Postgraduate research funding
The School of Social Sciences receives money from a range of sources to help our postgraduate researchers fund their studies.
The School's postgraduate community is one of the largest, most diverse and most dynamic for social sciences in the UK, and is committed to supporting the best-qualified applicants financially. The School has access to a range of studentships and scholarships from a range of sources to help you fund your programme.
In 2018, the School funded around 30 new PhD students and a further 19 students were successfully awarded a research council PhD award. Both awards were for the duration of the programme.
Due to the competitive nature of the studentships and the high volume of applications received, unfortunately, we are not able to offer funding to all offer holders.
Funding your programme will be a crucial factor in your decision to apply for a postgraduate research degree, so the earlier you consider your funding options, the better.
Search for funding opportunities
Choose your country and programme of study to search our postgraduate research funding opportunities database. Alternatively, you can view funding opportunities for all of our School's programmes.
There are also other funding opportunities advertised via the Faculty of Humanities.
Please pay special attention to the deadlines for each programme as they do vary.
Other funding opportunities
Power to Change - PhD funding opportunity (external)
- Power to Change is looking to jointly fund up to 3 PhDs with University departments interested in community-led business. See full details on Power to Change.
- Deadline to submit an expression of interest to Power to Change is 30 November 2018.
- Please note this is an external funding opportunity and NOT administered by the School of Social Sciences. If you have any queries you need to contact Power to Change directly.
- If you are interested in applying for this funding, please remember that you must also apply and be accepted onto a PhD programme in the School.
CSC China Scholarship Scheme
- Closed for 2018. Please refer to the CSC's website for future updates.
Grundy Educational Trust (external)
- View the full details on the Grundy Education Trust website - please make sure that you read the criteria carefully before contacting the postgraduate office.
The Wellcome Trust (external)
Funded PhD places for January 2019 start
Click here for further information.
PhD student loan
The Government has now published information on the 2018/19 PhD student loans.
Further information and guidelines on eligibility are on the University's main funding page and also on GOV.UK.
- Borrow up to £25,000 for the whole course.
- The loan is paid directly to students and can be used for tuition fees and living costs.
- The loan is divided equally across each year of the course in three instalments.
Already have a programme offer for September 2019?
If you already have a confirmed PhD programme offer for 2019 you will automatically be considered for any relevant funding for September entry.
Please email vicky.barnes@manchester.ac.uk if you have any queries.