History MPhil/PhD Funding

Applications for 2024-25 entry are now open. The deadline for funding applications processed by the department was 3 Jan 2024.

In most cases, you can apply to several of these funding schemes simultaneously. For example, candidates who wish to be considered for the RES can also apply to the LAHP. If possible, please list on your UCL application form all the schemes to which you intend to apply.

In order to be considered for any UCL scholarships, we ask that students submit their admissions application to UCL by the end of Wednesday 3 January 2024. This deadline includes the submission of any academic references.

Candidates who plan for alternative funding are still able to apply according to the Programme Schedule.

Please be advised that UCL will be closed between 22 December 2023 end of day and the morning of 2 January 2024.

For those interested in applying for funding and meeting the 3 January deadline, please make sure you raise any queries you might have well in advance of the UCL closure (preferably before mid-December), to give the PGR Tutor and Admin, as well as the supervisors sufficient time to reply.

UCL scholarships

RES & RXD and Wolfson Scholarships (for all candidates)

Each year UCL awards a limited number of Research Excellence Scholarships (for home/EU students as well as international students) to PhD applicants across the university. All of these awards cover students' tuition fees, offer a maintenance stipend, and provide additional funding to pay research expenses.

The RES awards are allocated by faculty. The department is asked to put forward a shortlist of candidates to a faculty board, who will then select the most promising candidates from the full list of those nominated. In all cases, the scholarships are allocated on the basis of academic merit rather than financial necessity.

RES: How to apply

1. Submit an application for admission to the History research degree programme. Please make sure you have your supervisor's in-principle approval. (please note the Institute for the Americas, Institute of Archaeology and History of Art are separate UCL departments and they run their own degree programmes. If your preferred supervisor belongs to one of the mentioned departments please check their webpage for specific information)

2. Put together the documentation required by the RES award. You will find templates and information here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/research-excellence-scholarship. You will need

a cover sheet,
a CV,
a lay summary of your research proposal, in a Word or PDF document (max. 200 words),
a copy of your academic transcripts (you can use the same ones you submitted to the applicant portal and they can be electronic copies); please ensure that each academic transcript submitted includes clarification on the grading scale/range of grades possible for that degree
a reference (one from your recently completed academic programme) and
a reference from your intended UCL supervisor OR an email confirming they are willing to give you a reference if you are nominated to the next stage.

3. Email the PGR Administrator (o.borlea@ucl.ac.uk) to inform of which award you are applying for and include all the required documentation from point 2. If you are applying for more funding opportunities (RXD or LAHP), you only need to send in one email, but make sure it includes all needed information for all the awards you are applying for).

The History Department deadline is Wednesday, 3 January 2024.

All applicants for the UCL-RES, who have an overseas fee status and are permanent residents of the People’s Republic of China will automatically be considered for, if applicable, to the UCL-CSC (China Scholarships Council) Scholarships (TBC).

Please note we will be unable to process requests received after this date.

Successful candidates can expect to be notified by March 2024.

RXD: How to apply

Up to 4 scholarships annually are available to full-time UCL MPhil/PhD and EngD students from any country wishing to spend an additional year of their MPhil/PhD or EngD in another UCL department acquiring research skills and knowledge from a different discipline, which can be applied in their normal area of research. Training should be of one year's duration to permit sustained exposure to the new discipline.

The RXD covers fees and maintenance and is available to both prospective and current students if they have guaranteed funding for their normal research degree.

Applications must be made by the Head of the student's home department in conjunction with the Graduate Tutor.

Applications must include the following six documents, in the below order, contained in 1 PDF:

1. A training proposal outline, indicating

the student's full name and UCL student number
the MPhil/PhD/EngD project and subject area
the host department
the benefit to the student from sustained training in the area outside his/her principal discipline
the potential impact that the research project might have and how this would be enhanced by cross-disciplinary training

2. Detailed description of the training programme

The training programme should be designed for that particular student, and will normally involve some course work (undergraduate or postgraduate). The training programme should provide the student with more than just a specific research tool (such as knowledge of a particular research technique, or a language); the aim should be broader, namely to immerse the student in the methods, approaches and ways of thinking of another discipline.

3. Student's full Curriculum Vitae (CV)

4. A one-page outline of the MPhil/PhD/EngD research project

5. Evidence of three years' MPhil/PhD/EngD funding

6. A letter signed by the heads of both the home and host departments certifying that:

i. the host department has agreed to accept the student for the training programme specified and to allow the student full access to all relevant courses, tutorials, equipment and facilities

The student should be supervised within the host department with arrangements for reporting across to the student's primary supervisor in the home department.

ii. that the relevant Research Council (where appropriate) has agreed to the proposal

Where the student is in receipt of funding for the MPhil/PhD or EngD, e.g. from a Research Council, written permission for the arrangement from the relevant body must be provided.

iii. that the necessary financial arrangements between the two departments have been agreed

Financial arrangements must be made to ensure that the allocation of resources from College to the host and home departments reflects the proportionate responsibilities of each.

The History Department deadline is Wednesday, 3 January 2023.

The successful candidates will be informed early March 2024.

Wolfson

For the 2024/25 academic year, there will be 3 awards for the Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences.

The Wolfson Scholarships are open to both UK and Overseas applicants. The nominations are made by the department and then processed at Faculty level.

The awards are available for doctoral research only, and will be paid over three years (or up to six years part time). For full-time students, it is expected that students complete their doctorate in three years.

Students should have an outstanding academic record, usually a first class honours degree at undergraduate level and a Master's degree from a recognised university in a field of study relevant to their proposed doctoral research.

Applicants wishing to be considered for nomination for the Wolfson scholarship should apply in the system before 3 Jan 2024 (inclusive of transcripts, references) and email the PGR Admin at o.borlea@ucl.ac.uk to inform them that they should be added to the Wolfson applicants' list, while attaching the following documents:

a CV, if not attached to the programme application in the applicant portal (if included in the programme application please state so in your email to the PGR admin)
a personal statement, if not attached to the programme application in the applicant portal (if included in the programme application please state so in your email to the PGR admin)
an expanded outline of the research of no more than 2 pages, which does not need to contain references or a bibliography
a reference from your intended supervisor or an email stating that the supervisor is willing to provide it over a short turnaround if you are nominated for the next stage

Please make sure your programme application references have both been submitted to the system by the referees by 3 Jan 2024.

Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS): How to apply

UCL's Research Opportunity Scholarship (UCL-ROS) is intended to support BAME postgraduate research degree students. There are 5 scholarships for the 2024-25 academic year.

Available to: Prospective and current students

Selection criteria: Academic merit and financial need

Eligibility criteria: UK-permanent residents from certain BAME ethnic groups:

Black or Black British - Caribbean
Black or Black British - African
Other Black background
Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi
Asian or Asian British - Pakistani

The benefits that UCL-ROS scholars can look forward to:

Full tuition fees and a maintenance stipend (rate for 2024/25 to be confirmed) for up to 3 years (excludes CRS)
Value added benefits such as coaching, mentoring, training and skills development
Annual research costs of £1,200
Conference costs of £1,000

1. Submit an application for admission to the History research degree programme.

2. Please make sure you have your supervisor's in-principle approval handy, as they will need to submit a letter confirming that they are willing to supervise your project. (please note the Institute for the Americas, Institute of Archaeology and History of Art are separate UCL departments and they run their own degree programmes. If your preferred supervisor belongs to one of the mentioned departments please check their webpage for specific information)

3. Fill in a ROS cover sheet and send via email to o.borlea@ucl.ac.uk

The deadline is Wednesday, 3 January 2023.

These scholarships are not awarded by the department or Faculty. All applications from the department will be sent to the Faculty for consideration. They will be reviewed and shortlisted by a faculty panel based on academic merit. This will happen by February 2024, with final decisions made in March 2024.

Additional scholarships

The university also offers a variety of other smaller scholarships which may be available only to specific groups (e.g. those from particular countries or working on particular topics). To find out more about these you can access the UCL scholarship finder.

AHRC funding

UCL History is part of the LAHP (London Arts and Humanities Partnership), a group of London institutions (UCL, KCL, LSE, QMUL, the Royal College of Art, the Royal College of Music, Central School of Speech and Drama and the School of Advanced Study) which between them share an allocation of studentships for doctoral research in the arts and humanities. These scholarships are provided by the AHRC (the Arts and Humanities Research Council) and they cover tuition fees, maintenance, and an allowance for research expenses. The LAHP scholarships are available to UK students (fees and maintenance) and EU students (fees only).

The department does not shortlist candidates for the LAHP. Instead, the LAHP funding has its own process, which requires the completion of a separate application form by 26th January 2024 at 5pm. A panel of academics from the three LAHP institutions will consider all these applications and allocate scholarships to those which they believe to be academically strongest. However, in order to be considered for LAHP funding, you will need to have applied for a place at UCL before the deadline, and been allocated a place by mid-March.

Please inform your intended supervisors and the department (via o.borlea@ucl.ac.uk) of your intention to apply no later than Wednesday, 3 January 2023, so they have time to submit the supervisor statement before the LAHP deadline. Please submit an application for admission to the History research degree programme before that date, so the supervisor can provide a statement after reading your proposed research project and external references.

Important: your application to the LAHP will require a supporting statement from your prospective supervisor at UCL. As such, we recommend that you get in touch with this possible supervisor as early as possible before the deadline, both to seek their support with your research proposal and to allow them to ask any questions they might have about your qualifications and motivations. It is also important to give the supervisor enough time to write the statement, rather than approaching them at the last minute. This will allow them to write a well-informed, persuasive reference in support of your work.

You can read more about identifying and approaching a supervisor on our 'Application process' page.

The Supervisor Statement of Support must be submitted before a deadline. Please notify potential supervisors of this well in advance, as supervisors may not be in a position to do this last minute.

ESRC funding

Some History PhD students may be eligible for funding from the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council). UCL is part of the UBEL doctoral training partnership, along with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the School of Oriental and African Studies, Birkbeck, and the University of East London. UBEL-DTP scholarships cover tuition fees, maintenance, and an allowance for research expenses. They are available to UK students (fees and maintenance) and EU students (fees only).

The department does not shortlist candidates for the UBEL-DTP. Instead, the UBEL funding has its own process, which requires the completion of a separate application form. A panel of academics from the UBEL institutions will consider all these applications and allocate scholarships to those which they believe to be academically strongest.

You will also need to complete a separate UBEL-DTP application. https://ubel-dtp.ac.uk/esrc-studentships/

UBEL deadlines:

27 October 2023	Survey Monkey Apply opens for Preliminary applications
Monday 15 January 2024 (23.59pm)	Deadline for Preliminary applications
(week commencing) 29th January 2024	– DTP informs candidates of Preliminary outcome – Full application available to successful candidates
Monday 4 March 2024 (23.59pm)	Deadline for Full applications
(week commencing) 13th May 2024	DTP Board considers studentship applications

Departmental scholarships

The History department also holds two smaller scholarships for which PGR students are eligible; the Richard Chattaway scholarship, which is awarded each year to a postgraduate student working on the history of modern warfare (preferably from 1870 onward) and which has a value of £2,000; and the Carol Chattaway scholarship, awarded annually to a postgraduate scholar in medieval historical studies and has a value of £2,500. Preference is given to mature students and female students for this award.

Both the Chattaway scholarships have later deadlines (usually in Spring/Summer). We will update this page with the new deadlines as soon as they become available.

Other funding sources

UCL History PGR students draw funding from a number of sources. Most commonly these include those listed above but you may also wish to consider the following funding schemes, all of which have their own application processes. In any case where you may require a supporting statement from your potential supervisor at UCL, we recommend that you contact this supervisor as early as possible in advance of the deadline, so that they can help you strengthen your research proposal and so that they have plenty of time to write your reference.

Wellcome doctoral awards (for research into health-related topics e.g. the history of medicine)
Charities and trusts - a good place to look at these is The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding

Student Finance England doctoral loans

Student Finance England, which also administers undergraduate student loans, also offers a doctoral loan. The doctoral loan is intended to assist postgraduate students with course fees and living costs. Key details about the loan are as follows:

Students may borrow up to £27,892 for their entire course. This is not related to students' or their families' income.
The loan can only be used during the research years of the course (i.e. the first three years of a full-time PhD).
Payments are typically split into three across the year, coinciding with the UCL fee payment dates.
Students must be UK or EU nationals or have 'settled status' in order to apply for the loan.
Students must be under 60 years old to apply for the loan.
Repayments will begin the first April after leaving the course, or in the April 4 years after beginning the course.
Repayment will be at the level of 6% of income over £21,000 pa.

Aside from the UK/EU nationality and age requirements, the following students are NOT eligible to apply for the loan:

Students receiving Research Council funding
Students already in possession of a doctoral degree
Students who are behind in repayments of any previous loans from the Student Loans Company

You can find more information about doctoral loans on the UK Government's doctoral loan webpage, and on the UCL funding website.

Financial Assistance for Current Students

If you have already started your PhD at UCL History and need financial advice and/or assistance, you can visit our funding page for current students here.