The University of Leeds gives research funding in many subjects. If you want to do a PhD in the UK, the Leeds Doctoral Scholarships 2027 are a good place to start. The university has a PhD funding page with many awards listed.

Each award is different. Some people can pay your tuition fees some give you money to live on and some help with research costs. The rules, the length of funding and the deadline are not the same, the amount, for every award. Read the rules before you apply.

Scholarship Quick Facts

About Leeds Doctoral Scholarships

The University of Leeds has different postgraduate research funding options for people who want to do a PhD. These options are available in different schools, faculties and areas of research.

Funding for studies at Leeds should not be seen as one big scholarship that is the same for everyone. Instead the university has a list of scholarships, studentships and funded research projects. Each of these has its rules, about who can apply how to apply and when to apply.

Some awards can provide substantial financial support, including tuition fee coverage and a maintenance allowance. For example, current University of Leeds research funding opportunities can offer maintenance funding at the UKRI rate. The university’s 2026/27 UKRI-linked rate is £21,805 per year for full-time study, with the rate increasing annually in line with UKRI requirements. However, this amount should not automatically be assumed to apply to every Leeds scholarship.

Eligibility Criteria

• • Your grades must meet the entry rules of the Leeds research programme you choose.
  • For a PhD, you usually need a bachelor’s degree or something equal to it.
  • Many PhD awards want to see strong grades and a good research idea.
  • You must also meet the rules of the scholarship you pick.
  • Some Leeds PhD awards are open to international students. Others are only for UK or Home-fee students.
  • Your English must meet the programme’s English rules.

Scholarship Benefits

• • 🏆 Tuition fee support, where provided by the individual scholarship
  • 🏆 Maintenance or living allowance for eligible funded awards
  • 🏆 Research training and support funding on applicable studentships
  • 🏆 Opportunities to conduct research within a major UK research university
  • 🏆 Access to research facilities, academic supervision and doctoral support

The exact benefits depend on the specific scholarship or studentship. Applicants should always read the official funding description before applying.

Required Documents

• • Academic degree certificates
  • Academic transcripts
  • Curriculum Vitae or résumé
  • Research proposal or research information, where required
  • Personal statement or statement of purpose, where required
  • Academic or professional references
  • Proof of English-language proficiency, where applicable
  • Any additional documents requested by the selected School, Faculty or scholarship

How to Apply

1. Visit the University of Leeds PhD funding directory.
2. Search, for a scholarship, studentship or funded research project that matches your academic background and research interests
3. Read the eligibility criteria funding details and application deadline for the opportunity you pick.
4. Get your academic documents, research proposal, references and any other supporting materials ready.
5. Submit your formal application for research degree study through the University of Leeds application system.
6. If the funding opportunity asks for a separate scholarship or studentship application, complete that too.
7. Make sure everything, applications and supporting documents, is in before the deadline that applies.

Important: Receiving an academic offer for PhD study does not necessarily mean that you have secured funding. Scholarship and studentship applications can be separate and are often assessed competitively.

Frequently Asked Questions