Fees and funding
We are committed to the development of our postgraduate research community, and we provide a range of funding and scholarship opportunities to our PhD students.
Postgraduate research tuition fees
Information about tuition fees for those joining the University as a new student, including how much your fees will be and how to pay.
Funding opportunities for international students
The University holds a range of funding opportunities for international PhD applicants.
Our PhD finder also lets you search by funding status.
Scholarships
All scholarship applications are made through the University's Postgraduate Online Application Form. When you start the application, you will see a drop down box that asks you which scholarship/s you are interested in. You should tick all that apply. The system will then open the appropriate application form based on your selection.
You should discuss the most appropriate scholarship for you with your supervisor or school once you have an offer of study. Scholarships are very competitive, and your application will need to be tailored to the most appropriate source.
There are also different routes for scholarship applications, and your supervisor/school can advise once you have established the most appropriate scholarship application for you.
All schemes are now closed for 2025-26 entry.
The main scholarships competition for 2025-26 entry in the University opened in November 2024. Decisions are made and communicated to applicants between the end of February 2025 to the end of April 2025, depending on the scheme.
Scholarship opportunities for 2025-26 entry
You must have a study offer (a PhD place) in place to be considered for a scholarship. You must apply for the PhD place no later than Wednesday 8 January 2025 if you intend to also apply for a scholarship. This is a strict deadline.
The following schemes are usually available. All schemes are now closed for 2025-26 entry.
- White Rose ESRC DTP Open Competition scholarships
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.
The following scholarships will be available for doctoral research students.
- 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. Find further information about each of these award schemes on the WRDTP website, including assessment criteria, which should be carefully consulted. Please direct queries to enquiries@wrdtp.ac.uk
- Faculty of Social Sciences PhD scholarships
The University of Sheffield Faculty of Social Sciences has funding for a range of PhD scholarships. These scholarships can cover:
- Tuition fees
- An annual stipend to cover living expenses equivalent to UK Research Council rates
- Research Training Support Grant
Eligibility
Most scholarships are open to UK and EU applicants; there may be limited opportunities for overseas students, and all applicants should check guidance before making an application.
All our scholarships can be held in any school within the faculty. Initial enquiries should be made directly to the academic school in which you wish to study.
- Other PhD scholarship opportunities
Information about other scholarship opportunities available through the University.
Current project opportunities
We'll add any available project opportunities to this webpage as soon as possible. All opportunities for 2025-26 entry are now closed.
Faculty of Social Sciences PhD training
As part of the Faculty of Social Sciences, you will have access to world-class training alongside your doctoral study.
The Social Sciences Doctoral Training programme is tailored to your individual needs to ensure you have the right skills you need to develop your research.
The training programme is designed to exceed current UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) training and development guidelines, and gives all social science PhD students access to ESRC-funded White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership cohort activities, regardless of your source of funding.
All of our students receive interdisciplinary training and experience opportunities through the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership, and additional discipline specific training is provided in each of our schools.