If you want to take up a PhD studentship, you cannot apply directly to UKRI or our research councils. 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.
We offer two types of studentship funding to research organisations (universities and industry partners):
- standard (sometimes known as ‘responsive’) funding opportunities – open to a wide range of research and approaches within a council’s remit
- directed funding opportunities – only available for specific priorities the council has identified.
Find out more about how our councils fund studentships:
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) studentships
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) studentships
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) studentships
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) studentships
- Medical Research Council (MRC) studentships
- Natural Environment Research Council) NERC studentships
- Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) studentships