Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships: Arts, Law and Social Sciences

Find out about the Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships that are available to help you finance your postgraduate research degree.

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Types of scholarships

The University of Bristol is pleased to be able to offer a number of PhD Scholarships to candidates demonstrating exceptional research potential within the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences (ALSS).

Scholarships are available for up to four years (full-time) or eight years (part-time), subject to satisfactory progress of the Scholar's research project.

Funding available to students for September 2026 entry include:

  1. Research Scholarship*
  2. Research Scholarship for UK-domiciled, Home fee status applicants of Black and mixed-Black heritage*
  3. Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA)
  4. Cotutelle Scholarship with Macquarie University, Australia

*Candidates for (1) Research Scholarship and (2) Research Scholarship for UK-domiciled, Home fee status applicants of Black and mixed-Black heritage that are applying for a PhD programme in the School of Arts, School of Humanities, School of Modern Languages and Centre for Innovation can additionally apply for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), which they would hold alongside their scholarship. Other Schools in ALSS may offer their own School-funded GTA scholarships, please contact your School's admissions team for further information.

The University of Bristol actively encourages applications from all parts of the world, and from under-represented and non-traditional groups, both from within and outside of the UK. All applications, whether requiring home or overseas fees, will receive equal consideration. 

Research Scholarship

Applicants for research scholarships should demonstrate how their proposed research aligns clearly with at least one of the following University of Bristol research challenge areas:

  • Culture and Creativity: Cultural and creative industries are at the heart of the creative economy, and Bristol is a world-renowned hub of immersive industries, creative technologies, screen media, and the arts.
  • Equitable and Sustainable Health: The University's research tackles health at molecular, individual, population, systems and planetary levels, to develop new insight and understanding, from fundamental mechanisms to translational impacts.
  • Social Justice: The University has a long standing and rich track-record of research exploring and promoting just societies based on core disciplinary strengths.
  • Climate and Environment: Research adopting an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to providing understanding and solutions to develop a sustainable future for the planet and its inhabitants.
  • Digital and Data: Understanding global trends and leading on digital innovation and transformation in digital and data demands strong disciplinary expertise and new forms of discipline-spanning research and practice.

Research Scholarship for UK-domiciled, Home fee status applicants of Black and mixed-Black heritage

Fully-funded Bristol Postgraduate Research scholarships will be offered to candidates who self-identify as being of Black and/or mixed Black heritage, who are UK domiciled (with UK Home fee status), and who demonstrate exceptional research potential. Applicants for research scholarships that are ring-fenced for UK-domiciled, Home fee status applicants of Black and mixed-Black heritage may submit research proposals in any area of study offered by ALSS and do not have to demonstrate alignment with the University's research challenge areas, though they may wish to. For more information about these ring-fenced scholarships, please contact Edward King (edward.king@bristol.ac.uk).

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Candidates for (1) Research Scholarship and (2) Research Scholarship for UK-domiciled, Home fee status applicants of Black and mixed-Black heritage applying for a PhD programme in the School of Arts, School of Humanities, School of Modern Languages and Centre for Innovation can additionally apply for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), which they would hold alongside their scholarship. Other Schools in ALSS may offer their own School-funded GTA scholarships, please contafct your School admissions team for further information.

Successful GTA applicants for this scholarship will be selected on the basis of a clearly articulated teaching philosophy/vision, which you will have an opportunity to articulate when filling in the Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarship Application Form. A Graduate Teaching Assistant scholarship requires the PhD student to teach Undergraduate students, as well as carry out their research. The GTA will have a teaching contract, making it very clear what is expected from their teaching role, and puts in place the framework to allow them to deliver on both teaching and research.

GTA scholarships are highly competitive and guided by the principle of supporting the recipient’s educational as well as research development in a holistic way.  Faculty-specific support for GTA post-holders will be complemented by centrally provided support, organised by the Bristol Doctoral College, which will take advantage of the Personal and Professional Development programme available for all PhD students.

The GTA scholarship requires recipients to be involved in up to 250 hours (if full time) of teaching and teaching-related activities each year, including facilitating seminars, seminar preparation, marking, and office hours. The current rate of pay for a Graduate Teacher 2 role is £20.71 per hour; this is in addition to your scholarship tuition fees and maintenance stipend. As part of this role, postholders will be expected to undergo teacher training sessions through the CREATE scheme offered by the University’s Staff Development Unit.

Cotutelle Scholarship with Macquarie University, Australia 

The Bristol-Macquarie cotutelle programme is an exciting opportunity for students to spend two years studying at the University of Bristol and two years studying at Macquarie University, Australia. Established in 2018, the programme between Macquarie University and the University of Bristol has resulted in 34 cotutelle projects to date. Cotutelle students represent the University internationally and we are especially keen to support research collaboration with our international partners.

The University of Bristol will provide funding (fees and stipend) for two years, with £2,100 research costs per annum. Macquarie University will provide fees for up to three additional years, stipend while on campus at Macquarie University, and travel allowance for airfares between the UK and Sydney.

Students will study for two years at each university and on completion of their studies, students will receive a PhD degree from both universities.

Applicants for cotutelle scholarships with Macquarie University should demonstrate how their proposed research aligns clearly with at least one of the following University of Bristol research challenge areas; the equivalent Macquarie University strategic research areas should also be addressed in the application.

University of Bristol Macquarie University
Social Justice Resilient Societies

Culture and Creativity

Digital and Data

 Innovative Technologies
Climate and Environment Secure Planet

Cotutelle applicants should identify one suitable main supervisor at the University of Bristol and one suitable supervisor at Macquarie University. Applicants should write to both potential supervisors during the application process. Candidates for this cotutelle should also apply to Macquarie for a PhD enrolment.

At Macquarie, Faculty of Arts students will attend Faculty Graduate Research Events: welcome events, conferences, student-led events, workshops and more. You will also have access to designated Graduate Research desk spaces.

Funding amounts

Full-time PhD Scholarships will include tuition fees and a maintenance grant (stipend) in line with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) fee.

The stipend rates for 2026-27 are at least £20,780 for four years (full-time) or eight years pro rata (part-time), depending on satisfactory progress.

Each student will also have £2,100 per annum to be spent on associated research costs.

This funding is for new students starting in September 2026.

We cannot consider applications from current students already enrolled on a PhD course or from MPhil students wishing to upgrade to PhD. Our Money Advice and Bursaries and Scholarships pages will have information regarding what funding opportunities may be available to current students.

Eligibility

For all scholarships you must: 

For Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) you must: 

  • Demonstrate promise for doctoral study and promise for teaching at undergraduate level
  • Have applied for a campus-based PhD course. Due to the teaching contract we are unable to consider Distance Learning applications as teaching will take place on campus
  • Please note that proof of the right to work in the UK will be required upon issuing of the teaching contract
  • Visa-holding students can work up to 20 hours per week in total (this includes any contracts within or outside of the university). Hours spent teaching as a GTA count toward this limit. See the ‘Working in the UK during your studies’ guidance for further information. For any questions about Student Visas, please contact one of our Student Visas team (student-visa-advice@bristol.ac.uk).

Selection process criteria

Candidates for all PhD scholarships will be selected on the basis of:

  • The potential for academic excellence
  • Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) factors
  • Research fit within the chosen School

The University of Bristol aims to attract, recruit and retain students with different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives because diversity – of people and ideas – remains integral to our success. Candidates for all scholarships demonstrating academic excellence from low-income backgrounds and non-Russell group universities, as well as Black, Asian, minority ethnic, mixed heritage, Trans, Non-Binary, and disabled candidates, are strongly encouraged to apply. You will have an opportunity in the selection process to clearly articulate any EDI and widening participation factors that may be relevant to your application.

If you have been awarded alternative full funding awards (e.g. China Scholarship Council, Landscape Awards, South West Doctoral Training Partnership, etc.) you are not eligible for any University of Bristol Scholarship awards. If you receive an alternative full funding award, your University of Bristol Scholarship application will be withdrawn. If you are awarded a University of Bristol Scholarship and then receive an alternative full funding award, your University of Bristol Scholarship award will be rescinded.

How to apply

Applications for September 2026 entry are now open.

To be considered for the Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarship, you must submit a PhD application for one of our eligible programmes. Certain Schools will require PhD applications to be submitted before the scholarship deadline. Each School's specific PhD application deadline is listed below:

School or centre of the programme you are applying for PhD application deadline
School of Economics Monday 1 December 2025
School of Education Monday 1 December 2025
School of Policy Studies Monday 1 December 2025
School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies Monday 1 December 2025
University of Bristol Business School Monday 1 December 2025
University of Bristol Law School Monday 1 December 2025
Centre for Innovation Friday 23 January 2026
School of Arts Friday 23 January 2026
School of Humanities Friday 23 January 2026
School of Modern Languages Friday 23 January 2026

PhD applications submitted after these deadline are unlikely to be considered for these scholarships.

Once your PhD application has been submitted, you must then complete and submit a separate Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarship application form.

Scholarship application deadline: Midday UK time on Friday 23 January 2026.

You can apply for up to two different scholarships for which you are eligible. You must complete a separate form for each scholarship application.  

The scholarship application form will automatically close at midday UK time on Friday 23 January 2026 even if you are in the middle of completing the form. Submissions must be received by the deadline. Late applications will not be considered.

Contact us 

If you have any queries regarding the Scholarship please contact the admissions team of the School or Centre that you are applying for: