In a nutshell, the two most popular ways to fund a PhD as an international student in the UK are (a) PhD studentships- fiercely competitive for international students and (b) external PhD funding options which can be found both in the UK as well as in the home country.
Please note that by funding I mean a fully-funded PhD, where your international student tuition fee is waived and a modest monthly PhD stipend is granted to you to survive during your studies in the UK.
1. Studentship: PhD project with associated funding
PhD studentship in the UK is a position announced with full funding attached. Such a PhD is focused on a certain project. Some of these PhD studentships are open to applications worldwide, thus, international PhD aspirants like you can apply for these sweet gigs. This usually happens in STEM PhDs in the UK, however, I have also seen such funded projects in social sciences and business.
Funding is almost guaranteed for the duration of your PhD studies. This is because (a) the duration of funding is already negotiated with the grant provider and (b) these projects are well sorted out by professors and researchers proposing the PhD project. Thus, as a PhD student, you may not have to worry about running out of your funding before PhD project completion. Please note that such PhDs can be highly structured and may involve project progress pressures such as deadlines.
For PhD projects with attached funding, the funding body may differ. However, for you as a PhD student, the differences may be little in terms of the stipend amount and the fee waiver you get for full funding. Therefore a PhD student just applies for the advertised project and may not have to worry about other complexities of grant acquisition.
University and UKRI funding for PhD. There are times when a university funds PhD students from its own grant money. Sometimes these PhD projects are funded by the councils under the UK Institute of Research and Innovation (UKRI).
- Around 30% PhD funding is allocated to international PhD students. A large portion of the funding from the UK Government and UK Institute of Research and Innovation (UKRI) goes to local PhD applicants, and only a third of total funding available to UKRI is granted to international PhD applicants. Still, research council funding is a good option for international students.
- Usually research councils under UKRI fund only the domestic fee. Thus, you may have to pay or arrange for the difference between an international PhD student fee and the domestic fee.
Industry CASE PhD scholarships. On the other hand, some PhDs are sponsored by the industry in the UK. For example, the Industry CASE PhD scholarships are granted by employers to solve a specific problem for a specific industry. Industry scholarships are usually more highly paid than other funding by government and independent grant providers. An industry PhD is also a good opportunity to get exposure to the UK employment market. Therefore, an industry-funded PhD may turnout more in favor of you if you pursue an industry position after your PhD.
How do I get a funded PhD studentship as an international student in UK?
PhD studentships in the UK are fiercely competitive, especially, for international students. However, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances and stand out from other applicants. In short, as an international student with appealing grades in previous courses, aligning the research proposal with the professor’s research, and relevant research experience you can polish your PhD studentship application.
- Previous Grades. Believe it or not, they matter, even if knowing that a PhD is very different project as compared to the coursework for master’s and bachelor’s. Still, PhD advisors and the selection committee need to rely on some indicators that you have the ability to accomplish that funded PhD project. Grades may not be reliable, but an easier way to filter out candidates. Thus, as an international student your grades should be higher than UK 2.1. This is usually equivalent to a score of 63-85 or B+ (GPA 3.0 on a scale of 4.0). If your grades are lower than this you may have to prove your competency in other ways.
- PhD research proposal– a document that can make or break your PhD application. Your prospective PhD advisor is the professor whose work is inspiring you. So, make sure you read some pieces of the professor’s research to ensure compatibility in your research proposal.
- Research Experience. Obviously, it does matter and can give you an edge over other applicants if you have relevant research experience.
- English Language Test Scores. English proficiency measuring tests such as IELTS are helpful in communicating the PhD selection committee that you can easily write and communicate in English.
Where to find funded PhD projects. As an international student, you can look for PhD studentships in the UK in the following places.
- findaphd.com
- academic positions
- post-graduate studentships
- EURAXESS UK funding search
- Jobs.ac.uk
- Vitae
- CareersinHE.com
- discover PhDs
2. External Funding: PhD funding from third-party grants
Most of the time there are independent funding organizations that provide grants to international PhD students to pursue their studies in the UK. These scholarships are usually not associated with your PhD acceptance. You may need to apply for these scholarship positions before or after submitting your PhD application. The deadlines of these scholarships may vary from PhD application deadlines.
Criteria to get these third-party funding may vary from one program to another. Some consider PhD application funding on a merit basis others are focused on developmental issues, gender equality, or opportunities for minorities.
These PhD funding grant providers can be from anywhere in the UK or your home country. These organizations may have very specific goals and are interested in certain types of PhD projects. You may have higher chances of acceptance if your PhD proposal is appealing to them.
How do I get an external PhD funding as international student in UK?
To secure external PhD funding as an international student in the UK you usually need to (a) apply for PhD in the UK as a self-funded student and (b) apply for an external grant to acquire a full-funding package for a PhD in the UK.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of popular external PhD funding options for international students in the UK.
- External PhD funding sources for international students. You have much higher chances to win these external funding options for a PhD in UK. The reason is competition is often less at home country compared to UK where you are going to compete against every applicant around the globe. Remember to note down the requirements and deadlines of these scholarships. Usually the best way to win these external PhD funding options in your home country is to first apply and secure PhD admission in a UK university. and than apply for these funding options.
- External Scholarships and Funding Resources. Make sure to filter out those PhD scholarships from this list that are most relevant to you in terms of country, gender or any other criteria. Banking on every edge you have to pursue grant providers to fund you is the best way when it comes funding a PhD in UK.
- International PhD Funding for 2022. This list will help you explore other doctoral grants for PhD funding based on your country and region.
- 30+ Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in UK for International Students. Most of these PhD scholarships are offered by universities in UK. The recommended way to apply for these scholarships to contact a Professor who is taking PhD students. Make sure you are interested in previous works of professor. If you are able to convince professor that you are the best student for PhD then your chances to secure these PhD funding increase.
- 21 Fully Funded UK PhD Scholarships. These scholarships are usually offered every year. Some may consider you simply with your PhD acceptance and for others you may need to apply externally.
| Range of Annual Tuition Fee of PhD in the UK (full-time international student) | £15,000- £23,000 |
| Average Living cost for a PhD student in a smaller urban area- Durham City (including rent) | £17,000 |
| Average Living cost for a PhD student in a bigger urban area- London City (including rent) | £26,000 |
| Other expenses e.g., research expenditures | may vary due to the research topic |