Postgraduate research funding
Bristol has one of the largest concentrations of funding and support for postgraduate research in the UK. See what studentships are available within the School of Biological Sciences, and search through various funding options for your research degree.
NERC GW4+ DLTP Projects 2025. Applications now open.
This is an exciting opportunity to apply for a project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). We are now accepting applications for PhD projects commencing Autumn 2025 in the Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences.
The application deadline is Monday 13 January 2025.
It is important that you follow the detailed instructions provided when applying for the DLTP and be sure to read the prospectus carefully. We advise you download the 'Admissions Statement' for Bristol and follow the instructions. The prospectus also shows other Bristol Schools offering projects under this DLTP.
When applying to NERC GW4+ DLTP projects, please include in your application the NERC GW4+ DLTP personal statement (Office document, 194kB) version of a personal statement.
There is an additional 'applicants questionnaire' that the DLTP require, so please complete this at the time of application as well.
When applying for projects in the School of Biological Sciences please choose 'Biological Sciences (PhD)' in the 'find a programme' box. You should refer to the project title and supervisor in your application. You will need to make a separate application for each project you wish to be considered for. You may apply to a maximum of 2 projects within the School of Biological Sciences.
To make an application please visit this link.
EU/International applicants: Those not meeting the nationality and residency requirements to be treated as a ‘home’ student may apply for a limited number of full studentships for international students under the SWBio and NERC GW4+ DTP schemes. Although international students are usually charged a higher tuition fee rate than ‘home’ students, those international students offered a BBSRC SW Bio or NERC GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership full studentship starting in 2021 will only be charged the ‘home’ tuition fee rate (which will be covered by the studentship). International applicants need to be aware that you will have to cover the cost of your student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD.
| Project Title | Project Details | Supervisor | Deadline to apply |
| Disentangling landscape and climate effects on pollinator communities of saltmarshes | Disentangling landscape and climate effects on pollinator communities of (PDF, 181kB) |
Dr Lucy Alford | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Forests on the edge and examining vegetation recovery following climate extremes | Forests on the edge and examining vegetation recovery following climate (PDF, 142kB) |
Dr Martin De Kauwe | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Using fitness landscapes to learn how species persist in diverse fish communities | Using fitness landscapes to learn how species persist in diverse fish communitie (PDF, 164kB) |
Prof. Martin Genner | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Understanding how micro- and macro-nuclei support adaptation in Paramecium | Understanding how micro- and macro-nuclei support adaptation in Paramecium (PDF, 166kB) |
Prof. Tom Gorochowski | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Ecological factors driving flower constancy and dietary diversity in bees | Ecological factors driving flower constancy and dietary diversity in bees (PDF, 165kB) |
Dr Christoph Grueter | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Characterising the impacts of climate extremes on the resilience of European forests | Characterising the impacts of climate extremes on the resilience of European for (PDF, 158kB) |
Dr Tommaso Jucker | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Power and politics in the animal world and African wasps as a model system | Power and politics in the animal world and African wasps as a model system (PDF, 164kB) |
Dr Patrick Kennedy | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Behavioural processes underpinning prosocial behaviour in toothed whales | Behavioural processes underpinning prosocial behaviour in toothed whales (PDF, 166kB) |
Prof. Stephanie King | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Sensory and cognitive ecology of speciation across habitat gradients | Sensory and cognitive ecology of speciation across habitat gradients (PDF, 159kB) |
Dr Stephen Montgomery | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Total evidence approaches to clarify the early fossil record of sponges and the early evolution of animals | Total evidence approaches to clarify the early fossil record of sponges and the (PDF, 188kB) |
Prof. Davide Pisani | Monday 13 January 2025 |
| Linking sociality and fitness | Linking sociality and fitness (PDF, 171kB) |
Dr Sean Rands | Monday 13 January 2025 |
|
Responsive building by social insects |
Dr Nathalie Stroeymeyt | Monday 13 January 2025 |
Alumni discounts
University of Bristol alumni who go on to study for a postgraduate degree – either taught or research – at Bristol can benefit from a 10 percent reduction in tuition fees.
The 10 percent discount is available for students who start their postgraduate degree on or after August 1st 2017 and will be applied to their tuition fees for the full duration of the programme.
Explore your funding options
There are several more options for funding your research degree, from scholarships to loans. See what's available to you in this handy overview.