Doctoral Research Scholarships and funding

Economic and Social Research Council funding
The University of Birmingham is part of the ESRC Midlands Graduate School that includes Aston, Birmingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and Warwick. 

Details of the competition for ESRC scholarships to which eligible students beginning their studies in October 2023 may apply may be found on our website. The deadline for applications is 24 January 2023.

Information about the Midlands Graduate School, training pathways and eligibility for studentships, as well as the application form and guidance notes, can be found on the new Doctoral Training Partnership website. Prospective students wishing to know more about the scheme can email studentships@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

In order to be eligible for consideration for an ESRC scholarship, applicants must have applied for a PhD place in the School of Government. To apply to the Doctoral Programme, please go to the subject specific page listed below:

• German Studies (Social Sciences) PhD/MPhil
• International Development PhD/MPhil
• Local Government Studies PhD/MPhil
• Political Science and International Studies PhD/MPhil
• Russian and East European Studies PhD/MPhil

Find out more about the areas of research in the School of Government.

To award outstanding achievement and to attract students of the highest calibre from around the world, the University of Birmingham is pleased to offer a number of international scholarships. Scholarships for international students.

For information and updates on possible further sources of funding for overseas applicants, see the webpage for the University of Birmingham Brazil Scholarships.

These are one-year Scholarships which offer fees and - subject to availability of funds - maintenance. Some of these scholarships are subject-specific, for international students and for home students. All scholarships listed below are offered subject to available funds, and are open to both EU and international students in addition to home students, unless otherwise stated. For information on deadlines – including the date by which you must hold an offer of a place on the doctoral research programme.

Postgraduate students may use the Postgraduate Funding Database to search for scholarships and bursaries. In addition, some of the scholarship schemes open to those within the School of Education are listed below. Please read any documentation carefully for eligibility and closing dates. 

General funding advice may also be found on the Student Funding Office webpages.

The School offers DR funding for the following:

• Conference funding.  Grants are available for the travel expenses and registration fees for postgraduate research students delivering a paper at an academic conference. These are allocated competitively in three rounds each year. Deadlines for application are circulated by email before each round.
• General research funding.  Funding from the School is available for small requests from doctoral researchers in order to cover general research costs that cannot be covered by funding from other sources. This fund will be allocated competitively by the same committee which allocates conference funds. Application process and deadlines will be advertised by email.