples of undergrad projects could be:

• Individual projects e.g. final year project as part of your degree
• Group projects as part of your degree
• UROP outside of term time

Experience working on your own is great for demonstrating independence while group projects can be useful for showing that you can work in a team. Both are useful but being able to work on your own is definitely the more important of the two.

In your application be sure to focus on what you did, what was novel about it and any interesting experimental or analytical techniques you used: especially if they could be applied to the PhD.

Here is what I had on my CV when I applied for my PhD scholarship:

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECTS Fourth year project: Optimal design of orthoses for treatment of intermittent claudication Conducted motion analysis capture of human joints to test effectiveness of commercially- available orthoses with EMG technology and muscle activation data Analysed test results, concluding in recommending the most appropriate orthoses for individual participants Progressed validation of a physical artificial leg model and OpenSim software model Third year project: 3-D printing of multi-scale porous biocement scaffolds for ligament attachment Prototyped novel magnesium calcium phosphate biocement scaffolds to investigate 3-D printing parameters for optimum implant integration Analysed parts under SEM to verify multi-scale porosity and XRD for detecting phase changes and composition Conducted a statistical analysis of variance study in sample porosity using optical microscopy and deduced the optimum printing parameters to maximise porosity Wrote a technical report and presented results during an oral presentation and viva Part of my CV at the time I applied for the fully funded PhD scholarship

2. Peer-Reviewed Publications

It is often said that papers are the currency of academia. The advantage of having papers starts with your PhD application.

It’s important to say that you don’t need to have papers to get offered a PhD position. You might not need them to get offered funding via a bursary or CDT, unless it is very competitive. But having any papers published will greatly enhance your chance of being offered a PhD scholarship because it’s so much more competitive.

For more on papers see my publishing series here .

How Many Publications Did I Have When I Applied for My PhD Scholarship?

When I was awarded my PhD scholarship I had on my CV:

• 1 x accepted journal paper
• 3 x abstracts from conferences published in the supplementary sections of journals
• 1 x paper under review at a journal (and clearly described as such)

Of these, I was the first author of just one of the published abstracts.

Just being part of the team showed that I was participating in projects which helped the research community.

Publication Tips to Get a PhD Scholarship:

• If you’re interested in a PhD and are offered the chance to get involved with some research which could result in a publication, do it. It will massively help. Even if it doesn’t end up being published any extra research experience is helpful.
• With the rise of arXiv it is now more easy to share early work and protocols. Sure, it isn’t the same as getting something accepted to a peer-reviewed journal or conference but it if you don’t yet have a complete paper ready to go through peer review, you could use arXiv to demonstrate that you’re working on research outputs.
• Already got publications? Here is a direct quote from my PhD supervisor, a professor at Imperia l: “I would also add the quartile and impact factor of the journals (the people reviewing will be non expert in your field).  You can get the journal quartile rankings here  http://www.scimagojr.com/index.php . Anaesthesia and Journal of Colloid and Interface Science [where I had some of my stuff accepted] are both Q1 and Impact factors of 3.5 and 3.4 respectively which is excellent and should be highlighted.”

3. Attending & Presenting at Conferences

As well as journal articles, another way researchers share their work is by presenting work at conferences. They’re an important part of academia and you’ll undoubtedly attend conferences as a PhD student.

A low stakes way of boosting your prospects of securing a fully funded PhD scholarship are by attending conferences, workshops, symposiums or other meeting points for research. If you’re attending conferences prior to applying for a PhD it can show that you have more than a passing interest in research.

Attending a conference is good for many reasons:

• Learn about potential PhD topics
• Meet current PhD students and ask advice for getting started
• Network with potential PhD supervisors
• Add it to your CV / application and it is something relevant to discuss in a PhD interview

Bonus points if you’re going to a conference which is relevant to your PhD research area. If your CV is looking a little thin I’d suggest highlighting any and every conference you’ve attended. Even small scale research symposiums at a university can be a good way to show that you broadly know how research gets presented.

Going to conferences is great but even better is submitting research to one and ideally presenting it yourself. The cherry on the top is if you, or the person from your group presenting the work, win a prize:

It is particularly useful when accepted abstracts get published as proceedings in a journal. This means that:

• You get a publication out of it
• People not at the conference can see your work, either for PhD interviews or citing it

I wouldn’t worry too much about the prestige of a conference. Showing that you have any experience attending one is great.

I also wouldn’t worry about posters vs oral presentations. Again, experience with either is fantastic.

Conferences on my CV when applying for my PhD scholarship

When I applied for my scholarship funding I’d been to a few different conferences and had some work accepted.

I was very fortunate that when I was applying for a PhD my CV looked like this, with three prizes from conferences:

Burton, M., Heyman, J.,  Clark, J. , Owens, D. (2015) Ventilation problems in a shared airway: the effect of the compression of the endotracheal tube during tonsillectomy. Unpublished poster presentation at:  All-Wales Airway Group , 15 May 2015, Newport, Wales. [Poster presented by co-author and  awarded first prize ] Clark, J. , Short, A., Chawathe, M., Francis, J., Saxena, N., Bogod, D., Girotra V (2014) Development of a realistic epidural simulator – a translational research project.  Anaesthesia ; s4 69: 1-9. [Presented by co-author at AAGBI Annual Congress 2014 and  awarded first prize  in Original Research category] Hamlyn, V.G., Bruynseels, D.,  Clark, J. , Hall, J.E., Collis, R.E. (2014) Assessment and training on a new epidural simulator.  International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia  2014; S34 23: 44. [Presented by co-author at OAA Obstetric Anaesthesia 2014 and  awarded first prize  in Training poster category] My CV when applying the PhD scholarship I got awarded

It’s important to highlight that I didn’t present any of the work myself.

I was first author for one of them but since it was an anaesthetics conference we figured it would be better for an anaesthetist to present…

Always be truthful with who actually presented, especially if there was a prize involved. Even if you aren’t the presenter, it is easy to see how someone associated with prize-winning work sounds like a good bet to the scholarship committee.

4. Other Research Competence

This could be things such as:

• A year in industry or other work experience. Bonus points if is is a research-orientated environment. Don’t just think R&D for a pharmaceutical company, this could include computational modelling for a car company or analysis in a finance company.
• For data science / AI / ML people: entering Kaggle competitions . Bonus points for doing well.
• Volunteering on a citizen science project.

I didn’t have any of this stuff on my CV when applying for the scholarship.

Demonstrating Enthusiasm for Research & Outreach

Beyond typical research outputs, it can go in your favour if you can show your eagerness to communicate research to others.

• Setting up a research paper reading group at your university
• Starting a podcast and discussing new research or interviewing researchers
• Traditional outreach: exhibiting science to the public, probably through your undergrad university
• Creating YouTube videos
• Writing articles, for instance on LinkedIn or medium.com
• Starting a science website or blog
• Explaining research on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or anywhere else

All of these show:

• You are the type of individual to go above and beyond to help others to understand research. Funding bodies are starting to care more and more about public engagement.
• Communication skills.
• That you can probably do a decent job at distilling complicated topics into something which is easy to understand. This is a very useful skill.

The handy thing with a lot of these is that you don’t need access to a lab or even to still be affiliated with a university. You can do as much or a little of them as you want.

I’ve written a whole post about STEM volunteering opportunities which I suggest you check out for some ideas for how you could demonstrate enthusiasm for research and outreach:

STEM Volunteering Opportunities in the UK

Any amount is better than none, especially if your CV is otherwise looking a little thin.

What outreach did I have on my CV when applying for my scholarship?

All I had done was manage an academic department’s blog. I actually didn’t start the website you’re reading this on until I was already working towards my PhD.

However, if I had not already had my research assistant experience I certainly would have considered starting something earlier to boost my application.

Demonstrating Academic Potential

Moving on from research, the committee will broadly want to judge your academic potential. Are you a committed student? Can you do well when you apply yourself to a topic? Do you have certain experience which could stand out?

Useful things to have on your CV include:

• Decent grades. Having good grades in relevant modules/units to your potential PhD topic and in research projects throughout your degree help. An impressive overall percentage for the degree (eg 85%) is even better. Me? I just scraped a 1st with 70.5%, see more details in the blue box below.
• Dean’s list, for being one of the top students during your undergraduate degree
• Academic prizes for doing well in certain topics
• Exchange schemes to other universities. Regrettably you get bonus points if it is a big name university, not least because this suggests that it must have been competitive to secure.
• For programmers: sharing coding projects on GitHub, GitLab etc. Bonus points if they’re popular open source projects.

Do You Need Good Grades to Get a PhD Scholarship?

In order to have a competitive application for a fully funded PhD scholarship you will need to have a minimum of a 2.1 overall for your undergraduate degree. However, you certainly don’t need to be top of your class, or having outstanding grades all the way back to school.

My marks? GCSEs: 7A*s, 3As, 1B A-levels: AABC. Which wouldn’t be enough to get into Imperial as an undergrad! Undergrad degree: 1st class. But only just, with my final average at 70.5%. My transcript showed modules with 48% and 54%. Yes, really. The scholarship committee will have seen those grades if they looked closely.

As you can see, I didn’t have a blemish-free stellar track record. However, thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do about it!

Demonstrating Technical Knowledge

Distinct from academic potential is your technical knowledge.

What’s the difference?

• Academic potential is about how you can apply yourself to any topic and do well.
• Technical knowledge relates specifically to your chosen PhD field or topic.

Thankfully, being an expert in your field certainly isn’t a requirement when you’re starting a PhD. I’d go as far as to say that PhD supervisors and funding committees are much more keen to find someone with academic potential and a willingness to learn.

How much technical knowledge do you need?

You do generally need to have at least some knowledge of the field.

For instance, a friend of mine studied human physiology for undergrad and wanted to move into neuroscience for her PhD. Without any technical knowledge in this area she couldn’t convince the committee that she would be able to confidently complete the PhD so she got rejected. Don’t worry, she did go on to get a PhD but in something which she could demonstrate a little more technical know-how in.

If you want to do start a PhD project which falls within the broad category of your undergrad degree, you’re fine. For instance, want to do a project which would be defined as a chemical engineering project and you have a degree in chemical engineering? You’re fine. Usually there is a good amount of latitude too: in this example if you alternatively had a degree in a chemistry or another engineering sub discipline you may also be fine.

You do not need to specifically know lots about your PhD area of focus before you start. Of course, the more specific technical knowledge you can demonstrate certainly won’t hurt your chances, especially for a PhD scholarship.

The exception to all of this are CDTs where you get a year of training to bring non-specialists up to speed in a discipline different to their undergrad.

Demonstrating Interpersonal Skills

Sure, your PhD will involve a lot of lone working but you will also have to interact with other people. Therefore, demonstrating interpersonal skills is a great asset for PhD scholarship applications.

Interpersonal skills include:

• Team work . From basics such as being courteous and respectful to other lab users through to working well with others on joint projects, so things like delegating and splitting tasks up.
• Communication skills. Getting comfortable presenting to a broad audience and discussing ideas with others. In particular showing that you can deal with people from other disciplines and speaking a common language.
• Showing initiative and initiating collaborations . This can involve networking and a motivation to seek out people with complimentary skills to achieve more impactful research projects.

These could be demonstrated by undergraduate projects, work experience, volunteering or even things like sports. Basically try to add in examples of any time you’ve worked with other people.

Do You Need to Tick Every Box to Get a Fully Funded PhD Scholarship?

No, not necessarily. There are loads of ways to impress the committee. For instance, I hadn’t really done any outreach.

When I first sent my CV to my PhD supervisor he immediately highlighted two things which would stand out to the scholarship committee:

• Being named on publications in reputable journals
• Being associated with some prizes at conferences, even though I wasn’t the presenter

I would highly suggest that if you get the opportunity to work on research which could result in a publication, take the opportunity!! Publications are really a golden ticket to a PhD, so do as much as you can to get your name on them.

Don’t be disheartened if you don’t already have experience in lots of these areas, instead focus on ways to gain experience to bolster your CV and boost your chances. This could be either through taking a job temporarily as a researcher (like I did) or proactively doing things outside of work to show your suitability, such as submitting a review article or starting a reading group.

My Top Tips for Getting a PhD Scholarship

For those currently at university:

• Try to get involved with some research and if possible try to present that research somewhere. Saying that you’ve presented at a conference makes you sound like a fully fledged PhD student before you’ve even started. Even better would be to get your name on a paper accepted to a peer-reviewed journal.

For everyone:

• Work with a potential supervisor to perfect your application. Often for scholarships you’ll have to name a supervisor should you get the award. The supervisor should be a great resource for improving your application to give you the best chance of success. If the supervisor doesn’t seem interested in helping you, I’d suggest that they’re probably not someone you want to be working with for the next 3-4 years of your life during a PhD.
• If your CV is looking a little light, consider adding to it with some things you can do in your free time such as research communication: writing articles online, informational YouTube videos etc.

Summary: How To Get A Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

In your application and interview try to demonstrate:

Providing as much evidence as you can include for each of these topics will put you in the best possible position for securing a fully funded PhD scholarship.

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.

Best of luck with your PhD funding applications. I hope this post has given you some pointers to increase your chances of securing a fully funded PhD scholarship. If you think I’ve missed anything, please do let me know.

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4 Comments on “How To Get A Fully Funded PhD Scholarship”

A holder of a Master of science education degree in wood science and technology I need help to get a full funded phd programme. Currently am teaching in one of the school in Zimbabwe. Also assist on what programme is do i embark on for PHD

Hi Qhubani thanks for your comment. It sounds like you’re on a great path and are picking up useful experience. I would suggest starting to reach out to potential PhD supervisors. They will be best placed people to give you specific advice about PhD programmes relevant to you. See my post about finding supervisors . Best wishes! Jeff

I am impressed with the message here and decided to work day and night to compensate for the time I have killed to get my master’s degree and develop myself multi-directionally. Even if I’m feeling near the deadline, I will do whatever is needed to reach my vision. Thank you so much and I would like to share and consult more in person.

Great to hear your commitment, Tigist. Best of luck on your academic journey.

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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

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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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Applying to the PhD Program

What you need to know to apply

If you are intellectually curious and like to be challenged by new ideas and experiences, consider a Kellogg PhD. Our students shift from being consumers of knowledge to being producers of new knowledge. Through their publications and teaching, Kellogg graduates contribute to business practice and society.

Preparing to apply

Each year, Kellogg receives over 850 applications to its eight PhD programs. On average 25 students enroll each fall.

PhD study requires strong quantitative skills to develop theories and manage and analyze data. This program is especially well suited to those who have previously studied social sciences (such as economics, political science, psychology and sociology), mathematics, natural sciences or engineering.

To be eligible for admission, you must hold a U.S bachelor’s degree — or a comparable non-U.S. degree — from a regionally accredited institution. You may be considered for admission before you finish your undergraduate degree, but you must complete that degree before you enroll at Kellogg. A three-year bachelor’s degree is also accepted.

Application review

During the admissions process, we will evaluate your application file and how your research interests align with the research expertise of our faculty. Also included in our review is the strength of your recommendation letters, academic record, and performance on standardized tests. Your application will help us understand if you are ready to seize all the opportunities that come with joining Kellogg.

Our faculty will assess your:

• Application responses

Transcripts

• Test scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Writing sample (optional)

For international candidates, the committee also assesses:

• English language proficiency 

Master’s degree holders

A master’s degree is not required for enrollment in our PhD programs. For applicants with a master’s degree, note that the coursework taken in a master’s program will not shorten your time to degree. No transfer credit is provided with a master’s and students must satisfy their PhD coursework requirements in full while studying at Kellogg.

Opportunities for collaborative research across programs and schools at Northwestern University are always available; interdisciplinary research is our strength. However, Northwestern permits applicants to apply to one PhD program a year .

There is an exception through the dual application option with the Economics PhD Program, which is outlined below.

Academic experience

The Kellogg PhD Program offers eight distinct areas of focus, each with varying types of experience that are needed for success.

Economics-based PhD programs

• These include Accounting Information & Management, Finance, Financial Economics, Managerial Economics & Strategy, Operations Management, and Marketing (quantitative area)
• Evidence of solid training in math, econometrics and statistics within the application
• Recommended math courses include calculus, linear algebra, probability and mathematical statistics

Behavioral/Sociological-based PhD programs

• These programs include Marketing, Management & Organizations, and a joint program between Management & Organizations & Sociology
• Evidence of statistics for social scientists and quantitative thinking, as well as a strong understanding of central concepts of probability and statistics
• Background in social psychology and sociology

Dual application with Weinberg Economics

Applicants seeking to enroll in an economics-based doctoral program have the option to submit a second application for review to the Economics PhD Program. Kellogg PhD programs participating in this dual application option include, Accounting Information & Management, Finance, Managerial Economics & Strategy and Marketing (quantitative area).

More details about this option are available on The Graduate School website.

Financial aid

Kellogg offers a five-year financial aid package to all admitted doctoral students that includes a stipend, tuition scholarships, health insurance, moving allowance and a subsidy to purchase a computer.

Contact CollegeNET Technical support for help with its online application .

Get a sense for Kellogg faculty expertise, academic research and published work.

• Faculty directory
• Northwestern Scholars database
• To apply for a Kellogg PhD, you will need an updated version of your resume or CV, transcripts from all academic institutions, test scores, an academic statement, a personal statement and three recommendation letters.

How to write your application

Your resume or cv.

Your resume or CV should summarize all of your qualifications, honors, educational accomplishments, and if applicable, current research papers.

Please list all schools where you were registered for courses at the college level, including community colleges, study abroad institutions and current registrations whether or not in a degree program.

Provide one transcript from each college/university you have attended that documents each course taken beyond high-school level, whether or not within a degree program. Certification of degrees received, including the date the degree was awarded, should be noted on the transcript and/or diploma. Please note:

• The Kellogg PhD application requires unofficial transcripts . There is no need to send official transcripts prior to enrollment. Official transcripts are needed only if you decide to enroll
• For applicants who studied at international institutions, transcripts must be accompanied with an official English translation, if applicable

Form for courses taken

The Courses Taken form lets anyone applying to our economics-based programs highlight advanced university courses that directly support their chosen field of study and proficiency in the subject matter. The form allows for up to six advanced courses in each specific area. If you cannot access our form, you may create and upload a form that contains the same information in applicable areas of study.

Download the following forms if you plan to apply to one of these programs. Forms are required with your application submission:

• Accounting Information & Management
• Financial Economics
• Operations Management

If you plan to apply to either of these programs, we highly recommend you fill out one of these forms:

• Managerial Economics & Strategy
• Marketing (quantitative)

Standardized tests

All applicants are required to submit either the GRE or the GMAT regardless of previous experience and/or advanced degrees. We take a holistic approach to the application-review process, meaning there is no minimum score required for eligibility. Test scores are reviewed within the context of the entire application.

GRE required for:

• Management & Organizations & Sociology

GRE or GMAT required for:

• Management & Organizations

The Finance program prefers the GRE, but will accept the GMAT.

The GRE At Home and the GMAT Online exams are accepted. GRE and GMAT scores are valid for five years from the date taken. The institution code for GMAT is: 6WZ-3J-54 (PhD Program, Kellogg). The institution code for GRE is: 1565 (Northwestern Graduate School).

Unofficial test score reports are used during the application review process; however, official GRE and GMAT test scores are required if admission is recommended.

English language proficiency tests

If your native language is not English, The Graduate School requires that you certify proficiency in the English language in one of the following ways:

If your native language is not English, Northwestern requires that you certify proficiency in the English language in one of the following ways:

• TOELF:  We accept 600 or higher on the paper-based exam, 250 or higher on the computer-based exam, or 100 or higher on the Internet-based exam. TOEFL scores through at-home testing service are accepted. The TOEFL institution code is: 1565 (The Graduate School)
• IELTS:  Unofficial score report, submitted at the time of application, for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) . The IELTS Academic test must be taken no more than two years before the intended quarter of entry (fall quarter). IELTS test takers should score 7.0 or higher. IELTS scores submitted through its at-home testing service are accepted
• MET:  We accept Michigan English Test scores of 70 or higher
• Earning an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited institution where the language of instruction is English. Please note, Kellogg provides the waiver after an application is submitted and transcripts have been reviewed. No additional documentation is required. Applicants will see the waiver noted within their online account
• Automatically Waived:  Applicants that are citizens from the following countries where English is the native language will have the requirement automatically waived upon submission of the application (Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Great Britain, Gibraltar, Israel, Jamaica, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)

Standardized exams must be taken no more than two years before the intended quarter of entry. Unofficial scores are used during the review process. Official test scores are required only if admission is recommended.

DuoLingo or TOEFL Essentials are not accepted. Kellogg does not require the Test of Spoken English (TSE).

This is your opportunity to share the depth and breath of your academic education. In addition to the tactical and practical elements, think about how each experience helped you grow into the candidate you are today.

Academic statement 

You have a max limit of 1,000 words to answer the following questions:

• What are your academic interests, and why do you wish to pursue graduate studies in this specific program?
• How has your academic and professional background prepared you for graduate study? (Include any research, training, or educational experiences that align with the program you are applying to)
• How will our program help you achieve your intellectual and professional goals?
• What scholarly questions do you wish to explore in the program? (Make sure to include any specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own)

Personal statement 

Write a statement that addresses the following prompt (500 words max):

The Graduate School values diverse backgrounds, approaches, and perspectives, understanding them as essential ingredients for true academic excellence. As a Northwestern graduate student, how would you contribute to an intellectual community that prioritizes equity, inclusion, belonging and cultural humility?

Your answer may draw upon past or present experiences, whether in academic work, extracurricular or community activities, or everyday life.

While a paper is not required for admission to Kellogg’s PhD programs, the Sociology Department does require one, where the applicant is the sole-author, for consideration to the joint program in Management & Organizations and Sociology.

We do not require a writing sample to be submitted with the application; however, you may include one writing sample (30-page maximum) with your application. Hyperlink this paper and any other papers you have on your resume. *Please note: Only one writing sample will be reviewed. Do not upload more than one paper.

We require three letters. Additionally, we ask all recommenders to include Northwestern University’s Graduate Applicant Assessment Form found within the application. Recommendation letters from professors or instructors could include:

• A description of the nature of your relationship. Did you take one or more classes with the professor?
• A description of a research project or honors thesis, discussing the quality of the work, technical and writing skills, research methods used, data analysis, originality, depth of research undertaken, questions/problems raised, contribution to the field, etc.
• The letter should also provide a ranking — how you compared to other students

Recommendation letters from employers and business associates could include:

• Insights into your aptitude, character and working style — ability to work on your own, self-starter, complete a project on time, etc.
• Any research or data analysis you have done within the scope of your work

All letters must be submitted online through our web-based application, CollegeNET . Directions for uploading letters and accessing the Graduate Applicant Assessment Form will be sent to recommenders once the applicant has entered the contact information within the application. We are not able to accept recommendation letters by email.

A $95 non-refundable fee must be paid by credit or debit card within the online application. For those participating in the dual application option with the Economics PhD Program, the application fee is $175. The Graduate School (TGS) at Northwestern University administers the fee waiver program. If you wish to be considered for a fee waiver, please refer to The Graduate School’s website on Application Fees .

After you submit

You’ve invested time, energy and resources into completing your application, so no doubt you’ll want confirmation that your application was received. And we want you to have that peace of mind, too.

So, once you submit your application, you can log back into CollegeNet at any time to view the status and double check that all sections were successfully completed.

We welcome anyone who is interested in reapplying to the doctoral program. Additional time can frequently further cement your research goals and application strength. However, we are unable to provide specific application feedback if you applied in the past.

All candidates can reapply in future years, but you must submit a new application, supporting documents and application fee.

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• Scholarships /

How to Get PhD Funding?

• Updated on  
• Jun 23, 2023

Having a PhD degree is an essential requirement for a scholar looking to have a stable career in academics. Getting selected for a PhD is a difficult process, you need to go through tough exams and interviews. But the story doesn’t end with being selected, you also need a PhD funding source to sponsor your research. So, if you are wondering how you can get PhD funding, read through the blog for details about PhD funding in various countries.

This Blog Includes:

External funding for phd students, types of funding for phd, plan of action for phd funding, studying phd in india and abroad, cost of a phd degree, scholarships and fellowships, research council grants, academic institutions and universities, funding organisations and studentships, phd scholarships in india, how to get phd funding in the usa, how to get phd funding in germany, how to get phd funding in canada, benefits of studying phd abroad, points to keep in mind.

To find your golden ticket for pursuing a PhD, there are various ways such as postgraduate loans, fellowships, etc. Let’s check the 6 keys that can help you get a PhD funding.

• Postgraduate loan : A Postgraduate Loan can support the tuition fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master’s course. 
• Studentship : A studentship or PhD scholarship is a popular form of funding for PhD students across the world. There are many universities offering different types of scholarships for students to ease the financial pressure. Some of which include merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships, or specific scholarships. 
• Research Council Grant : Research council grants are non-repayable amounts that cover the cost of tuition fees and provide a maintenance grant to support students They usually cover your three or four years of studying. Depending on the study program, and academic performance, the Studentships offered can cover either three or four years of your five or six-year PhD program. If you are planning to pursue PhD in the UK , Research Council grants should be your first port of call when seeking any form of PhD funding. 
• Crowdfunding : Crowdfunding means asking for support from family, friends, or any trusted person to fund your studies. It might be difficult but you must be able to lay out the benefits and importance of your studies.
• Charities : There are various charities that can help provide funding for your PhD. These organizations might not be able to cover everything, students can combine multiple sources of funds from charities. They can incorporate it into what’s known as ‘portfolio funding’.
• Employer sponsorship : If you are working in a company, you can use the employer sponsorship by pointing out how studying a PhD will not just benefit you, but the company as well. You must be dedicated and point out the essential details about how long is the PhD for and what is your research topic.

Also Read: PhD After MBA

Now that you know where PhD money comes from, consider how this looks from the perspective of a student. Again, we are generalising, but there are approximately three types of funding situations:

• Fully-Funded PhDs: Students who are fully sponsored are as fortunate as the word implies. They have a complete studentship that covers their PhD fees as well as most of their living expenses and other expenses. They’re probably not drinking champagne every night, but they don’t have to be concerned about the cost of their PhD.
• Partially-Funded PhDs: Students who are partially sponsored receive a partial scholarship or studentship (typically contributing to fees or living costs, but not both). They must usually supplement their money with additional awards and/or rely on some of their own savings or earnings.
• Self-Funded PhDs: Self-funded students do not receive major support and must pay for their PhDs through a mix of student loans (which must be returned), savings, or earnings.

Also Read: PhD Scholarships in India

Understanding how PhD funding works can help you make sense of a (possibly) befuddling array of alternatives. But how do you proceed from here?

The route described here is quite general. It is assumed that you are just beginning your funding hunt (perhaps while working on your entire PhD application). You’re probably already halfway there, in which case you can skip a few steps.

• Speak with your supervisor (if possible) – It’s preferable not to approach a possible supervisor only to discuss money, but if you’re already in contact with one, it makes sense to seek their advice on your quest. They’ll know what’s worth focusing on and what isn’t, and they may also be aware of special funders or scholarships for your subject.
• Begin by looking for financed projects – Many PhD studies are advertised with funding attached. They’re significantly more common in STEM fields , but it doesn’t mean there aren’t any in English, Philosophy, or Sociology. When you find one, your search for funding becomes much easier.
• Look for studentships and PhD bursaries separately – You may be considering proposing your own PhD topic or applying for an advertised study without funding (or with money for which you are ineligible). In any case, the next step is to seek a studentship or scholarship to ‘attach’ to your PhD. Your university is probably the best place to look for one. They will give out their own awards, but they will also give out government cash or larger philanthropic scholarships and bursaries.
• Look at prospects with businesses, industries, or outside funders – In some fields, this should be step #1, but you’ll know (or your supervisor will tell you) if that’s the case. Otherwise, if you’ve gotten this far without getting complete funding, this approach is worth a shot. Consider relevant companies or groups that might be interested in your research or its findings. Common sense can guide you here: an automotive firm is unlikely to pay for your PhD in eighteenth-century lyric poetry, and the Arts Council is unlikely to assist you build a new electric car.
• Create a fundraising portfolio – By this point, you’ve shifted from seeking complete funding to seeking partial funding (at least for the time being). However, there are still many choices open to you in the shape of modest PhD funding grants and cost exemptions. Your university may be able to assist you in this regard, either through a fee reduction or a partial scholarship. It’s also a good time to approach smaller charities and trusts (of which there are plenty).
• Consider self-funding carefully- It is entirely possible to fund your own PhD, particularly if you work in an area that allows for flexible working and cheaper research costs (the Arts and Humanities are a prime example, but there are others). However, self-funding is difficult. PhD loans and part-time work can help cover some of your fees and day-to-day expenditures, but you’ll never be able to disregard the financial side of things entirely.

A PhD is perhaps the most important degree for a career in academic research, therefore it is very important to choose a good university to pursue your degree. If you are looking to apply for a PhD in India, here is a list of the top universities you can opt for according to the NIRF 2023 rankings:

Many students prefer to get their PhD degrees from universities abroad. If you are one of them, below is a list of the best universities worldwide according to the QS World University Rankings 2023 :

Studying in Canada can not only provide you with PhD funding but also with a great career ahead in research. Here are some popular PhD in Canada with Scholarship options for you!

There is no fixed cost of getting a PhD degree, it varies both university and country-wise. In India, getting a PhD is considerably cheaper. Govt-funded institutions charge much less than private institutes. A PhD degree in India can approximately cost anywhere between Rs. 2000 to more than Rs. 20000 per year. 

The cost is much higher if you opt for universities in the UK or the US. The approximate annual cost for a PhD degree in the UK for international students is around £18000, while in the US it can go much higher- around $28000 to 40000. Germany is a much cheaper option, with the semester fees being around €250. But there is no need to get discouraged by the high costs, there are various sources for PhD funding that you can avail yourself of for your research.

For a PhD, the main issue remains its funding. There are various universities, councils and organisations that offer PhD funding to qualified students. Other than that, there are specific scholarships too. Here we list down some of the sources from where you can get funding for your PhD.

Scholarships are financial grants given to students for further studies or research work. There are many scholarships and fellowships available for PhD scholars both in India and abroad which provide full or partial funding depending on the amount granted. For getting a scholarship, the candidate has to qualify for the requirements, which may include an exam or a brilliant research proposal. Here is a list of a few scholarships for Indian students you can apply for:

Here are some more PhD Scholarships for you!

There are Research Councils for specific fields and disciplines all over the world which support research in their respective fields. Research councils grant funds for research and these can be availed by PhD students.

Some of the research councils in India which provide PhD funding are:

• Council of Industrial and Scientific Research
• Indian Academy of Sciences
• Indian Council of Historical Research
• Indian Council for Philosophical Research
• Indian Council for Agricultural Research
• Indian Council for Social Sciences Research
• Indian Council of Medical Research

In the UK the research councils have been grouped to form an umbrella organisation known as the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). National Research Councils in many countries like the US, Canada , and Italy provide research support. Similar organisations exist all over the world and so, you can apply for PhD funding from the respective council’s website.

The best way to fund your PhD is to receive stipends from your university. Many universities provide full or partial PhD funding, and such details are generally available on their respective websites. Universities in the UK mostly provide partial funding for research to PhD scholars, while few universities offer full funding. Many universities in the US offer stipends that cover all the costs to be incurred.

In India, registered PhD scholars not availing of any other scholarship or fellowship are entitled to receive a basic stipend from the university. Thus a major number of universities provide funding to their PhD scholars, all you need is to check the official website for the details before applying.

Must Read: Engineering Scholarships

Other than academic institutions and research councils, various other organisations provide funds to PhD scholars in India and abroad. These scholarships provided by the organisations are a major source of funds for PhD scholars worldwide. For example, in Germany, more than 20000 organizations (both public and private) provide PhD funding to international students. 

PhD scholars can also opt for studentships that require them to work as teaching or research assistants and do their own research. Studentships provide a good opportunity to gather relevant work experience along with providing funds for your research.

Students who wish to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in India can avail themselves of the various scholarships and funds provided by the government and private organizations. Here are a few of the scholarships that provide PhD funding in India.

• Prime Minister Fellowship for Doctoral Research
• Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
• Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Scholarships
• Physical Research Laboratory Junior Research Fellowship
• Google PhD Fellowship India Program
• ICHR Junior Research Fellowships (JRF)
• ICSSR Doctoral Research Fellowship
• Maulana Azad National Fellowship
• NCERT Doctoral Fellowship for PhD
• CSIR-UGC JRF NET Fellowship
• DBT-JRF Fellowship
• FITM – AYUSH Research Fellowships Scheme

Pursuing a PhD in the USA can open numerous opportunities for students. Here are a few government and university scholarships to get PhD funding in the USA.

• Foreign Fulbright Student Program
• Humphrey Fellowship Program
• American University Scholarships
• Amherst College Scholarships
• Berea College Scholarships
• Clark University Scholarships
• Colby-Sawyer College Scholarships
• Columbia College Scholarships
• Concordia College Scholarships

While state-funded institutions charge no tuition fee for native and international students, there are various scholarships provided for PhD funding in Germany. 

• DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) Scholarships
• ERASMUS+ scholarship
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Scholarships
• Einstein International Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Oscar Romero Scholarships
• John Monash Scholarships 2023
• Marie Skolodowska-curie actions
• Deutschland Stipendium

Explore G erman Scholarships for PhD Programs

Another sought-after country for PhD is, Canada. The country provides many facilities for postgraduate studies. Here are a few ways to get PhD funding in Canada through government and private institutes.

• Queen Elizabeth Scholarships
• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS)
• Trudeau Scholarships and Fellowships
• Canada Memorial Scholarship
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
• IDRC Research Awards
• NSERC Postgraduate scholarships

For the students thinking of pursuing a PhD, a matter of concern remains whether they should pursue their PhD in India itself, or try getting their degree abroad. For a PhD degree, the most popular countries include the UK, the US and Germany. If you are apprehensive about whether you should get your degree abroad or not, here are some benefits that you can get from abroad:

• Universities abroad offer a huge choice of specialization within a particular subject.
• You get a chance of getting global exposure which opens up a lot of opportunities.
• You get to study in the top international institutes.
• You get a chance to study a specially designed syllabus according to global standards.
• You get to study under some of the best instructors in the field.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how PhD funding works and where to begin your search. We encourage you to spend some time reading through our more thorough funding recommendations, but here are a few general pointers to keep in mind as you get started:

• Funding situations and statuses fluctuate, and most of the time for the better! Although you may not be awarded a full studentship in your first year, many sponsors will consider applications from current students.
• PhDs are time-consuming , and just because your funding situation may improve does not guarantee that it will. Even if you’re trying not to, you should be able to finish your doctorate if you start out self-funding.
• Living expenditures are usually the most difficult challenge – PhD fees are fairly modest (at least in comparison to other degrees) and might be as little as £4,000-5,000. However, there is more to the cost of a PhD than tuition. You’ll need to fund your research for several years (see above). This is actually the most critical area for funding.
• The part-time study makes things simpler, not cheaper – going part-time would often cut your annual PhD fees in half and make it easier to work alongside your research. However, it will lengthen your PhD and incur additional maintenance costs.
• There are a number of exceptions , but anything that isn’t a complete studentship can usually be supplemented with additional grants or loans. Basically, unless it states otherwise, you can probably do it. This is crucial in developing a funding portfolio.
• Funding changes – in the last several years, the UK has witnessed the introduction of PhD loans and the announcement of government studentships for overseas students. When it comes to PhD financing, staying current might literally pay off.

Ans. A PhD funding strategy 1 Speak with your supervisor (if possible). 2 Begin by looking for financed projects. 3 Look for individual studentships and PhD bursaries. 4 Look at prospects with businesses, industries, or outside funders. 5 Try to create a funding portfolio. 6 (With caution) explore self-funding.

Ans. A fully financed PhD programme often provides the student with complete tuition reimbursement as well as a stipend to help pay the cost of living while pursuing the degree. The financial requirements for various programmes differ. Some students may be awarded a “no-strings-attached” fellowship.

Ans. In addition to the requirements listed above, the candidate must have passed the GATE/GPAT within the last five years. SC/ST/PH candidates must have a CGPA of 7.0 on a scale of 10 or above, whereas general candidates must have 75% or higher and reserved candidates must have 70% or higher.

Hope this blog was useful in addressing your concerns about PhD funding. If you are looking for options to pursue a fully-funded PhD abroad, our team at Leverage Edu can help you with selecting the perfect university as per your requirements.

Team Leverage Edu

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• PhD Scholarships: Funding Your PhD and Application Tips – A Guide for 2024

Written by Mark Bennett

If you're considering pursuing a PhD, one of the critical steps in your journey will be identifying funding sources to support your academic endeavours. Scholarships are an excellent way to secure this funding, allowing you to focus on your research without the stress of financial constraints.

This comprehensive guide will help you understand different types of PhD scholarships, how to apply for them, and key tips to make your application stand out.

On this page

What are phd scholarships.

A PhD scholarship is a form of funding awarded to individual students to help them complete a PhD or other types of doctorates. These scholarships come from various sources, such as universities, independent organisations (charities, trusts, or research foundations), and even governments.

Types of PhD scholarships

• Merit-based scholarships : these are for the most academically able students. Your existing qualifications, research experience, and CV will be scrutinised to ensure you're among the best applicants.
• Need-based scholarships : these support students whose personal circumstances might make it challenging to pursue a PhD. If you're from an under-represented social or demographic group, you might be eligible for such scholarships.
• Combined scholarships : some scholarships consider both merit and need, seeking to support high-potential students from diverse backgrounds. Always check the specific criteria before applying.

PhD scholarships vs PhD studentships

PhD funding can often be labelled either as scholarships or studentships. While a scholarship typically offers a set amount of funding for a student's study, a studentship usually funds a specific project and continues throughout the duration of the PhD. Both, however, aim to support your educational journey. Here's an example of a PhD studentship:

• Research councils in the UK : these awards are tied to specific PhD projects or proposals. Funding is linked to the project's completion, similar to scholarships but with more emphasis on specific research goals

How much are PhD studentships worth?

PhD scholarships can vary in value. Some provide full funding covering tuition fees and living expenses, while others offer a lump sum to help with costs. Notably, unlike loans, scholarships do not need to be repaid.

University scholarships

Types of university scholarships.

• Alumni discounts : these reduce tuition fees for students who have previously graduated from the same university, often by around 10%.
• General scholarships : these can be merit-based or need-based and are generally not tied to specific research projects.
• Travel and research grants : these grants assist with conference attendance, fieldwork, or other research expenses, helping make your PhD more affordable.

International scholarships

Specific scholarships are designed to support international students. These can be especially helpful if you're not eligible for public funding in the country you aim to study in.

Examples of international scholarships

• Government funding schemes : programs like the UK's Commonwealth Scholarships and New Zealand's International Doctoral Research Scholarships aim to attract talented researchers globally.
• Exchange schemes : examples include the US-UK Fulbright Scholarships, which fund students to study abroad in each other’s countries.
• University awards : many universities offer scholarships specifically for international students, covering fees, living costs, and sometimes travel expenses.

Charities and trusts

Independent organisations also offer various scholarships, grants, and bursaries. Renowned examples include:

• Medical charities : The British Heart Foundation provides significant funding for PhD students in medical research.
• Research foundations : organisations like the Wellcome Trust and Leverhulme Trust offer scholarships focused on research.
• Smaller bodies : local heritage organisations and special interest groups also contribute to supporting PhD students.

Our guide to PhD funding from charities and trusts explains how this kind of funding works and how to go about finding and applying for it.

Combining PhD scholarships with other funding

Most PhD scholarships can be combined with other funding such as doctoral loans , income from working during a PhD , or other grants and scholarships. Smaller scholarships are often designed to be used in this way as part of a 'portfolio funding' approach to your PhD.

However, it's always worth checking the criteria for any scholarship you apply for. Some larger scholarships are designed to offer full funding and won't be awarded to applicants who have already covered part of the cost of their PhD.

Applying for PhD scholarships

Application and eligibility crtieria for PhD scholarships are as varied as the different organisations who offer them. So, your first step should always be to check the details before you apply.

Application materials

Scholarship providers will generally want to see some or all of the following in your application:

• Personal statement outline your situation, funding needs, PhD project, and career goals.
• Academic qualifications : provide details and transcripts of your educational background.
• Supporting references : from your previous tutors or from your prospective PhD supervisor .

Application tips

Applying for PhD scholarships can be a busy time, particularly if you're also in the process of applying for your PhD itself. Follow these steps to make the process easier (and hopefully more successful!):

• Be organised : consider several scholarships and apply to multiple to increase your chances.
• Understand the funder's perspective : align your application with the funder’s goals and what they seek in a PhD student.
• Check the criteria : ensure you meet all eligibility requirements to avoid wasting time on applications you're unlikely to win.

In short, starting your funding search early, being organised, and consulting with your prospective supervisor can significantly ease the application process and boost your success rate. .

Ready to apply for a PhD?

Head over to our PhD course listings to find the latest opportunities and learn how to apply.

Our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice

You may also like....

We've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about PhDs, covering course types, applications, funding and the benefits of further study.

Not sure how to fund your PhD? This guide answers some of the most common questions about PhD funding in the UK.

The seven UK Research Councils provide government studentships for PhD research in different subject areas. Our simple guide explains how this funding works, what you can get and how to apply successfully.

You may be able to get a PhD loan of up to £27,892 for a UK doctorate. Our guide explains eligibility, applications and repayments.

Our guide explains the best ways to fund international PhD study in the UK, with information on all the main scholarships available to you.

Did you know that you can use the FindAPhD search to uncover PhD projects with funding for international students? Here's how.

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• current affairs
• Uttar Pradesh

UP Students to Get Rs 40,000 Fellowship to Travel All Over India: Check Details

The yogi adityanath-led up government has introduced a new fellowship for students who wish to travel all over india. students will receive an amount of rs 40,000 per month to travel. check the key details of this scheme, along with how to apply for it..

The Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh has introduced the Chief Minister Tourism Fellowship Scheme for graduates aged up to 40. Under this scheme, participants will receive Rs 40,000 per month to travel. 

CM Tourism Fellowship Scheme: Who Can Apply?

Graduates with at least 60% marks can apply for the Tourism Fellowship through the department's website, uptourism.gov.in. According to Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh, selected candidates will receive Rs 40,000 per month for their work and field trips. 

CM Tourism Fellowship Program: Duration

Cm tourism fellowship scheme: eligibility criteria .

• Educational Qualification : Graduates with at least 60% marks can apply.
• Preferred Candidates : Preference will be given to research students with degrees or diplomas in BBA, MA, MPhil, PhD, Tourism and Travel Management, MBA in Hospitality, Tourism, and Travel, PG Diploma in Travel and Tourism, Hospitality, Tourism, Archaeology.

CM Tourism Fellowship Scheme: How to Apply?

Interested candidates who wish to apply for the scheme can follow the given steps below:

Step 1: Visit the official website of UP Tourism department, uptourism.gov.in

Step 2: Click on “Recruitment for Research Scholar Under CM Tourism Fellowship Program”

Step 3: You will get redirected to a new web page

Step 4: Click on the “Apply Now” tab

Step 5: Register yourself using your email ID, mobile number, and other details as required

Step 6: Login using the registered email ID and password sent to your mail

Step 7: Change the auto-generated password 

CM Tourism Fellowship Scheme: Key Highlights

The candidates who want to apply for the scheme must fill out the application form by August 31, 2024. Check for more details on the official website.

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