Doctoral loans

About the project

These government-backed loans can help cover the cost of course fees and living costs.

About doctoral loans

If you’re starting a doctoral degree, you could get a postgraduate doctoral loan to help with course fees and living costs.

It is not based on your income or your family’s, and it’s paid directly to you.

You only need to apply once, and if approved you will be paid in three instalments each year.

You must apply for your doctoral degree before you can apply for the loan.

Like other student loans, you’ll need to repay what you borrow - but only when you start earning above a certain amount set by the government.

If your income is above the threshold, your repayments start will start:

• in April after your programme ends
• or in April four years after your programme began

How much you get

The value of the loan depends on when your programme starts:

Details are on the government website .

• £29,390 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2024
• £28,673 if your course started between 1 August 2023 and 31 July 2024
• £27,892 if your course started between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023

Check if you qualify

Whether you are eligible for a doctoral loan depends on your:

• course
• age
• nationality or residency status

Your course

The course you are studying must be at one of these levels:

If you are studying an MPhil course, you’ll need to apply for a postgraduate loan instead.

Your course can be:

• 3 year full-time PhDs and professional doctorates
• 5 year part-time professional doctorates
• 6 year part-time PhDs and professional doctorates
• full-time or part-time
• taught or research-based, or a combination of both
• on campus
• distance learning, if you live in England when you start your course and meet other criteria

Other eligibility rules

The government sets the eligibility rules about age and nationality or residency status - and the rules can change.

Check your eligibility on the government website.

• Eligible course listings Eligible course listings Doctoral loans are available to pursue PhDs in the majority of our research areas . Our Doctor of Education and Professional Doctorate in Health and Social Care are also eligible. Courses are listed on the student finance website by department name, which is set out like this: PhD Department of Design PhD Manchester School of Architecture PhD Department of Art PhD Department of Media PhD Manchester Fashion Institute PhD Politics and Philosophy PhD Medicine PhD Psychology PhD Sport and Exercise Science PhD Contemporary Theatre PhD History and Economic History PhD Sociology PhD English PhD Languages PhD Information and Communications Professional Doctorate in Health and Social Care PhD Department of Health Professions PhD Nursing PhD Social Care and Social Work PhD Department of Engineering PhD Department of Natural Sciences PhD Department of Computing and Mathematics PhD Department of Life Sciences Doctor of Education Teacher Education and Professional Development PhD Children Youth and Education Studies If you have questions about what course to select, you can email for advice at [email protected] .

Eligible course listings

• PhD Department of Design
• PhD Manchester School of Architecture
• PhD Department of Art
• PhD Department of Media
• PhD Manchester Fashion Institute
• PhD Politics and Philosophy
• PhD Medicine
• PhD Psychology
• PhD Sport and Exercise Science
• PhD Contemporary Theatre
• PhD History and Economic History
• PhD Sociology
• PhD English
• PhD Languages
• PhD Information and Communications
• Professional Doctorate in Health and Social Care
• PhD Department of Health Professions
• PhD Nursing
• PhD Social Care and Social Work
• PhD Department of Engineering
• PhD Department of Natural Sciences
• PhD Department of Computing and Mathematics
• PhD Department of Life Sciences
• Doctor of Education Teacher Education and Professional Development
• PhD Children Youth and Education Studies

Apply for a doctoral loan

You will be transferred to the government's website to apply.

Contact us

If you have a query, you can email us at [email protected]

Research areas