Scholarships

Find out about funding opportunities for students starting a PhD in psychology.

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Research council studentships

Each year, we expect to be able to fund PhD students with funding from one or more of the research councils listed below:

  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
  • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
  • Economic and Social Research Council
  • Medical Research Council

Tuition fees are paid at the standard UK rate, and a stipend to cover living expenses is provided over three or four years at the research council's standard rate.

Students from outside the UK may also apply for a research council studentship, but they will need to demonstrate that they have funding to cover the difference in tuition fees.


White Rose ESRC DTP Open Competition Scolarship

The White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP), accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), is a collaboration across the social sciences at the Universities of Sheffield, Bradford, Hull, Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan, Sheffield Hallam and York.

Subject to confirmation of ESRC funding, the following scholarships will be available for doctoral research students commencing their studies in October 2024.

WRDTP Pathway Awards (including the Interdisciplinary Research Awards and the WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Awards for Black British students) WRDTP Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) Awards WRDTP Advanced Data Analytics (ADA) Awards

These awards are available on a +3.5, +3.75 or 1+3.5 basis, and can be held full-time or part-time. Further information about each of these award schemes can be found on the WRDTP website, including assessment criteria which should be carefully consulted. Please direct queries to: enquiries@wrdtp.ac.uk

The deadline for PhD applications in the Department of Psychology is Tuesday 9 January 2024.  The final deadline for the scholarship application is 24 January 2024 at 17:00 (GMT) but please note that a PhD offer must be secured in advance of your scholarship submission.


University of Sheffield Research Scholarship

Applications are now open for the University of Sheffield scholarships. 

All faculties are accepting applications for the University of Sheffield University of Sheffield Research Scholarships for Black or Black British (of African or Caribbean heritage), Asian or Asian British (of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian heritage) or multiple ethnic backgrounds including one of the ethnicity groups listed above. 

The University of Sheffield is committed to increasing opportunities in doctoral research for particular minoritised students who are currently under-represented in our postgraduate research student population.

For 2024 entry, the Faculty of Science are delighted to offer four fully-funded University of Sheffield Research Scholarships for students who are UK National, classified as ‘Home’ for tuition fee purposes and identify as Black or Black British (of African or Caribbean heritage), Asian or Asian British (of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian heritage) or are of multiple ethnic backgrounds including one of the ethnicity groups listed above.

Candidates will be required to complete a declaration form and upload it to their application.

Candidates will be required to demonstrate that they meet the same eligibility criteria as for any other applicant to their chosen department.


Applicants to the Faculty of Science must ensure that they complete the additional 'Scholarship Application' section of the Postgraduate Online Application Form. The deadline is 5pm GMT on 24 January 2024. Please note that a PhD place must be secured in advance of your scholarship submission.


Other scholarships from the University of Sheffield and external sources are available for new PhD students to help cover tuition fees and sometimes living expenses.

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