Funding for PhD applicants is available from a range of sources on a competitive basis.
Follow the links in the table to find full details regarding eligibility, available finance, application methods and closing dates. Follow us on X and Facebook to hear when we have added new studentship opportunities.
Download our comprehensive guide to PhD study
| Funding opportunity | Subject area |
Application deadline | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magdalen Vernon PhD Studentship in Psychology, Neuroscience, Psycholinguistics, or Clinical Language Science | School of Psychology and Clinical Language |
6 December 2024 |
Open to applicants worldwide |
| PhD Studentship: Molecular interactions between the bruchid beetle and developing faba bean seed | Agriculture, Crop Science, Plant Biology | 6 December | Open to UK/Republic of Ireland candidates |
| PhD Studentship: Developmental and genotypic determinants of macro and micronutrient distribution across faba bean seed tissues | Agriculture, Crop Science, Plant Biology |
6 December | Open to UK/Republic of Ireland candidates |
| ESRC SEDarc Doctoral Training Partnership (social sciences) |
Agri-food Economics | Development Studies | Architecture and Built Environment | Business and Management | Economics | Education | Linguistics | Geography and Environmental Studies | Politics and International Relations | Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences |
16 December 2024 | Open to applicants worldwide |
|
NERC Climate System and Biodiversity Science CROCUS Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) |
Chemistry | Computer Science | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Geography and Environmental Sciences | Mathematics and Statistics | Meteorology | Sustainable Land Management (Agriculture) |
Details for 2025 entry coming soon, please check back regularly | Open to applicants worldwide |
|
NERC AI-INTERVENE Doctoral Focal Award (DFA) |
Computer Science | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Biological Sciences) | Meteorology |
Details for 2025 entry expected in December | Open to applicants worldwide |
| PhD Studentship: Assessing the Financial Implications of Integrating Food, Energy, and Biodiversity on UK Farms | Agriculture | 1 January 2025 | Open to UK/Republic of Ireland candidates |
| China Scholarship Council Studentships |
Students from China, see external website for eligible areas |
3 January 2025 |
Applicants from China |
| University International PhD Studentships |
All disciplines |
6 January 2025 |
Open to international applicants |
| EPSRC Mathematics for our Future Climate Centre for Doctoral Training |
Mathematics |
12 January 2025 | Open to applicants worldwide |
| Earth System Prediction Doctoral Training Programme |
Meteorology, Mathematics and Computer Science |
13 January 2025 | Open to applicants worldwide |
| PhD Studentship in Criminology | Department of Law |
17 January 2025 |
Open to applicants worldwide |
| AHRC SWW Doctoral Training Partnership Studentships for the Arts and Humanities | Archaeology | Architecture | Art | Classics | Cultural Geography | English Language and Literature | Film, Theatre and Television | History | History of Art | Law and Legal Studies| Modern Languages and European Studies | Philosophy | Political Studies and International Relations | Political Philosophy | Typography | 20 January 2025 | Open to applicants worldwide |
| University Sanctuary PhD Studentships | All disciplines | 28 February 2025 | Please check eligibility criteria |
|
Apply for a loan of up to £29,390 for 2024/25 |
All disciplines Full or part-time study, including by Distance |
Ongoing | Open to UK nationals, Irish citizens and EU nationals settled under the EU settlement scheme |
| Department of Meteorology PhD Scholarships | Meteorology | Ongoing | Open to applicants worldwide |
| Alumni Discount |
Current undergraduate and master's students at Reading Alumni of the University |
Ongoing | Open to University of Reading alumni |
| Any discipline (see external website for further details) | Please check external website for details about scholarships | Open to applicants from low and middle income Commonwealth countries | |
|
Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowships
|
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines (Awards in biological sciences are limited to interdisciplinary research between physical and biological sciences) |
Please check external website for details about scholarships | Female applicants only |
| Archaeology | Climate, environmental sciences and sustainability | Food security | Human nutrition | Language, cognition and the mind | See external website for further details | Applicants from the USA | |
| All disciplines | Ongoing | Applicants from the USA | |
| Canadian grants, loans and scholarships | All disciplines | Ongoing | Applicants from Canada |
| Various | Please check external website for details about scholarships | Applicants from Canada | |
| Inlaks Scholarships | Many disciplines | Please check external website for details about scholarships | Applicants from India |
| The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding | Web resource for candidates who have already applied to study at the University of Reading | Various | Varies depending in funding scheme |
| NERC SCENARIO Doctoral Training Partnership (environmental science-related areas) |
Agriculture, Policy and Development | Archaeology | Biological Sciences | Chemistry | Geography | Environmental Sciences | Mathematics and Statistics | Meteorology |
No longer recruiting, please see NERC CROCUS above for opportunities starting in 2025 | Open to applicants worldwide |
| BBSRC Doctoral Training Partnership in FoodBioSystems |
Agriculture | Biological & Biomedical Sciences | Chemistry | Food and Nutritional Sciences | Geography and Environmental Sciences | Pharmacy |
Currently closed for applications, please check back in October 2024 for details of funding for 2025/26 |
Open to applicants worldwide |
| Felix Scholarships |
Many disciplines |
Currently closed for applications, please check back in Autumn 2024 for details of funding for 2025/26 | Open to Indian nationals |
| Henley Business School PhD Scholarships |
International Business & Strategy | Marketing and Reputation | Leadership, Organisations & Behaviour | Business Informatics, Systems & Accounting | Finance and Capital Markets (ICMA Centre) | Real Estate and Planning |
Currently closed for applications, please check back in Autumn 2024 for details of funding for 2025/26 |
Open to applicants worldwide |