PhD Funding
We are delighted to invite applications for postgraduate research funding. We cannot guarantee funding, but we are happy to offer advice, support, and feedback on funding applications and research proposals.
Applying for funding
The funding application process is very competitive and, in addition to achieving the required grade, your proposal will need to be very carefully crafted.
Some funding bodies require the applicant to be in receipt of an offer before applying for funding, so please check the requirements of your chosen funding source. In all cases, we recommend that you apply for PhD study with us - and it is also advisable to make contact with your proposed supervisor - 8 weeks before submitting your final funding application. This allows your proposed supervisor to review and discuss your research proposal with you, and offer advice on your application.
Funding Competitions
The following funding competitions are now open for 2025 entry
AHRC White Rose College of Arts and Humanities (WRoCAH) Open Competition Scholarships
Deadline: 17:00 GMT, Wednesday 22 January 2025
The White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH) is a Doctoral Training Partnership of the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. It is responsible for the distribution of AHRC-funded doctoral studentships for these universities and for the coordination of a doctoral training programme. WRoCAH has around 55 AHRC studentships that will be awarded through open competitions.
Please be aware that this is the final year that this funding competition will be running.
Award Details: WRoCAH studentships cover UK/home tuition fees and an annual stipend. More information on the award details and eligibility criteria are available through the WRoCAH website. International students are also encouraged to apply as the University of Sheffield is, in some limited cases, able to top up the UK/home tuition fee funding from WRoCAH to also cover international student fees.
Guidance notes: applicant guidance notes are available here. You should read the guidance notes carefully before beginning your application, paying particular attention to the Grade Descriptors (from p25) as well as the step-by-step guide to the questions in the form (from p5).
Applying: You should apply to WRoCAH funding through the WRoCAH website.
You will be able to save and return to your application and can make amendments up until the deadline. You must indicate when the final version of your application has been submitted and this must be done before the deadline for your application to be considered.
Please note that you can only apply for a studentship at one of the above universities.
Find out more on the WRoCAH webpages
WRoCAH workshop - you may also find it helpful to attend the 'How to apply to WRoCAH' information session for prospective PhD students on Wednesday 20 November 2024, 10am-11am. This session will take place online. In order to attend, prospective applicants should register using this form. The deadline to register is 12 noon Monday 18th November, and the joining link will be circulated via email at 4pm that day.
See below for discipline specific processes for applying for WRoCAH funding:
- History and archaeology
-
Expression of interest form - please use this form to let us know you are interested in history or archaeology PhD funding and sign-up to our funding workshop.
Funding workshop - we will be holding a history and archaeology funding workshop online at 1.30pm-3pm on Wednesday 27 November 2024. We will talk you through the funding process from a discipline-specific perspective, you'll be able to hear from successful applicants, see examples of successful applications and ask any questions you might have.
Key steps:
- Contact your proposed supervisor to discuss their availability and your initial proposal
- Apply to the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities PhD programme - please ensure your referees are aware of the funding deadline
- Submit a draft of your funding application by 17:00 GMT, Monday 6th January 2025. If you are unable to access Google Apps you can email your draft funding application form to r.hasnip@sheffield.ac.uk. Your draft will be reviewed by our Postgraduate Committee and feedback will be emailed to you by the end of Tuesday 14th January 2025.
- Submit the WRoCAH funding form through the WRoCAH website by 17:00 GMT, 22 January 2025.
- Philosophy
-
Expression of interest form - please use this form to let us know you are interested in Philosophy PhD funding. We will be able to share some example applications and information from recent funding workshops and generally support you with the process of applying for funding.
Key steps:
- Apply to the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities - please ensure your referees are aware of the funding deadline
- Contact your proposed supervisor to discuss their availability and your initial proposal
- Submit a draft of your funding application by 17:00 GMT, Monday 6th January 2025. If you are unable to access Google Apps you can email your draft funding application form to e.p.matthews@sheffield.ac.uk. Your draft will be reviewed by our Postgraduate Committee and feedback will be emailed to you by the end of Tuesday 14th January 2025.
- Submit the WRoCAH funding form through the WRoCAH website by 17:00 GMT, 22 January 2025.
- Digital Humanities
-
Expression of interest form - please use this form to let us know you are interested in Digital Humanities PhD funding. We will be able to share some example applications and information from recent WRoCAH funding workshops and generally support you with the process of applying for funding.
Key steps:
Apply to the Digital Humanities PhD programme - please ensure your referees are aware of the funding deadline. Contact your proposed supervisor to discuss their availability and your initial proposal. Submit a draft of your funding application by 17:00 GMT, Monday 6th January 2025. If you are unable to access Google Apps you can email your draft funding application form to dhi-pgr@sheffield.ac.uk. Your draft will be reviewed by our team and feedback will be emailed to you by the end of Tuesday 14th January 2025. Submit the WRoCAH funding form through the WRoCAH website by 17:00 GMT, 22 January 2025.
ESRC White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP) 3+ Pathway Award Scholarships
Deadline: 17:00 GMT, Wednesday 22 January 2025
Please notes that this funding is only available for history applicants. We recommend that you discuss your eligibility for WRDTP funding with your supervisor before beginning the application process.
The University of Sheffield is part of the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership - a collaboration between the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, York, Sheffield Hallam, Hull, Bradford and Manchester Metropolitan University - and offers a range of ESRC Postgraduate Scholarships.
The White Rose DTP offers a number of Pathway awards awards through a central competition (including two Interdisciplinary Research awards and two Stuart Hall Foundation awards for Black British students) that history applicants are able to apply to.
The WRDTP is organised around seven Thematic Interdisciplinary Training Pathways and applications to all schemes must be able to articulate their fit with at least one of the pathways listed on the WRDTP website.
Award Details: WRDTP studentships cover UK/home tuition fees and an annual stipend. More information on the award details and eligibility criteria are available through the WRDTP website.
Guidance notes: applicant guidance notes are available here.
Applying: If you have agreed with your supervisor that you should submit a WRDTP application, you should also submit this via your Sheffield PhD course application by 17:00 GMT, 22 January 2025. You should complete the ESRC WRDTP specific application form and upload this to your scholarship application (the form is available to download from the scholarship application section of the PhD course application).
You will be able to make amendments up until the deadline.
Find out more on the university scholarship webpages
To be eligible for a +3 award, applicants must have a minimum of 60 credits of research methods social science training (not including the dissertation) at masters level.
WRDTP workshop - an applicant workshop for applicants who are interested in the WRDTP Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards was held on 8 October. Slides and a recording from this session are available on the WRDTP website.
See below for discipline specific processes for applying for WRDRP funding:
- History
-
Expression of interest form - please use this form to let us know you are interested in history PhD funding and sign-up to our funding workshop.
Funding workshop - we will be holding a history and archaeology funding workshop online at 1.30pm-3pm on Wednesday 27 November 2024. We will talk you through the funding process from a discipline-specific perspective - this session will mainly focus on WRoCAH as our main source but we will touch on WRDTP funding as well.
Key steps:
- Contact your proposed supervisor to discuss their availability and your initial proposal - you should discuss with them if a WRDTP application would be appropriate. You are also welcome to contact Dr Colin Reid (c.reid@sheffield.ac.uk) as Postgraduate Director.
- Apply to the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities PhD programme - please ensure your referees are aware of the funding deadline
- Submit a draft of your funding application by 17:00 GMT, Monday 6th January 2025. If you are unable to access Google Apps you can email your draft funding application form to r.hasnip@sheffield.ac.uk. Your draft will be reviewed by our Postgraduate Committee and feedback will be emailed to you by the end of Tuesday 14th January 2025.
- Submit the WRDTP funding form through the Postgraduate application system by 17:00 GMT, 22 January 2025.
Postgraduate Doctoral Loans
Government loans are available for postgraduate students studying doctoral level courses. Loans are non-means tested i.e. your incoming will not effect the amount that you receive and are available to students studying either part-time or full-time.
More information including eligibility criteria
Funding research study through a student loan is a big commitment and we would strongly recommend talking about this option with your proposed supervisor.
Alternative sources of funding
There are many external funding bodies, such as charities and trusts, who offer support for postgraduate study. Funding may be limited and eligibility criteria will vary. Find out more about additional funding for postgraduate study.
Alumni Discount
Graduates from the University of Sheffield can also take advantage of a discount on tuition fee. Find out more about the alumni discount.
Fees
Information about fees for our research programmes can be found on the PhD fees page.