Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships 2026

Studying a research degree should not be determined by your background or financial status, but we recognise that many capable future researchers are deterred because of funding.

Our scholarships provide the same level of funding as the major Research Councils, which include full fee funding and a stipend to cover living costs. The stipend changes each year in line with national recommendations. For 2026/27 this is £21,805 annually for full-time study.

The Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships are available across all faculties.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineNot Specified
• ValueFully Funded
• Study LevelMasters
• SponsorUniversity of Bristol
• City to studyBristol
• School to studyUniversity of Bristol
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• Full fee funding and a stipend to cover living costs.

Requirements

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

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?([email protected]).

Check also:
Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

First, explore your study options by visiting our faculty web pages. Talk to staff within your subject area, discover relevant research groups and learn more about eligibility. 

Each faculty has its own application process, some requiring a personal statement. Details of how to apply are on the scholarship pages linked below. Please note that the application deadlines vary by faculty, and we recommend starting your application well in advance of these dates to allow yourself time to prepare.

The scholarships are for full-time study, but some faculties also welcome applications for part-time study.

Supervisor search

We recommend you contact a prospective supervisor in advance of applying. Use our database to search experts by their research interest.

Submit your application

Once you've found your programme you can either select 'Apply now' on the programme's webpage, or go to the online application portal.

For More Information, Visit University of Bristol Webpage