PhD Research Council scholarships

UK Research Councils are a major source of financial support for research postgraduates.

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Applications for Research Council scholarships are made through the University, either through a central process, via the academic department or directly through a Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) or Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT).

A summary of the opportunities available at the University of Sheffield are outlined below.

We recommend that prospective students contact their intended school in the first instance to find out what opportunities may be available. Please also check your eligibility for Research Council scholarships prior to application.

Eligibility criteria for Research Council-funded scholarships

Scholarship opportunities for each Research Council can be found below:

AHRC (Arts & Humanities Research Council)

White Rose College of Arts and Humanities (WRoCAH)

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

There are two main types of WRoCAH Scholarships (Visit the WRoCAH webpages for further information):

  • Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDAs). The competition for 2025 entry is now closed.
  • Open Competition Awards. The competition for 2025 entry is now closed. 

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships (CDP)

The AHRC also work with key partners to make Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) Awards.

These are recruited on a project by project basis and any that are available are advertised on the PhD Projects Directory.

BBSRC (Biotechnology & Biological Research Council)

Yorkshire Biosciences DTP

The Yorkshire Biosciences DTP awards Project and CASE scholarships supported by the BBRSC and the partner Universities of Leeds, York and Sheffield.

Students are recruited to pre defined projects.  Details about the application process can be found on the DTP webpages

BBSRC iCase and CTP Awards

The BBSRC funds projects in collaboration with external companies.

These are recruited on a project by project basis and will be advertised on the PhD Projects Directory.

EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)

EPSRC Doctoral landscape Award (DLA)

The University benefits from a large DLA grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support Research Studentships within their portfolio. These are allocated to departments and to certain projects (including Collaborative DLA awards which are run in conjunction with an industrial collaborator).

Working with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), we're offering 51 fully-funded PhD projects in science, engineering and maths for 2025 entry.

EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs)

The University of Sheffield also recruits to several EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs).

These EPSRC-funded Centres bring together diverse areas of expertise to train engineers and scientists with the skills, knowledge and confidence to tackle today's evolving issues, and future challenges. They also provide a supportive and exciting environment for students, create new working cultures, build relationships between teams in universities and forge lasting links with industry.

Students are funded for four years and include technical and transferrable skills training, as well as a research element. Many centres leverage additional studentships from other sources (eg university funding, EU funding, industrial funding, private funding etc).

CDTs recruiting students based at Sheffield include:

EPSRC iCASE awards

The EPSRC works with key partners to fund Industrial CASE awards.

The majority of these awards are made directly to students by eligible departments within the University. Projects recruiting with EPSRC funding will be advertised on the PhD Projects Directory.

ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council)

ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership

Economic and Social Research Council funding for PhD scholarships at Sheffield is predominantly awarded by the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership.  This is a partnership between the seven Universities of Leeds, York, Sheffield, Bradford, Hull, Sheffield Hallam and Manchester Metropolitan.

Applications are currently being accepted for the ESRC WRDTP Collaborative Awards for 2025 entry. Please visit this page for further details.

The White Rose DTP awards a number of Pathway, Interdisciplinary, Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) and Advanced Data Analytics (ADA) awards through a central competition. Applications to the competition for 2025 entry are now closed. 

Funding is also awarded via supervisor-led Collaborative Awards which are currently closed. 

Information about all awards can be found on the White Rose DTP webpages.

MRC (Medical Research Council)

Discovery Medicine North Doctoral Training Partnership (DiMeN)

The Discovery Medicine North (DiMeN) Doctoral Training Partnership allocates Medical Research Council funds across the Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Recruitment to this Doctoral Training Partnership is via project applications, details of the recruitment round for 2025/26 entry can be found on the DiMeN webpages.

NERC (Natural Environment Research Council)

ACCE DTP

ACCE (Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment) is a NERC funded Doctoral Training Partnership with the Universities of Sheffield, Liverpool and York and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

At Sheffield, students are recruited to the DTP from the Departments of Animal and Plant Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Geography, Civil and Structural Engineering and Archaeology.

AURA Centre for Doctoral Training

The AURA Centre for Doctoral Training is jointly supported by the Natural Environment Research Council and the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council.

ECOSOLUTIONS DOCTORAL FOCAL AWARD

The ECOSOLUTIONS Doctoral Focal Award combines science, policy, and societal engagement to transform chemicals policy and management, enabling a safe, sustainable chemicals sector and non-toxic environments.

STFC (Science and Facilities Technology Council)

STFC Scholarship funding

The STFC provides fundings to students at Sheffield, predominantly to students within the Department of Physics and Astronomy.  Please contact your department directly for details on potential STFC funding opportunities.

Further information

If you have any questions about scholarships please see our FAQs or email pgr-scholarships@sheffield.ac.uk.

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