Postgraduate research funding

These scholarships and studentships are available to postgraduate researchers in the Department of Chemistry.

Your chosen course, level of study and other statuses may all affect your eligibility for the opportunities listed here.

Funding is available from a variety of sources, including Doctoral Training Partnerships from the EPSRC, BBSRC, NERC and MRC, the Department of Chemistry, the York Graduate Research School, industry, and the Wild Fund. All funding is awarded on a competitive basis.

It is also possible to fund your own PhD using a UK Government Loan, a scholarship from your home country or through personal funds. PhD projects are listed individually on our website.

Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment (ACCE)

Our fully-funded PhD programme offers projects aligned with the grand challenges in environmental research: securing ecosystem services and environmental resources; predicting and mitigating impacts of climate change; understanding the dynamics of biodiversity; and mechanisms of evolutionary change.

  • Funding: The studentships are fully funded for 3.5 years in the first instance, and students must complete their PhD in four years.
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: EU and UK (home) students
  • Number available: 7

Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment Towards Sustainable Chemical Use (ECORISC)

The ECORISC Centre for Doctoral Training will produce a generation of innovator scientists that can identify, understand and effectively manage the risks of chemicals through the use of state-of-the art science and out-of-the box thinking.

  • Funding: TBC
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: UK (home) students
  • Number available: 38

EPSRC Mobility DTP in Leadership and Excellence in Circular, Resource-efficient, Sustainable Manufacturing

One of a number of pilot programmes aimed at widening participation in Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) doctoral training, specifically those from industry and other non-academic backgrounds.

  • Funding: Four years' or one year of fees at the UK rate, maintenance stipend/salary contribution, and a Research Training Support Grant
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: Students from the UK; non-UK applicants can also be considered for a limited number of places.
  • Number available: Up to three

China Scholarships Council Scholarship

We're pleased to offer up to ten joint-funded PhD scholarships in collaboration with the China Scholarships Council.

  • Funding: 100% of tuition fees for the full duration, which is typically three years; a grant for living costs; one return flight from China; UK visa fees
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from China
  • Number available: 10

NERC Panorama DTP

PANORAMA equips its postgraduate students with the skills necessary to understand the complex interactions within the Earth system, so they can contribute to the development of scientific, policy and industrial solutions for the national and global scale problems we face in coming decades.

  • Funding: Tuition fees and annual stipend
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students

Chemistry PhD Studentships

We offer three different funding streams for approved projects: Department of Chemistry scholarships, EPSRC studentships, and the Chemistry Wild Fund.

  • Funding: Tuition fees and annual stipend
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Sunday 5 January 2025, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students

BBSRC Yorkshire Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (YBDTP)

This prestigious Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) funded Doctoral Landscape Award will support the next generation of researchers equipping them with the skills for careers in academia, industry, policy and civic society and developing the UK bioeconomy.

  • Funding: A tax-free annual stipend at the standard UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25 entry), research costs and tuition fees at UK rate
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Monday 6 January 2025, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students
  • Number available: 9

NERC DLA in Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment (ACCE+)

This prestigious Natural Environment Research Council-funded Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) brings together the very best in environmental, ecological and evolutionary research from the Departments of Archaeology, Biology, Chemistry and Environment and Geography.

  • Funding: A tax-free annual stipend at the standard UKRI (£19,237 for 2024/25 entry), research costs and tuition fees at UK rate.
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Wednesday 8 January 2025, 12am GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students
  • Number available: 6

EPSRC CDT in Chemical Synthesis for a Healthy Planet (CSHP)

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Centre and Doctoral Training in Chemical Synthesis for a Healthy Planet is a collaboration between the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at the University of York.

  • Funding: A tax-free annual stipend at the standard UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25 entry), research costs and tuition fees at UK rate
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Wednesday 29 January 2025, 5pm GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students
  • Number available: 4

Wild Prizes and Bursaries

These awards provide financial support to students from outside the UK starting a postgraduate research course in Chemistry.

  • Funding: One-time £2,000 Wild Prize or up to £2,000 per year Wild Bursary
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Friday 31 January 2025, 12pm GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) students

Roberta Sykes scholarship

The Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation provides supplementary financial assistance to Indigenous Postgraduate students who wish to undertake studies at recognised universities outside of Australia.

  • Funding: $60,000 AUD per year
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Australia

United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education Scholarships

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education offers a number scholarships for Emirati students to study abroad.

  • Funding: Various
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from United Arab Emirates

Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund Lånekassen

The Ministry provides grants and loans for higher education study outside of the Nordic region.

  • Funding: Various
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Norway

Commonwealth Scholarship

The University of York is a host university for the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Various opportunities are available throughout the year. The majority of awards are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

  • Funding: various
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: Students from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize and more (see eligibility)

ANID / Becas Chile

We offer a 25% tuition fee discount for Becas Chile-sponsored postgraduate students.

  • Funding: 25% tuition fee discount
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Chile

Overseas PhD Scholarships for University of the Punjab in service non-PhD teachers

This scholarship is aimed at candidates who have secured a PhD place for at a university ranked in the top 200 of the QS World University Rankings.

  • Funding: TBC
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Pakistan

Gowrie bursary

This bursary is targeted at those who are serving or have served in the Australian Defence Forces and their lineal descendants, particularly those for whom the monetary value will make a real difference.

  • Funding: $8,000 AUD per annum
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Australia
  • Number available: 2

John Monash Scholarship

The John Monash Scholarship provides yearly funding to outstanding postgraduate taught and research students from Australia.

  • Funding: $75,000 AUD for each year of study
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Australia
  • Number available: 10-20

Jansons Scholarships

Jansons scholarship will help to finance studying abroad for certain postgraduate degrees.

  • Funding: up to NOK 150,000
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Norway

EPSRC CDT in Process Industries: Net Zero (PINZ)

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Doctoral Training in Process Industries: Net Zero (PINZ CDT) is a collaboration between the Process Intensification Group at Newcastle University and the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at the University of York.

  • Funding: A tax-free annual stipend at the standard UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25 entry), research costs and tuition fees at UK rate
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Sunday 26 January 2025, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: UK (home) students
  • Number available: 3

Beca Carlos Quijano

This scholarship aims to subsidise expenses for postgraduate training for students with Uruguayan citizenship.

  • Funding: Up to $U120,000
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Friday 31 January 2025, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: Students from Uruguay

Colfuturo

We grant a 25% tuition fee discount to most Colfuturo-sponsored postgraduate students. It is possible to combine this discount with most University of York partial scholarships. 

  • Funding: 25% tuition fee discount
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Friday 28 February 2025, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: Students from Colombia

Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund

These scholarships offer £5,000 each year to eligible Canadians studying for a postgraduate degree who have completed their first year of study.

  • Funding: £5,000 per year
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Saturday 15 March 2025, 4.59am GMT
  • Open to: Students from Canada

Tan Kah Kee Scholarship

The Tan Kah Kee Scholarship offers postgraduate scholarships for Singapore citizens and permanent residents pursuing full-time PhD or Masters degrees.

  • Funding: $12,000
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Saturday 31 May 2025, 11.30am BST
  • Open to: Students from Singapore

Extracurricular funding

While not directly related to your studies, these opportunities can help you get the most from your time at York.

Yorkshire Bach Choir

We are now accepting applications for our choral scholarship scheme for 2025/26. The 12-month scholarships will be open to all four voice parts.

  • Funding: £500 (to be paid in 2 instalments, one in December, one in June)
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students

York Minster Choral Scholarships

York Minster offers choral scholarships lasting 12 months or longer to altos, tenors and basses who are undergraduate or postgraduate students.

  • Funding: Approx £8,000
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students

Previous funding opportunities

These opportunities are closed to applications. They may reopen in future years.