Funding your research degree

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Funding your research degree

There are many ways to fund your PhD or research degree. Learn about the different routes to secure funding.

Understanding how your research degree will be funded is a key step in the application process. Depending on the type of project you want to apply for, there are different routes to fund your fees.

We offer:

It’s important to know where your funding will come from before applying for a project.

• Study
• Create your own research project
• Find a PhD project
• Funding your research degree Funded doctoral training programmes
• Funded doctoral training programmes
• How to apply for a PhD or research degree
• How to make a PhD enquiry
• Support while studying your PhD or research degree
• More Create your own research project Find a PhD project Funding your research degree How to apply for a PhD or research degree How to make a PhD enquiry Support while studying your PhD or research degree
• Create your own research project
• Find a PhD project
• Funding your research degree
• How to apply for a PhD or research degree
• How to make a PhD enquiry
• Support while studying your PhD or research degree
• fully funded projects that cover the costs of your tuition fees and an allowance (stipend)
• projects that fund your tuition fees only
• opportunities to explore your own research proposal where you’ll need to source your own funding

Funded projects

For projects advertised as 'fully funded' or 'competition funded', your university fees will be paid and you will not need to apply for additional funding.

Competition funded projects will go ahead if the funding is awarded by the funding body. You can talk with the main supervisor to find out more.

Funding may also be available within the relevant school or faculty. Learn more in the fees and funding section of your chosen PhD topic areas .

See our current research degree projects

Fees paid plus a living allowance

A funded project will cover your tuition fees.

Some projects come with an additional sum of money to cover things like accommodation, travel and maintenance expenses. This is called a stipend and is tax free.

Fees paid with no living allowance

Some project funding will only cover your university fees. You will need to cover your living expenses yourself.

If you need help to cover your living costs, UK students can apply for a doctoral loan through Student Finance England. International students can check if they are eligible to receive a scholarship or bursary .

Fees for 2026/27

You can find all our current fees for 2026/27 on our fees page .

Projects advertised with no funding yet

Some advertised projects do not have funding secured yet. The main supervisor will usually source funding once they have found a suitable PhD candidate.

Contact the main supervisor to find out about the specific funding options if there’s a project you’re interested in.

Funded doctoral training programmes

Our doctoral training programmes are sponsored by one of the UKRI research councils and partners across government, industry, the NHS and charities.

These types of programmes include:

You can also check the details in the advertised project or specific doctoral training programme for how to apply.

• Doctoral Focal Awards
• Doctoral Landscape Awards
• Doctoral Training Partnerships
• Centres for Doctoral Training

Funding your own project

You should tell your supervisor if you plan to self-fund your research project. You’ll need to say how you intend to pay your fees when you apply.

You could consider:

• university scholarships
• a postgraduate doctoral loan
• external funding bodies (charities, government and the private sector)
• combining different funding sources

Take out a doctoral loan

You can apply for a government loan to cover your fees. Doctoral loans are not means tested and you can decide how much you want to borrow.

Find out about doctoral loans on GOV.UK

Apply for funding from a charity

You may be able to win funding from 1 or more organisations to help fund your PhD or research degree.

Learn about charity funding on FindAPhD

Get advice on funding your PhD

You can speak to the supervisor you wish you work with or contact the Doctoral College by email:

Doctoral-College@soton.ac.uk

• Support and money while studying Get advice on general support and how to manage your money when you choose to study.

Support and money while studying

• Support and money while studying: Get advice on general support and how to manage your money when you choose to study.
• Scholarships for UK postgraduate students Find scholarships for PhDs and research degrees

Scholarships for UK postgraduate students

• Scholarships for UK postgraduate students: Find scholarships for PhDs and research degrees
• Scholarships for international postgraduate students Find scholarships for PhDs and research degrees

Scholarships for international postgraduate students

• Scholarships for international postgraduate students: Find scholarships for PhDs and research degrees

Research areas