Financial aid

Key information

Academic year 2012-13

We recognise that a postgraduate programme – whether for a year or a number of years - requires a significant investment and we are committed to channelling our resources into a wide range of scholarships and grants to help you realise your study plans.

Our reputation as a centre of excellence in Arts and Humanities research enables us to offer Research Council studentships for research in a wide variety of subject-areas; a number of these studentships are connected with major projects led by established research groups within the University sometimes in collaboration with professional and public institutions beyond. Also for doctoral applicants we can offer a number of University scholarships, which are open to any subject-area; each year there are also a number of Faculty awards available for doctoral applicants in any discipline which can cover up to the full tuition fee; several of our largest research fields – English, Drama, Film and TV, and Historical Studies also offer research scholarships of their own.

Bristol is distinctive for the number of scholarships we also make available to applicants to our Master’s programmes. This year we have as many as twenty scholarships on offer for UK, EU or Overseas applicants to any programme in Arts which will be equivalent in value to the full tuition fee. We also welcome Bristol graduates returning for further study with the offer of an Alumni Award.

We understand that the costs of postgraduate study are not confined to the tuition fee. Whatever your subject, as you progress in your studies you will want to explore your field in depth, to research source materials held outside the University and to participate in training, conferences and other research-related activities. At Bristol we aim to support your needs with a dedicated Postgraduate Conference and Research Fund to which you can apply at any stage in your programme.

A postgraduate programme is, of course, a major commitment but our aim is to provide assistance throughout your studies.

General funding information

General funding information can be found on the Student Funding website. The International Office has developed a scholarship search engine containing information on all available funding sources for international students.

AHRC awards

We are pleased to offer 12 AHRC awards for entry to programmes commencing in October 2012. The Arts and Humanities Research Council's Block Grant Partnership (BGP) scheme introduced in 2009 is providing us with 75 studentships over five years to support postgraduate students in the Arts and Humanities.

Faculty scholarships

We are pleased to offer a wide range of Faculty Masters and Research awards for entry to programmes commencing in October 2012. These awards represent a significant investment by the University of Bristol in the Faculty of Arts and demonstrate a substantial commitment to Master’s study and research.

Masters awards

Faculty Alumni Scholarships

All graduates of a University of Bristol BA or BSc registering on a taught postgraduate programme in the Faculty of Arts as new students are automatically eligible for a Faculty Alumni scholarship valued at 10% of the full programme Home/EU tuition fee.

Please note: Study Abroad students are not eligible for this scholarship.

10 x Faculty Academic Scholarships

There will be 10 Faculty Academic scholarships offered to new Home/EU students for Masters study in any Arts discipline. These awards are valued at 30% of the full programme Home/EU tuition fee.

These scholarships will be offered to selected MA candidates on the basis of academic merit. Candidates must accept their offer to study at Bristol to be eligible for these awards.

Students in receipt of a Faculty Alumni scholarship can also receive this award.

10 x Faculty Overseas Scholarships

There will be 10 Faculty Overseas scholarships offered to new overseas students for Masters study in any Arts discipline. These awards are valued at 50% of the full programme Home/EU tuition fee.

These scholarships will be offered to selected MA candidates on the basis of academic merit. Candidates must accept their offer to study at Bristol to be eligible for these awards.

Students in receipt of a Faculty Alumni scholarship can also receive this award.

Research awards

3 x Faculty Research Scholarships

Apply online

There will be 3 full-fee scholarships offered to new Home/EU or Overseas students, for MPhil/MLitt/PhD study in any Arts discipline. The value of each of these scholarships will be the equivalent of three years’ tuition fees.

Fee levels for 2012-13 are subject to confirmation by Research Councils UK.

Deadline: 29 February 2012

Deas Postgraduate Scholarships

Further details
(PDF, 57.3KB)

The Department of Historical Studies is offering two postgraduate scholarships to the value of £8000 p.a. (plus £500 p.a. for research expenses), rising to £9200 in year two and £10,400 in year three (subject to satisfactory progress). The award is open to students embarking on PhD research in any aspect of History. We are looking for applicants interested in pursuing original research alongside one or more academics in the department, who also share a vision for public engagement of the discipline with a diverse audience.

For further information, please contact Professor Ronald Hutton (r.hutton@bristol.ac.uk).

Deadline: 30 March 2012

Quentin Skinner/BIRTHA Postgraduate Research Scholarships

Apply online

The Bristol Institute for Research in the Humanities and Arts (BIRTHA), with the generous support of Professor Quentin Skinner, offers a Postgraduate Bursary for MPhil/MLitt/PhD study in any Arts discipline. It is aimed at research students whose projects are interdisciplinary or who have non-traditional academic trajectories. The value of this bursary is £2,500. UK, EU and Overseas students are eligible to apply.

Professor Skinner gave the BIRTHA annual lecture in 2007 and has to date very kindly given an annual donation towards this bursary.

Deadline: 29 February 2012

Read-Tuckwell Postgraduate Research Scholarships

The Arts Faculty offers one or two Read-Tuckwell Postgraduate Research Scholarships, for MPhil and PhD study. The current value of the scholarship is £3,500. UK, EU and overseas students are eligible. All students applying for this award must be working on some aspect of Human Immortality.

How to apply

Unless you are a current student of Theology and Religious Studies in Bristol, you should apply by writing to Professor Ad Putter, Academic Secretary of the Read-Tuckwell Foundation, at a.d.putter@bristol.ac.uk. You should provide a short plan (approximately one side of A4, in email attachment) describing your dissertation thesis and its relation to the theme of immortality, and two letters of reference. Please ask your referees to forward their letters electronically to a.d.putter@bristol.ac.uk.

For current students of Theology and Religious Studies in Bristol, the application procedure is the same except that any application (and references) should be sent directly to the Head of Subject of Theology and Religious Studies; students are advised to inform the Head of Subject of their intention to apply well ahead of the deadline.

Deadline: 1 June 2012

Tolkien Scholarship

The Tolkien Scholarship is available to successful MLitt/PhD applicants to the English Department of the University of Bristol (2012 entry), and whose research project relates to the study of the academic and/or fictional writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. The total value of the award is £4,500, to be paid in three yearly instalments of £1,500. For further information, please contact Professor Ad Putter (a.d.putter@bristol.ac.uk).

Note: some of the documents on this page are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader

University of Bristol scholarships

UoB Postgraduate Research Scholarships

Apply online

The University will be offering Postgraduate Research scholarships for 2012 entry for UK/EU students and for Overseas students. The scholarships will cover tuition fees and a maintenance stipend. These awards will be awarded in open competition across all faculties. Students will need to demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding research potential.

Deadline: 29 February 2012

UoB International Office Scholarships

Apply online

The International Office will be offering a number of scholarships to international students from any country. These will be awarded across all Faculties and levels. Please refer to country-specific pages of the International Office website for available scholarships.

Deadline: TBC

Santander Abbey Masters Scholarships

Apply online

These scholarships are aimed at candidates from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru who demonstrate the highest level of academic achievement. There are normally five awards available each year for £5,000 each, offset against tuition fees.

Deadline: TBC

American Alumni Postgraduate Masters Scholarships

Apply online

There is normally one scholarship, funded by University of Bristol American alumni, worth $5,000. This is available to US nationals for Masters study in any discipline. Further information will soon be available on the Student Funding website.

Deadline: TBC

Project studentships

Details of doctoral studentships associated with specific research projects involving Arts Faculty academic staff will be advertised here and on jobs.ac.uk throughout the year.

Other funding options

Alumni Bursaries

A number of bursaries provided by the Alumni Foundation are awarded annually to self-funding postgraduate research students in the Faculty of Arts. Candidates are nominated by Heads of subject.

Please note: these bursaries are not open to new applicants.

Deadline: TBC