Bristol Veterinary School PGR scholarships for applicants of Black heritage

As part of our commitment to the Black community, the University of Bristol has launched a number of PGR research scholarships exclusively for students of Black heritage for 2026/27 entry. These are open to UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage. The scholarships aim to address the under-representation of black people in postgraduate research and support our work to improve representation across all levels of study and academia.

We have a wide range of support networks, student societies and community groups for students of Black heritage. These include our Be More Empowered for Success PGR Programme which aims to influence positive change across the themes of access, belonging and empowerment.

Further information about the Black Heritage Scholarship scheme can be found on our website: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/health-life-sciences/postgraduate-research/bristol-postgraduate-research-scholarships/black-heritage/

There are 11 projects available:

Next-Generation Therapeutic Vaccine Strategies for immune activation and HIV Reservoir Reduction

Farms as ecosystems: An ecological approach to infectious disease prevention and control in dairy farms

Establishment and Characterization of a Novel self-renewing, non-transformed Chicken Macrophage Cell Line for the Study of Innate Immunity

Wisdom of the herd: comparative thermal biometrics for early detection of disease in cattle

Improving Animal Health Services for Smallholder Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Assessing Veterinary Provision and Farmer Knowledge for ICT-Based Training

Social dynamics of the laying hen: pathways to healthier and more sustainable egg production

Can use of insect protein improve animal welfare and sustainability for commercial pheasant farms?

Harnessing α-Dystroglycan (α-DGN) as a Broad-Spectrum Antiviral

Transforming Veterinary Diagnostics with AI: Image-Based Approaches for Infectious Diseases and One Health

Regenerative livestock farming for resilience to climate change

Mechanism of induction of cancer stem cells during metastasis

How to apply:

Before applying, please check the entry requirements for the programme. 

You can submit an application via the University of Bristol application portal: Start your application | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol . Search for then select Veterinary Science (4yr) (PhD)’. Click ‘Apply’ for September 2026 start

In the funding section of the application form, please select “University of Bristol Scholarship - Black Heritage”.

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

You can find more information on how to prepare your application and what we are looking for at the “PhD Application Workshop” which will be held on Teams on Monday 24th November 2025 at 2pm (GMT): PhD Application Workshop.

Further details:

Before applying, please check the entry requirements for the programme. 

You must provide the following in your application: 

A curriculum vitae 

The names of two referees (add to the Reference section of your application form) 

A personal statement which should highlight the motivation for applying for this PhD, and any relevant experience and/or skills (maximum of two sides of A4, font size 11). We are keen to support applicants from minority and under-represented backgrounds (based on protected characteristics) and those who have experienced other challenges or disadvantages. We encourage you to use your personal statement to ensure we can take these factors into account. 

Certificates and transcripts 

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please read the list above carefully and ensure you have uploaded all required documents by the deadline. If you have yet to complete your degree, please supply an interim transcript where possible. 

A research statement/proposal is not required for this studentship. You should upload a blank document in this section. 

Please enter the project title and the supervisor names as they appear on this advert in the Research section when prompted. 

In the funding section of the application form, choose ‘University of Bristol Scholarship’.  

If you are submitting more than one application, you will need to choose a different start date for each. The start date will be amended to September 2026 should you be successful.  

The anticipated start date for this studentship is September 2026. Applications will be shortlisted in January 2026 with interviews in February 2026. 

Please visit our website for information about funded PhD opportunities in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences: Postgraduate research | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences | University of Bristol