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 2027 entry include:
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.
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. Applicants must submit a separate PhD application through the Macquarie University application portal.
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 2027-28 are at least £21,805 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 2027.
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:
- Apply for a PhD programmes offered by the below schools or centre with a start date of September 2026:
- Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- School of Arts
- School of Economics
- School for Education
- School of Humanities
- School of Modern Languages
- School for Policy Studies
- School for Sociology, Politics and International Studies
- University of Bristol Business School
- University of Bristol Law School
- Meet our standard admissions requirements for the PhD course you are applying to. Please refer to the individual prospectus page for entry requirements
- Demonstrate promise for doctoral study
- Received an offer of study which must be accepted before or at the same time as receiving any offer of award
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 candidates with protected characteristics (including but not limited to: 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.
All applicants will be assessed using the UoB PGR Scholarship scoring criteria 2027 (PDF, 131kB).
If you are awarded a University of Bristol Scholarship and then receive an alternative full funding award (e.g. China Scholarship Council, Landscape Awards, South West Doctoral Training Partnership, etc.), you must inform us as soon as possible which award you intend to accept as part of your studies with us.
How to apply
Applications for September 2027 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. PhD applications should be submitted by 11:59pm UK time on Tuesday 1 December. PhD applications submitted after this 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. Details on where to find this form will be provided at a later date.
Applicants are typically required hold an offer of study for an eligible programme to be fully considered for this scholarship opportunity. We strongly recommend that you wait until you have received a decision on your PhD application and the department has asked you to complete this scholarship application form before submitting your responses.
You are welcome to submit the scholarship application form prior to a PhD offer being made on the understanding that your scholarship application may not be considered.
Scholarship application deadline: Midday UK time on Monday 25 January 2027.
The scholarship application form will automatically close at midday UK time on Monday 25 January 2027 even if you are in the middle of completing the form. Submissions must be received by the deadline. Late applications will not be considered.
You can apply for both scholarship opportunities using the same application form. You do not need to complete a separate form for each scholarship application.
Contact us
If you have any queries regarding the Scholarship please contact the Postgraduate Research Admissions Team: uob-pgradmissions@bristol.ac.uk.