Postgraduate research funding

These scholarships and studentships are available to postgraduate researchers in the Department of Biology.

Your chosen course, level of study and other statuses may all affect your eligibility for the opportunities listed here.

Discover our research projects

Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment (ACCE)

Our fully-funded PhD programme offers projects aligned with the grand challenges in environmental research: securing ecosystem services and environmental resources; predicting and mitigating impacts of climate change; understanding the dynamics of biodiversity; and mechanisms of evolutionary change.

  • Funding: The studentships are fully funded for 3.5 years in the first instance, and students must complete their PhD in four years.
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: EU and UK (home) students
  • Number available: 14

China Scholarships Council Scholarship

We're pleased to offer up to ten joint-funded PhD scholarships in collaboration with the China Scholarships Council.

  • Funding: 100% of tuition fees for the full duration, which is typically three years; a grant for living costs; one return flight from China; UK visa fees
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: Students from China
  • Number available: 10

EPSRC Mobility DTP in Leadership and Excellence in Circular, Resource-efficient, Sustainable Manufacturing

One of a number of pilot programmes aimed at widening participation in Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) doctoral training, specifically those from industry and other non-academic backgrounds.

  • Funding: Four years' or one year of fees at the UK rate, maintenance stipend/salary contribution, and a Research Training Support Grant
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: Students from the UK; non-UK applicants can also be considered for a limited number of places.
  • Number available: Up to three

Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Grant

The Faculty for the Future programme awards fellowships to women from developing and emerging economies to pursue PhD or postdoctoral research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields at leading universities worldwide.

  • Funding: Up to $50,000 USD per year
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Friday 8 November 2024, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) students

EPSRC CDT in Chemical Synthesis for a Healthy Planet (CSHP)

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Synthesis for a Healthy Planet (CSHP CDT) is a collaboration between the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE) at the University of York

  • Funding: A tax-free annual stipend at the standard UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25 entry), research costs and tuition fees at UK rate
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Friday 15 November 2024, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students
  • Number available: 4

ANID / Becas Chile

We offer a 25% tuition fee discount for Becas Chile-sponsored postgraduate students.

  • Funding: 25% tuition fee discount
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Chile

Beca Carlos Quijano

This scholarship aims to subsidise expenses for postgraduate training for students with Uruguayan citizenship.

  • Funding: Up to $U120,000
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Friday 31 January 2025, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: Students from Uruguay

Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund

These scholarships offer £5,000 each year to eligible Canadians studying for a postgraduate degree who have completed their first year of study.

  • Funding: £5,000 per year
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Saturday 15 March 2025, 4.59am GMT
  • Open to: Students from Canada

Colfuturo

We grant a 25% tuition fee discount to most Colfuturo-sponsored postgraduate students. It is possible to combine this discount with most University of York partial scholarships. 

  • Funding: 25% tuition fee discount
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Friday 28 February 2025, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: Students from Colombia

Commonwealth Scholarship

The University of York is a host university for the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Various opportunities are available throughout the year. The majority of awards are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

  • Funding: various
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: Students from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize and more (see eligibility)

EPSRC CDT in Process Industries: Net Zero (PINZ)

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Doctoral Training in Process Industries: Net Zero (PINZ CDT) is a collaboration between the Process Intensification Group at Newcastle University and the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at the University of York.

  • Funding: A tax-free annual stipend at the standard UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25 entry), research costs and tuition fees at UK rate
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Sunday 24 November 2024, 11.59pm GMT
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students
  • Number available: 3

Gowrie bursary

This bursary is targeted at those who are serving or have served in the Australian Defence Forces and their lineal descendants, particularly those for whom the monetary value will make a real difference.

  • Funding: $8,000 AUD per annum
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Australia
  • Number available: 2

Jansons Scholarships

Jansons scholarship will help to finance studying abroad for certain postgraduate degrees.

  • Funding: up to NOK 150,000
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Norway

John Monash Scholarship

The John Monash Scholarship provides yearly funding to outstanding postgraduate taught and research students from Australia.

  • Funding: $75,000 AUD for each year of study
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Australia
  • Number available: 10-20

Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund Lånekassen

The Ministry provides grants and loans for higher education study outside of the Nordic region.

  • Funding: Various
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Norway

Overseas PhD Scholarships for University of the Punjab in service non-PhD teachers

This scholarship is aimed at candidates who have secured a PhD place for at a university ranked in the top 200 of the QS World University Rankings.

  • Funding: TBC
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Pakistan

Roberta Sykes scholarship

The Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation provides supplementary financial assistance to Indigenous Postgraduate students who wish to undertake studies at recognised universities outside of Australia.

  • Funding: $60,000 AUD per year
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from Australia

Tan Kah Kee Scholarship

The Tan Kah Kee Scholarship offers postgraduate scholarships for Singapore citizens and permanent residents pursuing full-time PhD or Masters degrees.

  • Funding: $12,000
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Application deadline: Saturday 31 May 2025, 11.30am BST
  • Open to: Students from Singapore

United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education Scholarships

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education offers a number scholarships for Emirati students to study abroad.

  • Funding: Various
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: Students from United Arab Emirates

Extracurricular funding

While not directly related to your studies, these opportunities can help you get the most from your time at York.

York Minster Choral Scholarships

York Minster offers choral scholarships lasting 12 months or longer to altos, tenors and basses who are undergraduate or postgraduate students.

  • Funding: £7,721.33
  • Academic year: 2024/25
  • Open to: International (including EU) and UK (home) students

Previous funding opportunities

These opportunities are closed to applications. They may reopen in future years.