UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship 2027
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship supports talented researchers pursuing doctoral studies in the UK. UKRI funds students with the potential to make meaningful contributions to their fields. By providing this opportunity, UKRI hopes to strengthen research collaboration and equip scholars with the skills to address important challenges. UKRI, also, aims to develop future leaders who will drive progress and create a lasting impact in their home countries.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship Coverage
This government partially funded scholarship for international students covers the following:
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£5,005 per annum towards tuition fees
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a minimum stipend of £20,780 per annum
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Conference attendance fees
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Language Courses
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International research trips
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internships or placements
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
For detailed requirements, refer to the official eligibility page .
Eligible degree levels
Eligible programmes
Eligible nationalities
Important Notice
Disclaimer
Research Organizations have their own deadlines. Please refer to the universities’ pages for specific application dates.
How to Apply
In this section, we'll provide a clear general overview of requirements and steps to guide you through the application process for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship.
Important Note: The application procedures and required documents for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship may vary depending on your degree, program, nationality and other factors. For specific details regarding the requirements, kindly visit the official website of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship.
Application Deadlines
Now that you’re familiar with the application procedure, it’s time to know the application dates! Knowing the dates for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship will help you prepare early and it will also give you the time you need to put together a competitive application.
Application deadlines vary
The application deadlines for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship vary. It’s important to review official guidelines on the official website or contact administrators for specific deadlines. Make sure to regularly check the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship page for the latest and most accurate information on application deadlines.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship Eligible Institutions
The eligible institutions for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship are listed below:
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- University College London
- University of Bath
- University of Birmingham
- University of Bristol
- University of Cambridge
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Exeter
- University of Glasgow
- University of Huddersfield
- University of Leeds
- University of Liverpool
- University of Manchester
- University of Nottingham
- University of Oxford
- University of Plymouth
- University of Sheffield
- University of Southampton
- University of St Andrews
- University of Strathclyde
- University of Surrey
- University of Warwick
- University of York
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship Recipients
Meet students who have received UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholarship and learn how they secured their award.
Recipients’ Doctoral Studies and Backgrounds
Five published stories describe doctoral study supported through UKRI or its research-council studentships. They include an EPSRC package at University of Nottingham and an MRC DiMeN DTP award at University of York.
Degree Studies Reported by Recipients
| Degree level | Stories | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| PhD | 5 | Photonics and point-of-care diagnostics; International Political Economy and Development; Computer Science and natural language processing; Earth observation and geospatial systems; extracellular vesicles and drug delivery. |
Nationalities Reported in the Stories
| Nationalities | Stories per nationality |
|---|---|
| Pakistani | 2 |
| Bangladeshi, Lesotho and South African, Malaysian | 1 each |
Funding Reported by Recipients
| Recipient and degree/program | Reported coverage |
|---|---|
| Ahsan Ali — PhD Photonics — University of Southampton | Reported international tuition coverage for four years, a stipend for 3.5 years at the UKRI rate, and a Research and Training Support Grant for conferences, courses and workshops. |
| Keneuoe Maliehe — PhD Earth Observation and Geospatial Systems — University of Nottingham | Reported two separate components: EPSRC provided a £25,237 annual maintenance stipend for 2024/25, £4,786 annual home tuition fees and a £22,000 research-training grant over four years. A University of Nottingham International Scholarship covered the £25,000 annual difference between home and international fees. Some childcare, subsistence and travel support drew on the research-training budget. |
| Yue Chern Lim — PhD research on extracellular vesicles for drug delivery — University of York | Reported MRC DiMeN DTP coverage of international tuition, bench fees and a stipend. Personally financed the visa application and Immigration Health Surcharge. |
| Iqra Ali (from 2025) — PhD Computer Science — Queen Mary University of London | Reported tuition, a stipend, and research and travel support through the UKRI-funded AdSoLve project. |
Examples of Featured Recipients’ Application Backgrounds
| Recipient and degree/program | Scholarship/application route | Reported background and preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Ahsan Ali — PhD Photonics — University of Southampton | UKRI-funded project studentship | Biotechnology bachelor’s at Quaid-i-Azam University, CGPA 3.80/4.0, and Biotechnology MPhil at PIEAS, CGPA 3.88/4.0. NIH internship and paper-based plant-virus diagnostics research supported the move into point-of-care photonics. |
| Keneuoe Maliehe — PhD Earth Observation and Geospatial Systems — University of Nottingham | EPSRC Geospatial Systems Centre for Doctoral Training | Geography and Geoinformatics training at University of Pretoria, followed by MSc GIS and Remote Sensing at Maynooth University with First Class Honours, 76.3%. Drew on dissertation research and professional bid/proposal work when preparing the doctoral application. |
| Yue Chern Lim — PhD research on extracellular vesicles for drug delivery — University of York | MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership | Completed Biomedical Science at University of Sheffield in 2024. Gained experience through a six-month Sheffield Hallam University internship and a year-long placement at the Francis Crick Institute, then refined applications after unsuccessful final-year attempts. |
| Iqra Ali (from 2025) — PhD Computer Science — Queen Mary University of London | UKRI-funded AdSoLve project | Engineering master’s at Nara Institute of Science and Technology, GPA 3.7/4.0, after a Computer Science bachelor’s at UET Lahore, GPA 3.5/4.0. Built low-resource NLP datasets and benchmarks, with publications including COLING and LREC. |
| Abdullah Al Mahmud — PhD International Political Economy and Development — University of Glasgow | UKRI Scholarship through the College of Social Sciences | Economics bachelor’s and master’s at University of Dhaka; reported master’s GPA 3.60. Four earlier research papers, think-tank and policy research, and fieldwork on refugees and development helped establish project relevance. |
The English-language examples below relate to the particular doctoral admission or funding application described.
How Recipients Met Language Requirements
| Language requirement route | Stories / total funded degree-study stories | Recipients and examples |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS | 2/5 | 7.5 (Ahsan Ali); IELTS taken for the application (Abdullah Al Mahmud). |
| English-test exemption | 1/5 | Prior education in Ireland accepted for an IELTS exemption (Keneuoe Maliehe). |
Application Timelines Reported by Recipients
| Recipient and degree/program | Application or scholarship route | Reported application timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Yue Chern Lim — PhD research on extracellular vesicles for drug delivery — University of York | MRC DiMeN DTP | Applied unsuccessfully to four funded PhD programmes early in the final undergraduate year. After completing the degree in 2024, spent the following year seeking feedback, contacting supervisors and applying to ten more suitable programmes before securing the York position. |
| Iqra Ali (from 2025) — PhD Computer Science — Queen Mary University of London | UKRI-funded AdSoLve project | Contacted the prospective supervisor with a CV and research experience, completed an initial interview about master’s research and technical skills, then a formal panel interview before final selection. |
Interviews and Preparation Lessons
| Recipient and degree/program | Reported preparation or interview |
|---|---|
| Yue Chern Lim — PhD research on extracellular vesicles for drug delivery — University of York | Researched supervisors and publications, tailored statements to project themes, and prepared three experience-based stories for transferable-skill questions. Asked questions during interviews to demonstrate curiosity. |
| Iqra Ali (from 2025) — PhD Computer Science — Queen Mary University of London | The initial interview discussed publications and multilingual NLP experience. A later panel assessed research knowledge, problem solving and applying AI to real-world challenges. |
| Ahsan Ali — PhD Photonics — University of Southampton | Shortlisted projects matching prior diagnostics research, contacted supervisors with specific questions and revised the CV and statement around the contribution he could make to the project. |
What Recipients Pursued After Their Scholarship-Funded Studies
| Recipient | Scholarship-funded degree/program | Reported outcome or current status |
|---|---|---|
| Keneuoe Maliehe | PhD Earth Observation and Geospatial Systems — University of Nottingham | Ongoing study and career plans: in the final thesis-writing stages, seeking academic, research, consulting and advisory opportunities in Earth observation, greenhouse-gas monitoring and climate applications. |
| Iqra Ali (from 2025) | PhD Computer Science — Queen Mary University of London | Ongoing research: multilingual NLP and responsible large language models for healthcare and social systems. Reported organising CLPsych 2026 shared-task work and Data Science for Mental Health activities. |
| Ahsan Ali | PhD Photonics — University of Southampton | Ongoing study: conducting interdisciplinary point-of-care diagnostics research at the Optoelectronics Research Centre. |
| Abdullah Al Mahmud | PhD International Political Economy and Development — University of Glasgow | Ongoing research: quantitatively examining international financial institutions and responses to neighbouring countries’ economic shocks, financial crises and conflict. |
| Yue Chern Lim | PhD research on extracellular vesicles for drug delivery — University of York | Ongoing study: recently began doctoral research into extracellular vesicles as biological vectors for drug delivery. |
What UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD Scholars Say
Advice and reflections from scholars about the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) PhD application process and programme.
"covers my international tuition fees for 4 years... provides a stipend for 3.5 years at the UKRI rate ... includes a Research & Training Support Grant to support conferences, training courses, and workshops."
"For each application, I customised my CV and cover letter by thoroughly studying the project and the prospective supervisor’s work."
"The research environment is supportive, and I’ve found the administrative systems and supervision structure to be clear and international-student-friendly."
"My experience at the University of Glasgow has been deeply enriching. The supervisors are supportive, and the research culture is wonderfully collaborative."
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