Studentships and doctoral training

Contents

Overview

If you want to study for a doctorate such as a PhD you cannot apply directly to UKRI or our research councils for funding. You’ll need to contact the research organisation (normally a university) where you wish to be based.

Find out more about our support for doctoral students.

UKRI funds doctoral training by awarding training grants to research organisations. Research organisations then support studentships from those grants and recruit students to them.

We offer two types of training grants:

  • doctoral focal awards support studentships in tightly focused themes with highly tailored programmes
  • doctoral landscape awards provide broader flexible funding to support the UK’s overall capability and capacity needs

Search funding opportunities.

Find out more about how our councils develop people and skills:

Last updated: 14 February 2024

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