fully funded phd programs in accounting

Last Updated on December 28, 2022

Looking for a career path with consistent job growth and high earning potential? Accounting is a great choice for students looking to make a difference in the business world. For an exciting challenge, consider opening your own accounting firm! To become an accountant, be prepared to go back to school. Accountants are required to complete either 30 or 30 semester hours of college coursework. Also, many firms require their employees to pass industry-administered exams and maintain a valid license to practice as an accountant. The field of accounting offers a unique opportunity to do well while doing good! On this page, we review all you need to know about fully funded phd programs in accounting, fully funded phd programs in finance, phd accounting scholarships in canada, phd accounting scholarships and what is a fully funded phd.

With a wide suite of household-name companies making their home in California, accountants can find ample opportunities in major corporations, accounting firms, and entertainment giants. Graduates with an accounting degree can pursue careers as certified public accountants (CPAs), personal financial advisors, and consultants. Additionally, the state’s strong business sector creates high demand for financial managers and other executives, who often have a background in accounting. Read on for more on fully funded phd programs in accounting, fully funded phd programs in finance, phd accounting scholarships in canada, phd accounting scholarships and what is a fully funded phd.

fully funded phd programs in accounting

We begin with fully funded phd programs in accounting, then fully funded phd programs in finance, phd accounting scholarships in canada, phd accounting scholarships and what is a fully funded phd.

Here below are some of the selected top scholarships for accounting students

MIT Sloan’s fully funded scholarship for Ph.D. in Accounting:

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a fully-funded scholarship at the university for Ph.D. in accounting focusing on management, integration of finance, finding new solutions to problems and new possibilities for the advancement of the field.

The scholarship grants cover tuition, a stipend for living expenses for teaching or research assistants, health insurance and funding for research and travel to present their works anywhere around the world.

Stanford University’s fully funded scholarship for Ph.D. in accounting program:

Stanford University offers a scholarship grant that covers tuition, health insurance and a stipend for living expenses either from teaching or research assistantship or from fellowships to help students go through their educational program and further into their careers.

The University of California, Berkeley’s scholarship for Ph.D. accounting Students:

the University of California, Berkeley offers students of Ph.D. in accounting that go into a productive, inspiring environment dedicated to challenging the status quo scholarship and grants for their studies.

Wharton’s scholarship scheme at the University of Pennsylvania scholarship:

the University of Pennsylvania, having a chief aim to develop a dissertation and learn how to navigate modern accounting, offers a scholarship fund for Ph.D. students in accounting.

The University of Rochester’s scholarship scheme for Ph.D. students:

To provide excellent research and solutions to the world, there are funds allocated for aiding student pay their school fees at the University of Rochester.

These funds cover tuition waiver, stipends from either fellowships or research assistantships and cover of travel expenses for beneficiaries.

Marshall’s scholarship scheme at the University of Southern California for Ph.D. students:

There is a scholarship available at the University of Southern California for Ph.D. program granted by Marshall’s program for students in accounting, finance, management, and auditing. The scheme focuses on research students.

The scholarship takes care of tuition fees, health insurance and stipends for living expenses for either teaching or research assistantship.

fully funded phd programs in finance

Next, we consider fully funded phd programs in finance, then phd accounting scholarships in canada, phd accounting scholarships and what is a fully funded phd.

List of Best 15 Ph.D. Scholarships for Banking Finance Students

Below are Best 15 Ph.D. Scholarships for Banking Finance Students

  • Endeavour Postgraduate Leadership Award
  • Radboud Scholarship Programme for International Students
  • Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Masters /Ph.D. Scholarships for International Students at TU Delft
  • Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann Scholarship and Leadership Programme (Fully-Funded)
    University of Twente Scholarships (UTS)
  • Clarendon Fund Scholarships at University of Oxford
  • Holland Scholarship for Non-EEA International Students
  • Gates Cambridge Scholarships for International Students – Ph.D. & MSc (Fully-Funded)
  • Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Students
  • George Washington University Global Leaders Fellowship
  • Adelaide Scholarships International (ASI)
  • NTU HASS International Ph.D. Scholarship/Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2020
  • Eric Bleumink Scholarships at University of Groningen
  • Holland Government Scholarship 2020 for study at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
  • The University of Nebraska-Lincoln CASNR Postgraduate and Undergraduate Scholarship Program (CPUSP) 2020 for Rwandan students

#1) Endeavour Postgraduate Leadership Award

Higher Institutions in Australia are inviting applicants that want to acquire a Ph.D. in Banking and finance to The Endeavour Postgraduate Leadership Award.

This opportunity provides financial support for international applicants to undertake a postgraduate qualification at a Masters or PhD level either by coursework or research in any field in Australia for up to 2 years for Masters and 4 years for PhD.

International students from AmericaAfricaAsia, Carribean, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific.

Scholarship Worth:

All successful Individual short and long term Endeavour Leaders will receive AU$3,000 per month as a stipend (maximum amount of AU$36,000 per year paid up to the maximum category duration on a pro-rata basis).

Successful Individual Endeavour Leaders are also eligible for:

  • A travel allowance of up to AU$3,000 (with provision to pay up to AU$4,500 under special circumstances)
  • Establishment allowance of between AU$2,000 and AU$4,000, dependent on category and duration of Award
  • Health insurance for the full category duration (Overseas Student Health Cover [OSHC] for international recipients)
  • Travel insurance (excluding during program for international recipients)

International Endeavour leaders undertaking postgraduate qualifications (Masters or PhD) are eligible to receive tuition fees of up to AU$30,000 per calendar year, paid up to the maximum study/research duration on a pro rata basis.

Tuition includes student service and amenities fees. The duration of the scholarship is up to 2 years for a master and up to 4 years for a Ph.D.

Application Process

Applicants are required to submit a letter of admission (i.e offer letter) for a Masters or Graduate Diploma leading into a Masters course or for a Ph.D. course at an Australian university for the year 2022 academic year.

Applications are submitted through the Endeavour Online system.

It is important to read the 2022 application Guidelines for this scholarship.

#2) Radboud Scholarship Programme for International Students

Deadline: 1st March (Annually)

Offer for a scholarship is now available at The Radboud University for Scholarship Programme for the selected number of talented prospective non-EEA students the opportunity to receive a scholarship to pursue a complete English-taught Master’s degree programme at the University. The study will be taken in Netherland.

Eligible English-taught Programmes offered by the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of Business, Theology & Religious Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Law.

View the complete list of supported programmes at the official website. The number of Scholarships is about 30 each year. This programme is for Non-EU/EEA International Students.

To be eligible, you must have been fully admitted to the English-taught Master’s degree program starting 1st September 2022 as stated in the formal letter of admission and you will comply with the conditions for obtaining a visa for the Netherlands.

Scholarship Worth

The scholarship will be used to reduce the tuition fee to € 2,078 and pay for costs for visas and insurance. For instance: a grant holder in 2020 will pay a tuition fee of only €2,078, instead of €11,466 or €12,640.

The scholarship also covers costs like; the visa, residence permit, health insurance and liability insurance (Insurance Passport for Students – IPS).

For a two-year programme: to qualify for the grant during the second year, the candidate needs to have passed all courses in the first year.

Application Process

The application for admission and the application for the scholarship is completely incorporated, there is no separate procedure for the scholarship.

You must have completed your application for admission via the online application system OSIRIS Incoming Students before 1st March 2020.

#3) Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Masters /Ph.D. Scholarships for International Students at TU Delft

Deadline: 1st Dec (Annually)

The Delft University of Technology is offering several excellent scholarship programs for international students. The Justus & Louise van Effen Scholarship is one of those programs and it aims to financially support excellent international Ph.D./ Masters Students wishing to study at TU Delft.

This scholarship will be taken at TU Delft, Netherlands, this scholarship is available for three (3) candidates per faculty and it is mainly for international students.

The scholarship includes complete tuition fees for a TU Delft MSc programme and living expenses (€950 pm)  for two (2) years for EU and Non-European Union students, onetime standard payment for travel expenses, and membership to the Scholarship club giving access to personal development, workshops, seminars, etc.

An applicant is expected to be an outstanding international applicant admitted to one of the 2-year Regular TU Delft’s MSc programmes, with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 80 percent or higher of the scale maximum in your bachelor’s degree from an internationally renowned university outside the Netherlands.

Application Process

Applicants should complete the online application for Ph.D./ Masters program before 1st December 2020. Only students that meet this deadline who have been admitted to TU Delft could be considered for these scholarships.

Besides all the regular documents for the programme, an application must be uploaded in the scholarship Application Form in which you make clear why you are applying for the scholarship.

#4) Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann Scholarship and Leadership Programme (Fully-Funded)

Deadline: 11th – 25th January (Annually)

Currently, the Application for the scholarship is ongoing at The Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffman Scholarship and Leadership Programme supports outstanding students from transition and emerging economies throughout Africa, Asia, and South America to pursue a graduate degree at Oxford University.

It is managed by the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust. The study will be taken in UK; University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Eligible graduate programmes related to agriculture, Banking and Finance, health care, environmental and water management, economics, public and foreign policy.

Visit the official website for the complete list of eligible programmes. This scholarship will be given to approximately twenty (20) candidates.

Students from transition and emerging economies throughout Africa, Asia, and South America are eligible for this programme.

Scholarship Worth

The scholarship will cover 100 percent (%) of University and college fees and a grant for living costs (£14,777). Awards are made for the full period of your fee liability for the agreed course.

Candidates should apply to start one of the eligible courses at Oxford, be ordinarily resident in one of the eligible countries (see the official website for the complete list). Candidates ought to intend to return to your country of ordinary residence once your course is completed.

Successful applicants ought to show an interest in serving the global community through their chosen field of work.

Candidates ought to show a connection between your subject of study and your longer-term career objectives, explaining how you see your professional work contributing to the improvement of public life in your country of origin or at a wider regional or international level.

Application Process

For a candidate to be considered for this scholarship, you must select the Weidenfeld-Hoffman Scholarship and Leadership Programme in the Funding section of the University’s application form and apply before the deadline.

#5) University of Twente Scholarships (UTS)

Deadline: 1st Feb – 1st May (Annually)

The scholarship is now open at the University of Twente, University Twente Scholarships (UTS) are scholarships for excellent students from both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA countries, applying for a graduate programme (MSc) at the University of Twente.

Two (2) scholarships can be awarded to UTS recipients: Kipaji Scholarship and Professor de Winter Scholarship. These scholarships have additional requirements.

The study will be taken at the University of Twente, Netherlands, countries that are eligible are International students from both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA countries.

The scholarship will be taken under:

Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Business Information Technology, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Management, Communication Studies, Construction Management, and Engineering, Computer Science, Educational Science and Technology, Embedded Systems,

Environmental and Energy Management, European Studies, Health Sciences, Industrial Design Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Human Media Interaction, Industrial Engineering and Management, Internet Science & Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Philosophy of Science, Nanotechnology,

Technology and Society, Psychology, Sustainable Energy Technology, Banking & Finance, Public Administration, Systems and Control. Approximately fifty (50) are available.

Scholarship Worth

The scholarship worth ranges from €3,000 – €25,000 for one year. In the case of a two (2) years study programme, students can receive an additional UTS of an amount equal to that in the first year when they meet the process requirements for the UTS.

Application Process

To qualify for this application, you must have been provisionally admitted and gotten a student registration number.

Applications are only done online. Kindly, visit the official website (link found below) to start the application process and for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

phd accounting scholarships in canada

Now we review phd accounting scholarships in canada, phd accounting scholarships and what is a fully funded phd.

University funding

The School of Accounting and Finance normally provides funding of $25,500 per year for four years. Funding is contingent upon working as a research assistant or a teaching assistant for up to 10 hours per week, during each of the four years. Additional scholarships are provided to international students, who are charged higher tuition fees.

Learn more about awards and funding from the graduate studies site.

In addition, students are encouraged to apply to the external sources of funds described below.

Government sources

Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program

The deadline for application is in fall of the preceding year. This award is for $15,000 per year and can be held for up to four years. Applicants need not be residents of Ontario; even holders of student visas can apply, but only a restricted number of awards are available for this category. No previous graduate-level training is required to apply, so it is possible to receive an award for the first year of a PhD program. 

Fully Funded PhD Programs in the United Kingdom | ProFellow

If you are not already registered in a graduate program at Waterloo, your proposed department is the graduate program to which you are applying for admission. Your OGS/QEII-GSST application and supporting documents should be emailed to this department. 

According to the Ontario government, the CPA funding described below can be held in addition to OGS because it is in the form of a loan and not considered to be an award. A student can not hold both a SSHRC award and an OGS award.

The University of Waterloo supplements Ontario Graduate Scholarships by providing the recipient with up to $10,000 of additional funds in the form of a President’s Graduate Scholarship.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Awards

The application deadline is fall of the year before the award is to start. Only Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada can apply; holders of student visas are not eligible.

There are two types of SSHRC awards, both of which use the same application form: CGS Doctoral Scholarships, which are for $35,000 per year for up to three years; and SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships, which are for $20,000 per year for up to four years.

The University of Waterloo supplements both types of SSHRC awards by providing the recipient with up to $10,000 of additional funds in the form of a President’s Graduate Scholarship.

Private sources

Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario member fee reduction

PhD students in our program who are Ontario CPAs qualify for a 100% reduction of their fees for Institute membership. Students at both the course work stage and the thesis stage of the program are eligible to apply.

The Institutes of other provinces generally have some type of fee reduction for full-time university attendance, so students who are CPAs from other provinces may wish to check with their Institute.

Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario Doctoral Studies Support Program

The goal of the Doctoral Studies Support Program is to increase the supply of well-qualified full-time accounting faculty in Ontario universities. Many people associated with the University of Waterloo have received support from this program with the number of supported students rising in recent years. Every CPA admitted to our PhD program should apply for this funding.

The institute will provide forgivable loans to a maximum of $15,000 per annum for three years. As a guideline, for each $15,000 awarded, the candidate will be required to teach in Ontario one academic year in order for that amount of loan to be forgiven.

Completed applications should reach the Institute by January 31 for support commencing in the fall of that year.

Chartered Professional Accountants outside Ontario

Programs similar to the Ontario one operate in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec. Quebec’s funding amount is $10,000. Students from other provinces may wish to consult their local institute to see if similar funding can be provided. For example, one of our graduates, Jeff Pittman, received support from the Newfoundland Institute.

phd accounting scholarships

More details coming up on phd accounting scholarships in canada, phd accounting scholarships and what is a fully funded phd.

Ph.D. Scholarships available at Kent Business School

Deadline:  The application deadline varies, check the below deadline.

Currently, Kent Business School is inviting applications for Ph.D. scholarships for candidates who are interested in applying for the program.

Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships

This is a three (3) year studentship, which includes domestic /European Union tuition fees, and a stipend of £14,553 per year.

This Scholarship takes the form of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), which means that Ph.D. students receive financial support (a combined salary and maintenance grant) in return for undertaking some part-time teaching/research assistant activities

Kent Business School International Research Studentship

This is also a three (3) years studentship, which includes Overseas tuition fees, and a stipend of £14,553 per year (2017/2018 rate). This Scholarship will take the form of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), meaning that Ph.D. students receive financial support (a combined salary and maintenance grant) in return for undertaking some part-time teaching research assistant activities.

South East Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS) Ph.D. Studentships

A three-year studentship, which includes a maintenance grant of £14,553 per year, tuition fees at the domestic /European Union rate and access to further research funding.

To be eligible for this studentship, applicants must have settled status in the United Kingdom and have been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK for three years prior to the start of the studentship grant.

Scholarships are awarded to students with outstanding research potential. Successful applicants are expected to meet all of the following criteria unless both the research proposal and references are exceptional;

  • Distinction at Master’s level in a relevant subject
    • A score of at least 7.0 in IELT test (waived if an applicant is a national of a majority English-speaking country, or has completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelor degree in a major English speaking country) – all Ph.D. scholarship students carry out teaching duties

This program is conducted annually, the closing date for scholarship applications is:

  • 21st January- Vice-Chancellor’s Research Scholarship
  • 21st January- South East Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS) Ph.D. Studentships.
  • 30th March – Kent Business School International Research Scholarships

Reach Oxford Scholarships for Undergraduates from Developing Countries 2021

Deadline: January annually

The University of Oxford, United Kingdom is offering the Reach Oxford Scholarships in full financial opportunities for Undergraduate students from Developing Countries to study for Ph.D. in all the courses being offered at the institution 2021. This scholarship is for Low-Income Countries.

All subjects offered at the University of Oxford excluding Medicine.

This scholarship scheme is only suitable for candidates of the highest academic ability who have outstanding examination results. Though, financial need and social commitment are also major criteria for selection.

The worth of this scholarship is the Tuition fees and college fees, a grant for living expenses and one return air fare per year.

Gates Cambridge Masters & Ph.D. Scholarships in the UK for International Students 2021

Deadline: 5th December  or 3rd January annually

Gates Cambridge Trust is currently offering full-fee postgraduate (Masters and Ph.D.) Gates Cambridge Scholarships for outstanding international students to study any course at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships are highly viable full-cost scholarships. They are awarded to outstanding applicants from countries outside the United Kingdom to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarships program aspires to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.

Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in Accounting – Scholarshipnjob.com

This scholarship will be taken at Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Accepted Subject Areas are Masters and Ph.D. Courses offered by the university, citizens of any other country outside the United Kingdom are eligible for this scholarship.

what is a fully funded phd

Funding for PhD study is a little more complicated than it is for other degrees. There are lots of different ways a student can be funded and your situation may also change during the 3-4 years (or more) it takes to complete a doctorate.

This short guide is here to introduce PhD funding as a whole, explaining how it works for different types of project and student. We’ve also outlined a good route to take for your funding search and suggested a few things to bear in mind.

Think of this page as your ‘PhD funding 101‘ and remember that there’s more detailed information about specific funding options elsewhere on FindAPhD.

Who funds PhDs?

Let’s start with the obvious question: who might actually help you pay for a PhD? All sorts of organisations provide funding and grants for doctoral research, but we can divide them into a few broad types:

Sources of PhD funding
  • Government bodies often provide some of the most generous PhD studentships. Their goal is to support national research objectives and train people (like you) to carry them out. In the UK the biggest government funder is UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) but other countries all have similar organisations. Access to this kind of funding is limited and competitive.
  • Student finance is sometimes available to help students who aren’t able to receive a full studentship, but doesn’t normally cover the full cost of a PhD. The UK offers a PhD loan of up to £27,892. Some banks and other private lenders also offer commercial loans for postgraduate study.
  • Universities usually have funding of their own to offer potential PhD students. This might take the form of a small fee discount (often for alumni) or limited grant for living costs. Or it might be a full studentship funded out of the university’s own research budget.
  • Graduate teaching assistantships – Some university funding is provided in return for teaching, research assistantship or other work (this is quite common in Europe and North America).
  • Independent charities and trusts often fund PhD study that supports their wider goals (such as medical research, heritage preservation or increasing access to education). The support they offer varies hugely and isn’t usually full funding (except when it is).
  • Business and industry will occasionally support PhD students whose work has potential benefit for their commercial objectives. Sometimes this funding will be offered to current (or prospective) employees.

All of these other slightly different types of PhD funding ranging from loans that need to be repaid to full studentships, PhD funding grants and smaller scholarships (that don’t).

It’s sometimes possible to work alongside a PhD, but this is rarely a practical (or sensible) source of full funding, so we haven’t listed it above.

The different types of funding situation

Now that you know where PhD funding comes from, let’s think about how this looks from a student’s point of view. We’re generalising again, but there are roughly three types of funding situation:

  • Fully-funded students are as lucky as that name suggests. They have a full studentship covering their PhD fees along with more or less all of their living costs and other expenses. They probably aren’t drinking champagne every night, but they don’t need to worry too much about the cost of their PhD.
  • Partially-funded students are those that receive a partial scholarship or studentship (usually contributing to fees or living costs, but not both). They usually need to top up their funding with other grants and / or rely on some of their own savings / earnings.
  • Self-funded students aren’t receiving any substantial funding and are therefore paying for a PhD themselves using a combination of student loans (which must be repaid) savings or earnings.

Which group you fit into will depend on a lot of factors, but it won’t necessarily be determined by your subject. It’s true that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students tend to be fully funded (it’s harder to self-fund in these fields) but not all fully funded students are doing STEM research.

You may also find that your situation changes during your PhD. It’s possible to begin as a self-funded student and win partial (or even full) funding later on.

Already know what you’re looking for?

We’ve put together a range of detailed PhD funding guides, covering studentships, scholarships, charitable grants and options for international students.

A PhD funding action plan

Knowing a bit more about how PhD funding works will help you make sense of a (potentially) confusing range of options. But where do you go from here?

The following is a very general route. It assumes that you’re just starting out with your funding search (perhaps whilst working on your overall PhD application). Chances are you’re already some way along, in which case you can skip a few steps.

PhD funding action plan

#1 Speak to your supervisor (if you can)

It’s best not to contact a potential supervisor just to talk for funding, but if you’re already in conversation with one it makes sense to get their advice on your search. They’ll have a good idea what is and isn’t worth focussing on and they may also know about specific funders or scholarships for your field.

#2 Start by searching for funded projects

Lots of PhD projects are actually advertised with funding attached. They’re much more common in STEM, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any in subjects like English, Philosophy or Sociology. Find one and your funding search gets a lot simpler.

#3 Look for separate studentships and PhD bursaries

You might be proposing your own PhD topic or considering applying for an advertised project without funding (or with funding you aren’t eligible for). Either way, the next step is looking for a studentship or scholarship to ‘attach’ to your PhD.

The best place to look for one is probably your university. They’ll have awards of their own but will also distribute government funding (such as UK Research Council studentships) or larger charitable grants and bursaries.

#4 Explore opportunities with business, industry or external funders

In some fields this should really be step #1, but you’ll know if so (or your supervisor will tell you). Otherwise, this option is worth a try if you’ve got this far without finding full funding.

Try to think of relevant companies or organisations that might take an interest in your research or its results. Common sense can guide you here: it’s unlikely that an automotive manufacturer will pay for your PhD in eighteenth-century lyric poetry; equally, the Arts Council probably won’t help you design a new electric car.

#5 Try to build a funding portfolio

By this point you’ve moved from looking for full funding to looking for partial funding (at least for now). There are still lots of options available to you though, in the form of smaller PhD funding grants and fee waivers.

Your university may be able to help here, either through a fee discount or a partial scholarship. Now is also the time to be approaching smaller charities and trusts (of which there are many).

#6 (Carefully) consider self-funding

It’s perfectly possible to pay for a PhD yourself, particularly if you’re in a field that lends itself to flexible working and lower research expenses (the Arts and Humanities are the classic example here, but there are others).

Self funding isn’t easy though. PhD loans and part-time work can offset a lot of your fees and day-to-day expenses, but you’ll never be able to completely ignore the financial side of things.

Our advice would be to discuss things with a prospective PhD supervisor and get their advice on the amount of time you’ll have for work, as well as how realistic it might be to find more complete funding later in your project.

How do you apply for PhD funding?

Once you’ve identified potential PhD funding, the next step is to put in an effective application. Our guide explains how.

PhD funding – things to bear in mind

Hopefully by now you have a better idea how PhD funding works and where to get started with your search. We recommend you spend some time with our more detailed funding guides but here are a few general tips to keep in the back of your head as you set off:

  • Funding situations and statuses change – and usually for the better! You might not win a full studentship in your first year, but many funders will consider applications from existing students.
  • PhDs are long – and just because your funding situation can improve doesn’t mean that it will. If you start out self-funding you should be able to finish your doctorate that way, even if you’re hoping not to.
  • Living costs and expenses are usually the biggest challenge – PhD fees are quite low (at least compared to other degrees) and might be as little as £4,000-5,000. There’s more to the cost of a PhD than fees though. You’ve got to support yourself for several years of research (see above). This is actually where funding is most important.
  • Part-time study makes things more manageable, not cheaper – going part-time will typically half your annual PhD fees and make it easier to work alongside your research. But it will also increase the length of your PhD and add additional maintenance expenses.
  • (Most) funding can be combined – there are a couple of exceptions, but anything that isn’t a full studentship can usually be topped up with other grants or loans. Basically, unless it says you can’t, you probably can. This is the key to building a funding portfolio.
  • Funding changes – the past few years have seen the introduction of PhD loans and the announcement of government studentships for international students – and that’s just in the UK. When it comes to PhD funding it can literally pay to stay updated.

So there you have it: a quick and – hopefully – simple introduction to funding a PhD. Why not take a look at our detailed guides to different types of funding, or our advice on funding applications. You can also find student stories, news and advice on our blog.

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