Funding, Scholarships and Prizes (Research)

There are several funding opportunities for prospective and current research students, the most important of which are listed below.

Further funding opportunities can also be found at UCL scholarships and funding.

Our funding panel will only consider your scholarship application if you have already completed the UCL procedure for admission as a postgraduate research student by the time you apply. This can take up to six weeks so you should ensure that you leave time for referees to submit their references and any additional checks to be completed before any deadlines as notified below.

  • Internal deadlines for scholarship schemes vary, but for UCL ones – UCL-RES, ROS – both the admissions applications (created in the Applicant Portal) and the scholarship applications (sent to selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk) need to be complete (including any additional documentation and letters of recommendation) by Friday 12th December 2025.

SELCS is part of the AHRC consortium London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP), along with King' College, London and the School of Advanced Study. 

  • More information of these awards, including how to apply can be found on the LAHP website.

NOTE: Applications for joint-supervision between two of the partners of LAHP, whilst not necessary, are particularly encouraged.

UCL aims to attract high-quality students to undertake research. The Research Excellence Scholarship is awarded on the basis of academic excellence and research potential. Financial circumstances are not taken into account.

Guidance on how to apply and all forms required can be downloaded here. 

To apply for UCL-RES: 

  • Apply for admission to UCL. Applications must be complete, with all supporting documents received, by Friday 12th December 2025. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that referees are aware of deadlines and respond accordingly.
  • Submit the scholarship application including all additional documents (lay summary of research proposal and additional reference) to selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk before the Scholarship deadline.
  • All applicants for the UCL-RES who have an overseas fee status and are permanent residents of the Peoples' Republic of China will be considered for the CSC Scholarships. 

Deadline: Scholarship applications, including the additional reference from your project supervisor and lay summary, must be received by selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk before the deadline of Friday 12th December 2025. 

Unfortunately this scholarship is no longer available, for more information please visit: Prospective Students - LAHP

UCL is committed to diversifying the student community at doctoral level, so has launched an exciting new scholarships programme to support BME postgraduate research degree students. The scheme offers full financial support and a skills development programme.

  •  More information about the scheme can be found here

Applicants to the Gender and Sexuality Studies PhD programme may be eligible for UBEL scholarships funded by the ESRC.  

The Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation provides up to 15 scholarships annually to prospective and current MPhil/PhD students to the value of $60,000 per scholar for up to four years. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants pursuing full-time doctoral studies in Canada or foreign institutions. Candidates will be considered by the Foundation only if they have been nominated by a university. 

Students planning comparative research that includes a focus on Russian, Central and East European languages and culture are encouraged to explore this funding opportunity. Applicants for a CEELBAS Studentship must have already received an offer of a place at the university. 

Funding offered by UCL and the China Scholarships Council (CSC) aims to expand the educational, cultural and technological co-operation between the UK and China.

Departments are able to submit one extra nomination if they have a student wishing to apply for one of the 5 open UCL-China Scholarships Research Scholarships.

  • More information about the scheme can be found here.

Drawing on its history of support for higher education and interest in the humanities, the Wolfson Foundation is offering three postgraduate research awards in the humanities - these will be for three areas in history, literature and languages.

If you wish to be considered for this scholarship, you will need to:

  • Apply for admission to a SELCS & CMII research programme at UCL. Applications must be complete, with all supporting documents received by the scholarship deadline. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure referees are aware of deadlines and respond accordingly.
  • Submit a scholarship application in the form of a research proposal of no more than 1000 words, and a letter from your proposed supervisor confirming that they are willing to supervise the specific project outlined to selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk.
  • Wolfson scholarships are also available to overseas students.

Deadline: Scholarship applications, including the 1000 word research proposal and a short statement from your proposed supervisor confirming that they are willing to supervise your project (if your project is selected to go forward to the next stage, then a longer letter of support will be needed soon after the deadline) must be received by selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk before the deadline of Friday 12th December 2025.

We are very pleased to offer a Dutch Studies Bursary supported by the Anglo-Netherlands Society (ANS). A bursary worth £1,250, supplemented by additional funds from members of the Anglo-Netherlands Society, will be awarded to one student per year on a postgraduate level programme (Master's and Reserach Degrees) with a Dutch Studies component.

The Anglo-Netherlands Society is a non-party-political, non-profit organisation, based in London, run by voluntary effort, which aims to promote the social, artistic, literary, educational, scientific and other interests the Dutch and the British have in common, as well as developing goodwill and understanding between the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

UCL is home to the oldest Department of Dutch Studies in the UK and the wider Anglophone world, founded in 1919. Today part of the School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS), it offers a full range of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees to anyone interested in the language, culture and history of the Low Countries.

Bursary Details: The Bursary will provide five successive awards, beginning in the 2024/25 academic year, to enable five students to pursue any of the following postgraduate research programmes in UCL SELCS:

  • MPhil/PhD in Dutch
  • MPhil/PhD in Translation Studies (with relevant Dutch component)
  • MPhil/PhD in Early Modern Studies (with relevant Dutch component)

UCL may, in its sole discretion, offer the Bursary to students on any other UCL Master’s or Research programme which includes a substantive Dutch Studies component. Each award will be made based on financial need and will support the student’s fees for the duration of their degree.

Eligibility: You must hold an offer for Dutch MPhil/PhD, or any other UCL MPhil/PhD programme that includes a substantive Dutch Studies component. 

Awards will be made based on financial need. If you need guidance, please contact Dr Hans Demeyer (Director of Dutch Studies) at h.demeyer@ucl.ac.uk in the first instance. 

Application Deadline: 1 November (In the academic years 24/25 up till 27/28)

How to Apply: You should fill in this form to confirm your financial situation: Dutch Studies Bursary Application Form  

You should also submit the following materials: 

  • A cover letter indicating why you wish to be considered for the studentship. This should include a statement indicating how you intend to meet the Dutch component requirement of the studentship. (max 300 words)
  • An updated CV

You must declare any other sources of funding to which you have also applied. Applications should be submitted by 1 November in the academic years 24/25 up till 27/28. Materials should be submitted as a pdf document (please collate all materials in one file) and sent to Dr Hans Demeyer (h.demeyer@ucl.ac.uk).

The Quirk PhD Scholarships support students in financial need to conduct research leading to a PhD in the fields of language and literature within the Arts & Humanities. 

This scholarship offers full tuition fees plus an annual allowance to cover living and study expenses for the normal duration of 3 years for a PhD programme. Your principal supervisor must be based in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities and Research degrees and themes must be in relevant research areas.

Available to: Prospective students 
Eligible fee status: UK/ home 

For further information on eligibility criteria please visit: Quirk PhD Scholarships

Deadline: Please send the required documents (Quirk PhD Scholarship Application Form, Cover, CV, Transcripts) to the department at selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk by deadline of the Friday 12th December 2025. To be considered for the Quirk scholarship you must have also applied for a place on an eligible Research programme.

Guidance on how to apply and all forms required can be downloaded here. 

 

The Anglo-Austrian Society intends to make an award for doctoral study, funded from the Angela Krosik Bequest. The award is available from the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year. The award is for a full-time student resident in either Austria or the UK and working or intending to work on a topic related in some way to Austria and who is (or is applying to be) registered  for doctoral study in a UK university .

Applications can be submitted from 18 March 2025; closing date 30 June 2025.

The award is £10,000 per year for three years.

Further details and application instructions can be found here: 
https://angloaustrian.org.uk/the-angela-krosik-award/ and 
https://angloaustrian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Krosik-Award-English.pdf

The Society also offers small grants (normally £200 to £1,000) throughout the year for projects with an Anglo-Austrian dimension. Details are here: https://angloaustrian.org.uk/grants/

Learn about the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Landscape Award for postgraduate research and how to apply:

AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award

Scholarship applications, must be received by selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk before the deadline of Friday 12th December 2025. 

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