Doctoral Research Studentships
The Schools of the Arts; Business and Management; Economics and Finance; Law; and Society and Environment invite applications for Doctoral Research Studentships open to UK and international students.
Studentships will be awarded in mid-March 2026 to the most outstanding candidates in the Humanities and Social Sciences applying for a full-time or part-time PhD programme starting in September 2026. Applications will also be considered from students who are currently in the first year of a full-time PhD programme, or the first two years of a part-time programme.
In order to be considered for an award, applicants should have (or expect to have by the end of the 2025-26 academic year) a master’s degree or equivalent qualification in an appropriate field. Awards cover tuition fees and a maintenance stipend at the QMUL rate (currently £21 874 p.a. full-time, c. £10 937 part-time). Awards are tenable for up to three and a half years full-time or six and a half years part-time.
BAME Studentships for UK candidates
We encourage applications from UK candidates in BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) groups who have been previously under-represented in this process.
For 2026-27 entry, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) will be offering one fully funded doctoral studentship (tuition fees and stipend at the QMUL rate) to a UK applicant from a BAME background.
To be eligible to apply for this studentship you must be a UK permanent resident from a BAME background, and eligible to pay home student fees. You will automatically also be considered for our other studentships. Our goal is to recruit outstanding and diverse candidates across the full range of studentships.
How to apply
You should apply for your place at QMUL via the online portal by Wednesday 21 January 2026 (17:00). Candidates for the Department of Law/CCLS must apply by Monday 4 December 2025 (17:00), and candidates for the School of Business and Management must apply by Friday 16 January 2026 (17:00).
In all cases, earlier application is strongly advised.
On the online application form, you should indicate that you would like your application to be considered for the HSS Studentship Competition.
Before applying, please read our Guidance to Applicants, which will help you to complete your applications. The guidance is relevant to all applicants, regardless of subject area and type of Studentship.
If you wish to apply for the BAME studentship, you should specify this in the statement of purpose that will form part of your application.
If you have already applied to QMUL to begin a PhD programme in September 2026, you may revise the research proposal and statement of purpose that you previously submitted, to take account of our Guidance to Applicants. However, you are not required to do so. If you wish to submit revised documents, you should email them to the Director of Graduate Studies in the appropriate Discipline, giving the ID number from your application.
If you have already begun a PhD programme at QMUL, you should email the Director of Graduate Studies in the appropriate Discipline, giving your student ID number and supplying a research proposal and statement of purpose (length and contents as indicated in our Guidance to Applicants).
How your application will be assessed
Your application will be considered and ranked by a Discipline selection panel. Selected applications will then be considered and ranked by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. If a candidate has already begun their PhD, selection panels will be looking for a research proposal that is concomitantly stronger than the proposal of someone yet to begin their thesis.
The Discipline panel will evaluate applications on the basis of the following criteria and weightings:
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Quality of proposal (50%) – i.e. the significance and originality of the proposed research; its underpinning ideas, aims, and research questions; the research design, methodology, and/or sources; the suitability of the proposal for doctoral research; opportunities for dissemination and potential impact; and any ethical considerations that the proposal may raise
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Preparedness of applicant (25%) – i.e. previous academic achievements in relevant subject areas; any relevant professional/practitioner experience (particularly for applicants with non-standard academic trajectories); and relevant knowledge, skills, and/or training for the proposed research
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Feasibility of project (25%) – i.e. the project’s likely completion within the timeframe; the identification of training needs; justification of fieldwork and study visits; and fit with the expertise and interests of the two named supervisors
The Faculty panel will then evaluate applications on the basis of the following criteria and weightings:
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Quality of proposal (40%) – defined as above
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Preparedness of applicant (20%) – defined as above
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Feasibility of project (20%) – defined as above
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School ranking (20%)
At both Discipline and Faculty levels, if two or more candidates are equally ranked, preference will be given to the candidate scoring more highly on the following criterion: quality of proposal; if still equal, preparedness of applicant; if still equal, feasibility of project.
Offers will be made to successful candidates in mid-March 2026, to be accepted or declined within one week.
The studentships cover all tuition fees and provide a grant for living expenses at the QMUL stipend (currently c. £21 874 p.a. full-time, c. £10 937 part-time).
Please note that these awards cannot be deferred to the following academic year.
Please see details of the entry criteria and admissions procedures at the school you wish to apply to within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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School of the Arts (Departments of English and Drama, Languages, Linguistics and Film)
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School of Business and Management
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School of Economics and Finance
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School of Law
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School of Society and Environment (Departments of Geography, History and Politics and International Relations)
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