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PhD funding

Cliffords tower, York

Scholarships

There are many different funding and scholarship opportunities for PhD research students in Politics and International Relations. Details of our different funding schemes, including eligibility and what is available, are set out below. You should discuss the most appropriate scheme for you with your supervisor or department once you have an offer of study. Scholarships are very competitive, and your application will need to be tailored to the most appropriate source.

Studentships

If you hold an offer from the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of York, you are automatically considered for a studentship and you must hold an offer from us to be considered for a studentship. You are eligible if you have an offer for the PhD in Politics and International Relations (full-time or part-time). 

These studentships are separate from other funding which you may be seeking (e.g., through the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership or the White Rose College for Arts and Humanities). Please make sure you look at the separate guidance for those schemes if you are interested in them.

White Rose studentships

We also participate in the WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation partnership scheme, which funds two studentships for Black British students.

Departmental Scholarships

Award details

  • Fees (UK or Overseas) and a full maintenance stipend at the UKRI rate (currently £17,668 for 2022/23)
  • This will be paid at 50% if you are a part-time student

If you have an offer as of the 25th January 2023 at 17:00pm (UK time) you are automatically considered for this scholarship.

Eligibility

  • You should have, or expect to achieve, a first or upper second class UK honours degree or equivalent.
  • You should be applying to start your first year of study on a full-time or part-time PhD in the 2023/24 academic year.
  • Awards are open to UK and International applicants.

Applications are assessed on the basis of

  • academic success and qualifications
  • applicant’s experience and research background
  • a clear well-articulated research proposal
  • the potential impact and contribution of the research
  • a good match with supervisor/department expertise

University BAME Scholarships

The University of York is committed to redressing systemic inequalities and disadvantages experienced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff, postgraduate researchers (PGRs) and students. We consider the benefits to research quality that come from belonging to a diverse community to be important.

As part of a coordinated plan to increase diversity and inclusion among our PGR community, York Graduate Research School (YGRS) is offering up to six fully-funded PhD scholarships for UK candidates who self-identify as being from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background.

The scholarships include:

  • UK (home)-rate tuition fees for 3 years
  • A UKRI-aligned stipend for 3.5 years, full time (currently £17,668 per year tax-free in 2022/23)
  • An annual (for 3 years) research training support grant (RTSG) budget of either:
    • £5k (for a lab- or field-based programme), or
    • £2k (for a non-lab based programme)
  • Coaching, mentoring and advocacy.

Global Development funding

The Simon Bryceson Bursary Fund was created from donations in memory of Politics Alum, Simon Bryceson, to support students with bursaries, enabling them to travel and undertake vital field research as part of their studies. Fieldwork bursaries of up to £250 for undergraduate students, and up to £500 for PhD students, will be available.  
 
As these funds have been made possible through donations, students who are selected to receive a Bursary will be required to write a blog, detailing their experience, how they used the funds and what the fieldwork has meant to them. These updates may be shared with donors and philanthropic supporters of the University, to highlight the impact of giving to the fund.
 
Successful applicants must demonstrate why they are applying for the funding and how the funds will benefit the fieldwork that you are planning to undertake.

Deadline: The Deadline for postgraduate applications is 1st June 2023

Questions about the Postgraduate Bursary Fund should be directed to poli-graduate-office@york.ac.uk

Further information on funding

Further information on funding for research degrees

Other potential funding sources

Deadlines for these scholarship opportunities are typically January of the academic year before you are due to start your programme.

Fees

Postgraduate research fees

Contact us

For information on any of the funding sources mentioned here please contact:

poli-graduate-office@york.ac.uk