Postgraduate research funding

Fees

Information about fees for our research programmes can be found on the PhD fees page.

Funding

PhD funding competitions for 2023 entry are now closed. Funding competitions for 2024 entry are expected to be open in late October or November 2022, please check back then. 

2023 funding competition details are available below for information.

If you are interested in applying to start the PhD in October 2023 as a self-funded student, please see our applying to the History PhD programme webpage.

Alternative funding sources

Postgraduate Doctoral Loans

Government loans are available for postgraduate students studying doctoral level courses. Loans are non-means tested i.e. your incoming will not effect the amount that you receive and are available to students studying either part-time or full-time.

More information including eligibility criteria

Alternative sources of funding

There are many external funding bodies, such as charities and trusts, who offer support for postgraduate study. Funding may be limited and eligibility criteria will vary. Find out more about additional funding for postgraduate study.

Funding competitions 2023

The 2023 funding competitions are now closed. 

AHRC White Rose College of Arts and Humanities (WRoCAH) Open Competition Scholarships

Deadline: 17:00 GMT, Wednesday 25 January 2023

The White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH) is a Doctoral Training Partnership of the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. It is responsible for the distribution of AHRC-funded doctoral studentships for these universities and for the coordination of a doctoral training programme.

WRoCAH has around 45 AHRC studentships that will be awarded through open competitions.

Award Details: WRoCAH studentships cover UK/home tuition fees and an annual stipend. More information on the award details and eligibility criteria are available through the WRoCAH website. 

Guidance notes: applicant guidance notes are available here. You should read the guidance notes carefully before beginning your application, paying particular attention to the Grade Descriptors (from p23) as well as the step-by-step guide to the questions in the form (from p8). 

Applying: You should apply to WRoCAH funding through the WRoCAH website. 

You will be able to save and return to your application and can make amendments up until the deadline.

You must indicate when the final version of your application has been submitted and this must be done before the deadline for your application to be considered. 

Please note that you can only apply for one studentship at one of the above universities.

Find out more on the WRoCAH webpages

ESRC White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP) 3+ Pathway Award Scholarships

Deadline: 17:00 GMT, Wednesday 25 January 2023

The White Rose DTP is a regional consortium of seven universities with social science research excellence and involves the universities of Sheffield, Leeds and York as well as Bradford, Hull, Manchester Metropolitan and Sheffield Hallam. The WRDTP has been accredited by the ESRC to offer PhD scholarships across a range of schemes.

There are 45 WRDTP ESRC Pathway Awards for student-designed projects submitted via open competition. The WRDTP is organised around seven Thematic Interdisciplinary Training Pathways and applications to all schemes must be able to articulate their fit with at least one of these pathways:

• Cities, Environment, and Liveability (CEL)
• Security, Conflict, and Justice (SCJ)
• Education, Childhood, and Youth (ECY)
• Data, Communication, and New Technologies (DCT)
• Wellbeing, Health, and Communities (WHC)
• Sustainable Growth, Management, and Economic Productivity (SMP)
• Civil Society, Development, and Democracy (CDD)

To be eligible for a +3 award, applicants must have a minimum of 60 credits of research methods social science training (not including the dissertation) at masters level.

We recommend that you discuss your eligibility for WRDTP funding with your supervisor before beginning the application process. You are also welcome to contact Dr Colin Reid (c.reid@sheffield.ac.uk) as Postgraduate Director. 

Award Details: WRDTP studentships cover UK/home tuition fees and an annual stipend. More information on the award details and eligibility criteria are available through the WRDTP website. 

Guidance notes: applicant guidance notes are available here. 

Applying: If you have agreed with your supervisor that you should submit a WRDTP application, you should also submit this via your Sheffield PhD course application by 17:00 GMT, 25 January 2023.

You will be able to make amendments up until the deadline.

Find out more on the university scholarship webpages

Applying for funding 2023

The referenced 2023 funding competitions are now closed. 

Your first step should be to get in touch with the member of staff you are hoping to work with. The funding application process is very competitive and, in addition to holding a first class BA degree, your proposal will need to be very carefully crafted.

We would, therefore, suggest this contact is made at least eight weeks before submitting a final funding application. This will allow your proposed supervisor to discuss your research proposal with you and offer advice on your application.

We would then strongly encourage you to submit your draft application - taking into account your discussions with your supervisor and their feedback - to the us by our internal deadline, so that we can provide final overarching feedback ahead of the final funding deadline. 

Expression of interest form [form closed] - please use this form to let us know you are interested in PhD funding. We will be able to share some example applications and information from recent funding workshops. 

Key steps:

1. Contact your proposed supervisor to discuss their availability and your initial proposal 
2. Apply to the History PhD programme - please ensure your referees are aware of the funding deadline
3. Submit a draft of your funding application by 17:00 GMT, Wednesday 4 January 2023. If you are unable to access Google Apps you can email your draft funding application form to r.hasnip@sheffield.ac.uk. Your draft will be reviewed by our Postgraduate Committee and feedback will be emailed to you by the end of Monday 16 January 2023.
4. Submit the WRoCAH funding form through the WRoCAH website by 17:00 GMT, 25 January 2023.
5. If you have agreed with your supervisor that you should also submit a WRDTP application, you should also submit this via your Sheffield PhD course application by 17:00 GMT, 25 January 2023.