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The Department hosts a range of competitively awarded studentships and scholarships from within UCL and beyond.
UCL scholarships you can apply for include:
- UCL Research Excellence Scholarships (UCL-RES)
- UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship
- UCL Research Excellence Scholarships for Cross-disciplinary Training (One-Year)
Along with research training studentships from:
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
The Department is a NERC London Doctoral Training partner and co-hosts the UCL ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership pathways in (1) Human Geography and Sustainability and (2) Urban Studies, Planning and Spatial Science’.
Scholarships and Studentships
Details of all funding opportunities can be found on the UCL Scholarship and Funding pages. Below are some suggested funding opportunities but you are advised to also look into alternative sources of funding in addition to this list.
- Doctoral School Fellowship
A Doctoral School Fellowship that supports research students who, due to unforeseen circumstances, have their sponsorship interrupted or completely withdrawn.
- UCL - CSC Visiting Research Student Award
UCL offers one award per year of provisional tuition fee funding for a visiting PhD student from China.
Key information
- Value: Full tuition fees (for one year)
- Available to: Visiting PhD students
- Selection criteria: Academic merit
- Eligible fee status: Overseas
- Eligible programmes: Visiting, full-time research degrees
- Additional eligibility criteria: Students must be Chinese nationals and independently secure co-funding from the CSC to cover maintanence stipend and return travel.
- Deadline: 9th February 2024
This scheme offers full tuition fee funding that is provisional* on the awardee successfully securing independent co-funding from the China Scholarship Council (CSC).
- 3x PhD Regional Futures Studentships
Principal supervisor: Professor Ayona Datta
We are offering three studentships as part of Professor Datta's research team working on the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant funded Regional Futures: Territorial politics of digitalisation-as-urbanisation in the global south project.
Funding
The studentships offer a stipend currently set at £22,278 per annum with scheduled increases in the second and third years. Before applying, please see full information (link below) for eligibility and full conditions of the stipend.
Requirements
2:1 Master's degree or higher in urban/regional studies, or digital geography, including research training in qualitative methods. Experience working with social sciences research methods, including archival searches, in-depth interviews, compiling case studies, undertaking discourse and document analysis. Experience in using innovative research methods including participatory digital and visual methods. Knowledge and experience of research and working in global south contexts in one or more of India, Kenya and Mexico.
Deadline: TBC
Contact
- Academic queries and clarifications: Professor Ayona Datta: a.datta@ucl.ac.uk
- Application process: geog.office@ucl.ac.uk. Please include ‘ERC REGFUT: for the attention of Dr Rebekah Mann’ in the subject line of your email.
- Economic and Social Research Council UBEL DTP scholarships
A range of ESRC funded doctoral studentships, as well as a limited number of postdoctoral funding opportunities, are offered through the UBEL DTP. UCL geographers (co-)lead two UBEL DTP pathways: Human Geography and Sustainability (co-lead Dr Rory Coulter) and Urban Studies, Planning and Spatial Science (lead Dr Andrew Harris).
We are particularly interested in applications that complement the Department’s existing research strengths and which align with the expertise of our academic staff. We will consider applications involving co-supervision with other UBEL pathways.
Please consult the DTP applications guidance and contact potential supervisors in the first instance to discuss a prospective application. Please copy the relevant pathway leads and team members into correspondence.
For further questions on UBEL opportunities and applications please contact the relevant pathway leads and the UBEL DTP team.
- UCL Research Excellence Scholarships (UCL-RES)
UCL offers up to 40 fully funded UCL Research Excellence Scholarships (RES) to exceptional applicants from any country. Both prospective and current UCL doctoral students can apply.
- Value: Full fees (Home/Overseas); maintenance stipend for the standard length of the research portion of the programme of study, or remainder thereof; research costs
- Available to: Prospective and current students
- Selection criteria: Academic merit
- Eligible fee status: UK, Overseas
- Eligible programmes: Full-time or part-time MPhil/PhD and EngD (excluding distance learning and professional doctorates)
- Additional eligibility criteria: At least 2:1 at undergraduate (or equivalent)
- Deadline: Friday, 12 January 2024
Further details and eligibility criteria can be found at UCL Scholarships and Funding.
Please contact Rebekah Mann at geog.office@ucl.ac.uk for questions and information on admissions, applications processes and for submitting any additional information.
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Funding
AHRC Studentships are offered through the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP).
Please contact potential supervisors to discuss project ideas first before applying to LAHP.
- London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)
The London NERC DTP is a partnership of eight prestigious research organisations across London, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council.
Within the first six months of your PhD training, you will meet with your potential supervisors to discuss and develop your project ideas.
The Autumn and Spring terms include an intensive programme of interdisciplinary core research and professional development training.
At the end of Term One, you will submit a choice of two project titles and be allocated one.
At the end of Term Two, you will present your PhD Project Plan to your fellow students before joining UCL to being your project.
Please note: Applications to this programme are for a research theme, not a specific project. The projects listed on the site are examples aimed at giving you an idea of what is potentially on offer.
Application Process
Please ensure you meet the eligibility criteria before you make an application.
- November (at the end of the month) – Applications open.
- January – Application deadline.
- February – Interviews will be held remotely.
- March – Offers confirmed.
Your application includes the submission of a CV, cover letter and academic documents e.g. transcript/s and certificate/s.
Please note
The application processes for the London NERC DTP differ from the main UCL application process. Questions about your application should be addressed to them.
- China Scholarship Council (CSC)-UCL Joint Research Scholarship
This scholarship aims to expand educational, cultural and technological cooperation between the UK and China.
The CSC provides economy air travel to and from the UK, a living allowance and visa application fees. UCL will provide full tuition fees for the standard duration of a full-time MPhil/PhD programme up to 48 months, including a writing-up period
The UCL Scholarships and Funding pages have more information on eligibility, the value of the award and how to apply.
- UCL Research Opportunity Scholarships (UCL-ROS)
The UCL-ROS supports BAME postgraduate research degree students.
Key information
- Value: UK / home rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and a professional development package
- Available to: Prospective and current students
- Selection criteria: Academic merit and financial need
- Eligible fee status: UK / home
- Eligible programmes: Research degrees in relevant faculties (to be confirmed)
- Additional eligibility criteria: UK-permanent resident from specific BAME ethnic groups (click the link below for more information)
- Deadline: 12 January 2024
The scholarship is run in collaboration with the Windsor Fellowship and offers full financial support and a skills development programme.
Download the cover sheet (.doc)
Further details and eligibility criteria can be found at UCL Scholarships and Funding.
Visiting research students
If you are currently enrolled on a PhD programme in another country, you can apply to carry out complementary research at UCL for between 3 to 12 months.
The first step in this process is to contact members of our academic staff who might be able to supervise your research.
You can find more information on the application process and fees on UCL’s Visiting Research Students page. Please note that visiting research student fees are calculated on a pro-rata basis and are based on a student’s fee status (i.e. Home or Overseas). Visiting students who have independently obtained scholarships that cover travel costs and maintenance (e.g. CSC visiting PhD programme) are responsible for securing funds for their fees.