UCL Mary Douglas Research Scholarships 2026

UCL Anthropology is pleased to invite applications for the Mary Douglas PhD Scholarship, a prestigious fully-funded doctoral award supporting outstanding research in anthropology.

Supported by the generous funding of the Sigrid Rausing Trust, and named in honour of the influential anthropologist Mary Douglas, this fellowship provides an exceptional opportunity for 2 motivated scholars to undertake doctoral research at UCL Anthropology from September 2026. The successful candidates will join UCL’s vibrant intellectual community and benefit from world-class supervision, interdisciplinary engagement, and extensive research resources.

Table of Content

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

Summary

• Application DeadlineJune 12, 2026
• ValueFully Funded
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorUniversity College London
• City to studyLondon
• School to studyUniversity College London
• Eligible CountryUnited Kingdom

Benefits

Three years of guaranteed funding including:

• Full coverage of Home (UK) tuition fees
• A stipend (at UKRI minimum rates) to support living costs

Requirements

• Must meet UCL academic requirements for PhD admission in Anthropology
• Must present a strong and original research proposal
• Applications are welcomed across the full breadth of anthropology, including social and cultural anthropology, evolutionary and environmental anthropology, digital anthropology, medical anthropology, visual anthropology, and material culture.

The scholarships are open to applicants who are eligible for Home (UK) tuition fee status at UCL. Applicants who are classified as overseas fee-paying students may apply, however the funding for student fees is capped at the level of UK students, therefore additional funding will be needed to cover the difference.

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Applicants should submit a complete PhD application to UCL Anthropology no later than 16 June 2026, including 

1. A research proposal that will be assessed for originality and feasibility (1 page maximum). Please indicate clearly that you wish to be considered for the Mary Douglas Fellowship.
2. An updated CV (3 page maximum), highlighting especially any conference presentations or peer-reviewed publications;
3. Undergraduate (and if available, postgraduate) transcripts;
4. A letter of support from a potential supervisor based in the Anthropology Department.
5. Names and contact details of two academic references
6. A personal statement (max 500 words), including details of why you meet the criteria, how your qualifications and experience have prepared you to do a PhD, etc.

Submit applications and inquiries to [email protected] – and include the subject line “Mary Douglas Scholarship.”

For more information, kindly visit UCL scholarship webpage.