Funding opportunities for PhD study

In addition to our funded PhD programmes, the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health provides funding options from internal and external sources for our postgraduate research applicants.

All of our fully funded scholarships and awards are displayed below including awards for international candidates, UK candidates from underrepresented groups, and Chinese candidates. 

Alternatively, you can search our live project listings to find advertised fully funded projects or visit our funded programmes page to browse the fully funded programmes and schemes we offer in partnership with research councils and industry partners.

Humanitarian Studentships

Prompted by the acute need for support for University students and staff fleeing Ukraine, and similar situations around the world, our University is creating an emergency fund to provide support for students and academics from countries affected by armed conflict who have been displaced as a result of war.

For the academic year 2023/24, funding will be available on a needs-priority basis to support PhD studentships or transfers so that new and existing PhD researchers are able to complete their programme in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health.

Please contact us directly to discuss this further, and we can advise on eligibility and funding availability. We will provide more information on any further funding opportunities for future cohorts in due course.

Email: fbmh.doctoralacademy@manchester.ac.uk

Studentships

Each year, we have a number of studentships on offer to eligible applicants.

These studentships are:

  • funded by awards from UK research councils (i.e. BBSRC, EPSRC, MRC, ESRC, AHRC), plus some charities;
  • linked to specific PhD projects within the laboratories of named supervisors.

We also offer CASE studentships, backed by an industrial sponsor.

For a list of available PhD studentships, look at our projects database and search for opportunities that are funded and open to eligible applicants.

Other financial support

You may be eligible for the government's Doctoral Loan for course fees and living costs.

MPhil students may qualify for the Manchester Master's Bursary.

International sponsors

Each year we accept a large number of applicants who have obtained scholarships from their home country or government.  These include Commonwealth Scholarships, Saudi Arabia Cultural Bureau (SACB), CONACyT and China Scholarship Council.

If you are unsure whether there are any scholarship opportunities that apply to your country, please contact the Doctoral Academy Admissions Team at fbmh.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk.

Application deadlines

You must submit your application for a postgraduate research programme before the relevant deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these deadlines have passed.

  • January entry: 15 October (of the year prior entry)
  • April entry: 15 January (year of entry)
  • September entry: 15 June (year of entry)

Some of our funded programmes have specific deadlines which may be different to those above.