Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships

The University of Bristol is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we welcome and encourage applications from anyone with an interest in health and life science research. We're keen to recruit enthusiastic applicants from a wide range of training backgrounds who are interested in a career in these fields. We're keen to support applicants from minority and under-represented backgrounds (based on protected characteristics) and those who have experienced other challenges or disadvantages. 

As a faculty we offer cutting-edge multi-disciplinary training opportunities in biomedical sciences and biochemistry, biological sciences, psychology and neuroscience, medical, veterinary and dental sciences and health education. 

What we offer  

• A 4-year PhD studentship with a range of research training opportunities, including short courses in research, statistical, computational and transferable skills open to both UK and non-UK students.
• A tax-free stipend equivalent to UKRI rates (this applies to the stipend only, at the "outside London" level)
• £2,100/year research costs
• Waiver of tuition fees for both UK and non-UK students. 

Important 

Relocation costs, visa costs and NHS health surcharge are not funded, so non-UK applicants should ensure they are able to cover these costs before applying. Please note that depending on your circumstances these costs can be significant (in excess of £10,000). The current rates of visa costs and NHS health surcharges can be checked for clarity.  

Search PhD projects 

• Use the keyword search filter and enter "University of Bristol Scholarship" on the Find a funded PhD project page.  

How to apply 

Once you have identified your preferred project/s on the Find a funded PhD project webpage (using "University of Bristol Scholarship" in the keyword search filter), you can submit an application using our online application system. 

We encourage you to contact supervisors of the projects you are interested in to ensure that you are happy with your selection. 

Project choices and how many projects can I apply to? 

You can apply for a maximum of 2 different projects across the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. 

You'll need to submit a separate application for each project you wish to apply to. If more than one project is based in the same school, you need to select a different entry date for each application. We will change the date to September 2027 should you be successful

Online PhD Application Workshop 

We will host an online PhD Application Workshop open to all interested applicants on 23rd November 2026 at 2pm London time.  This workshop will be held via teams and you can join here 

Detailed application guidance 

Curriculum vitae (CV, résumé) 

Provide a 2-page CV listing (where relevant) your: 

• Education
• Employment
• Publications
• Wider contributions to science or research
• Citizenship and leadership experience 

Maximum of 2 pages A4, 11pt Arial font for main text. 

Research statement 

In the research section please enter the project title of the scholarship you are applying for along with the main supervisor’s name. You can upload a blank document instead of the research statement, which is not needed for this application. 

Project choices 

State your chosen project title clearly on your application. Copy and paste the title from the FindaPhD add, without changing any of the words. 

Personal statement 

Please provide a personal statement that describes your: 

• Training and experience to date
• Motivation for doing a PhD
• Motivation for applying to the University of Bristol, and why you think we should select you. 

This should be maximum one A4 page, 11pt Arial font.