The University allocates around 150 entry awards each year in PhD studentships and bursaries, so there are many ways to access PhD funding. A studentship is usually a package that provides full funding for tuition fees and living costs.
Tuition fees
PhD fees vary according to where you come from, whether you study full-time or part-time and where you are based during your degree.
Alumni discounts
If you've previously completed a degree with us, you’ll automatically receive our alumni discount (£1,500 off the cost of your tuition fees).
PhD funding
Studentships for original research proposals in English Language and Applied Linguistics
Applicants to the Department are invited to the apply for the PhD studentship opportunities offered through the ESRC South East Doctoral Training Arc (SEDarc) Doctoral Training Partnership.
These studentships cover all tuition fees, an annual maintenance as well as additional funding for research training and support.
The Department welcomes applicants interested in working in a wide range of areas including: language analysis, acquisition, bi/multilingualism, academic literacies, language pedagogies, corpus analysis, code-switching, sociolinguistic variation, discourse analysis of power and gender, world Englishes, political discourse analysis and media discourse.
Other available studentships for PhD study
The University's Doctoral and Researcher College School holds further information about studentships and other funding available for both UK and International PhD applicants. We suggest that international students also consider funding sources in their own country to increase their chances of securing finance.
University of Reading Regional PhD Bursaries
The University offers a scheme to support local residents to achieve their highest academic potential, as well as enhancing their professional prospects.
University of Reading Regional PhD Bursaries are designed to give candidates within the region the chance to study at an institution that is among the top 200 universities in world rankings (QS World University Rankings 2025) and benefit from the all-round training on offer to our doctoral researchers.
Find out more about University of Reading Regional PhD Bursaries.
Alternative sources of funding
The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding is a database of less well-known sources of doctoral funding.
Supplement your income
You might consider part-time or casual work as a way to supplement your income during your studies. There are often vacancies at the University, which you can apply for through Campus Jobs.