Funding your studies
There is a wide range of financial support available for students at the University of Nottingham. The support available depends on many factors such as:
- subject
- award level
- where you live
- income
General funding information including bursaries and scholarships
Undergraduate funding - Faculty of Arts scholarships and bursaries
Faculty of Arts scholarships and bursaries
Applications for students starting in September 2024 have closed.
The Faculty of Arts Alumni Scholarship Awards are available for degree students entering the University of Nottingham in September 2024.
The awards offer financial support of £4,500 over 3 years for students who have encountered and overcome barriers to their educational journey.
It is intended to assist students with their essential living costs whilst studying, paid in equal instalments at the start of each term for three years. It is not intended to be used towards tuition fees.
The deadline for application for students starting in September 2024 is Wednesday 1 May 2024.
You can find more details and make your application here.
Postgraduate funding
Master's degree funding - MA, MSc, MPhil, MRes
Routes into Masters Scholarships
Applications are now closed.
Aimed at home students wanting to do an on-site Masters and intending to progress on to PhD study. The course can be done either full-time (one year) or part-time (two years). This scholarship is only open to Home students.
The studentships cover:
Full scholarship details
Lillian M Ruff Postgraduate Scholarship
Applications are closed
Dr Lillian M Ruff was a graduate of the University of Nottingham who generously established this scholarship in her name.
There was one recipient in 2021/22 being awarded a scholarship equivalent to the full cost of the UK/EU fee for a full time/part-time taught MA or MRes course in the School of Humanities at University of Nottingham.
Please check for updates.
Scholarships for international students
Application deadlines vary
Student Loans Company
History students
Pauline Roberts Scholarship
Applications are closed
The Colwyn and Jean Rich Foundation of Canada offers the Pauline Roberts Scholarship to United Kingdom nationals to support one student on the MA in History. The Scholarship has a value of 8,000 Canadian dollars (approximately £4,500 depending on the exchange rate) and is tenable for one year, payable in two instalments, one in each semester.
The Scholarship is intended to be awarded to an applicant of academic merit who has the commitment to complete the programme of study, who is in great need of financial support and who can demonstrate a social contribution to the community in their wider life activities.
For enquiries please contact the MA Course Director, Dr David Laven.
4 Year Masters and PhD Studentship in Economic and Social History
Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Applications are closed.
The Department of History, University of Nottingham, invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for a fully-funded 4-year study programme leading to a PhD in Economic and Social History.
Prospective candidates should outline their own doctoral research topic. There are no restrictions on the proposed historical research by period, region or theme, but projects must principally employ a social science methodology (for further guidance on disciplinary remit, see this page).
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an excellent record of academic achievement in History or a related discipline and potential to complete an original and independent research project.
The Department will select one or more candidates to co-develop full applications for funding offered through the Economic and Social History Pathway of the Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Doctoral Training Partnership. The MGS is one of 14 UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), and comprises the University of Warwick, Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham. Co-supervision across institutions is possible.
At Nottingham, successful applicants will join a team of PhD researchers on the Economic and Social History pathway in the Department of History. Supervisors of current students include Professor Sarah Badcock, Dr Nick Baron, Dr Jonathan Kwan, Dr David Gehring and Dr Richard Goddard. Numerous other members of the academic staff are actively engaged in research into economic and social history. You can find out more about our staff, their research interests and current doctoral supervision by consulting these pages, as well as the pages of individual academics.
This 4-year programme comprises 1 year of training in social science research methods (to MA level) plus 3 years of research on an original topic in economic and social history (to PhD level).
Candidates who already have an ESRC-accredited MA in History or a cognate discipline, and/or can demonstrate extensive expertise in social science research methods, may apply for a +3 PhD programme.
Candidates without MA degrees and those with a non-ESRC-accredited MA degree may only apply for the 1+3 programme. This competition is open to both UK and international students, but awards will only pay fees at UK (home) levels (additional bursaries are available to international award-holders on a competitive basis). As projects must be based on social science method, please ensure that you read this page before formulating your proposal.
Application procedure
If you are interested in applying for entry in October 2023, please contact a prospective supervisor or, if you have yet to identify an appropriate advisor, Dr Nick Baron (nick.baron@nottingham.ac.uk), as soon as possible before 1 December 2022 (we cannot consider any enquiries or expressions of interest after that date). Please send your CV, a one-page note on your preparation and motivation to conduct research to PhD level on economic and social history and a one-page outline of your proposed research topic. We can advise on your eligibility and the fit of your proposed research with our departmental interests and expertise.
If the Department agrees to support your application to the MGS, you will then need to submit applications, first, for a PhD place to the University of Nottingham (two academic references will be required) and, subsequently, for funding to the Midlands Graduate School, the deadline for which is 24 January 2023 (23:59 GMT).
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4 Year Masters and PhD Studentship in Modern Russian and East European Social/Economic History
Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Area Studies Russian and East European Pathway
Applications are closed.
The Department of History, University of Nottingham, invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for a fully-funded 4-year study programme leading to a PhD in Modern Russian and East European social and/or economic history. Proposed research projects should principally employ social science methods (for further guidance on disciplinary remit, see this page).
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an excellent record of academic achievement in History, Russian and East European Studies or a related discipline, and potential to complete an original and independent research project in modern Russian and East European history.
The Department will select one or more candidates to co-develop full applications for funding offered through the Area Studies (Russian and East European) Pathway or Economic and Social History Pathway of the Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Doctoral Training Partnership. The MGS is one of 14 UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), and comprises the University of Warwick, Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham.
At Nottingham, successful applicants will join a team of PhD researchers in Russian & East European History in the Department of History, working mostly under the supervision of Professor Sarah Badcock and Dr Nick Baron. For a list of current and former ESRC-funded PhD projects, please see under the research supervision section of Nick Baron's page.
This 4-year programme comprises 1 year of training in social science research methods (to MA level) plus 3 years of research on an original topic in Russian and East European social and/or economic history (to PhD level).
Candidates who already have an ESRC-accredited MA in History or a cognate discipline, and/or can demonstrate extensive expertise in social science research methods, may apply for a +3 PhD programme. Candidates without MA degrees and those with a non-ESRC-accredited MA degree may only apply for the 1+3 programme. This competition is open to both UK and international students, but awards will only pay fees at UK (home) levels (additional bursaries are available to international award-holders on a competitive basis). To apply, you must intend to study full-time, and have a working knowledge of the relevant Russian & East European language(s).
Application procedure
If you are interested in applying, please contact Professor Badcock (sarah.badcock@nottingham.ac.uk) and Dr Baron (nick.baron@nottingham.ac.uk) as soon as possible before 1 December 2022 (we cannot consider any enquiries or expressions of interest after that date), sending your CV, a one-page note on your preparation and motivation to conduct research to PhD level in modern Russian and East European socio-economic history, and a one-page outline of your proposed research topic. We can advise on your eligibility and the fit of your proposed research with our interests and expertise. Please ensure you read this page before formulating your proposal.
If the Department agrees to support your application to the MGS, you will then need to submit applications, first, for a PhD place to the University of Nottingham (two academic references will be required) and, subsequently, for funding to the Midlands Graduate School, the deadline for which is 24 January 2023 (23:59 GMT)
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Music students
Henry Thomas Mitchell Postgraduate Scholarship
Applications for the 2024-25 academic year are open - deadline: Friday 26 July 2024.
Two tuition fee scholarships, worth £2,500 each, will be awarded on a competitive basis to full-time or part-time postgraduate students enrolled on the MRes in Music. The scholarships are particularly intended for students specialising in vocal performance or researching an aspect of singing or the voice. The awards will be made for the 2024/25 academic year and cannot be deferred. To be eligible to apply you must have a UK fee status and have an offer of a place on the MRes programme.
The deadline to apply is Friday 26 July 2024.
Please direct any queries and applications concerning the scholarship to Rebecca Thumpston.
Download application form (PDF)
Download application form (word doc version for screen readers)
Theology and Religious Studies students
The Memorial Scholarship
Applications are closed
The Memorial Scholarship is awarded to academically talented applicants (as assessed by their School). A maximum of £1,250 is available to award between successful applicants in each academic year.
Open to postgraduate research students, full-time or part-time, holding an offer to study or already admitted to the MRes in Theology/Religious Studies only and undertaking research in Hebrew Bible.
Applications are currently closed but please check for updates.
Alan Richardson Studentship in Christian Theology
Applications for 2023-24 are now closed.
The Alan Richardson Studentship in Christian Theology is designed to assist distance learning students who are currently studying for the MA in Systematic and Philosophical Theology.
Two studentships of £700 are available for the current academic year, which may be used either towards the cost of fees or incidental expenses.
If you wish to apply, please apply in writing by Friday 22 March 2024 5.00pm stating, in no more than 500-700 words, why you would benefit from the bursary, and how it would aid your intellectual flourishing in the programme.
Include a copy of your up-to-date CV with your application and send both by email to AR-HU-research@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk using the subject heading “Alan Richardson Studentship – [your name]”.
The bursary will be awarded on the basis of both academic excellence and benefit to the individual as set out in the application. It will be payable to the successful candidate by the end of the spring semester 2023-24.
Research degrees funding - PhD
Explore our central database of PhD funding opportunities
Midlands4Cities PhD funding
The Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C DTP) provides UK/EU research candidates with:
- funding
- expert supervision (including opportunities for cross-institutional supervision)
- training
- access to a wide range of facilities
- cohort events
- placement opportunities with regional, national and international partners in the creative and cultural sectors.
Full details and how to apply
![M4C logo](/Arts/Images-Multimedia/M4C/M4C-logo-Cropped-721x160.png)
Sir Francis Hill Postgraduate Scholarship
Applications are currently closed
One scholarship is available for tuition fee and annual living allowance set at UK Research Council rates.
Eligibility
You can apply for this scholarship if you hold an offer to start (or are in the first year of) a PhD in the Faculty of Arts or Faculty of Social Sciences at University of Nottingham UK.
International students are eligible to apply but funding is only at the level of home (UK) fees and maintenance grant. Each school with the faculties can nominate one student. The award is open to full and part-time students.
Please visit the Sir Francis Hill postgraduate scholarship page for further details.
Scholarships for international and EU students
Application deadlines vary
Student Loans Company
History students
PhD Studentship: Holocaust Refugees: Working with fragmentary museum collections - application deadline: 9 August 2024
Holocaust Refugees: Working with fragmentary museum collections
A collaborative doctoral award between the University of Nottingham and the National Holocaust Centre and Museum
We are inviting applications for the collaborative doctoral award, which will be jointly supervised by Professor Maiken Umbach of the University of Nottingham's History Department, and Dr Claudia Reese, exhibition curator at the UK National Holocaust Centre and Museum (NHCM), for three years, starting on 1 October 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The PhD will explore the NHCM's rich, largely untapped collections of ego-documents – letters, photographs, and artefacts – which have been donated by Jewish survivors who were displaced from their homelands by Nazi persecution, or in the aftermath of the Holocaust. It will focus on the NHCM collections, but also draw on other archives including, but not confined to, materials from the Jewish Museum London, which are currently housed at the University of Nottingham's Manuscripts and Special Collections. The project will ask what insights personal records can offer into the experiences and identities of Jewish refugees, focusing on connecting threads between lives left behind, and new ones built in the UK. It will also explore transnational links. Families and communities were rarely displaced together: some found themselves in different countries after 1945, and many of these sought to maintain ties of family and friendship through the exchange of letters and photographs.
Beyond contributing to historical knowledge, the PhD will also support the museum's eco-system of constantly refreshed permanent exhibitions, temporary mobile exhibitions, and digital platforms and experiences. All these contribute to NHCM's mission to fight harmful prejudices against Jewish people, especially the misperception that they are alien to British society.
The award is for full-time study for three years. It will cover home fees, a travel allowance of £3,000 over the three years, and an annual stipend (non-incremental) for each of the three years of £13,688 pa (£41,065 total). The award cannot cover international fees.
Applicants should have a first degree and an MA in a relevant discipline, such as History, English, or Museum Studies, as well as a good understanding of the Holocaust and Jewish history. Additional language skills are desirable, but not essential. Informal inquiries can be sent to maiken.umbach@nottingham.ac.uk.
Funding applications should be submitted by email to Maiken Umbach (staff) maiken.umbach@nottingham.ac.uk by 5pm on 9 August 2024. A CV and covering letter must be attached. The covering letter should outline the applicant’s motivation and relevant experience. Please also include the name of two referees. Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be conducted by Zoom shortly after this.
Applicants for funding are also required to have applied for the PhD in History full-time study for three years starting on 1 October 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter, at the University of Nottingham by the funding application deadline of 9 August 2024. Please follow the link below:
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/how-to-apply/apply-online.aspx.
4 Year Masters and PhD Studentship in Economic and Social History
Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Applications are closed.
The Department of History, University of Nottingham, invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for a fully-funded 4-year study programme leading to a PhD in Economic and Social History.
Prospective candidates should outline their own doctoral research topic. There are no restrictions on the proposed historical research by period, region or theme, but projects must principally employ a social science methodology (for further guidance on disciplinary remit, see this page).
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an excellent record of academic achievement in History or a related discipline and potential to complete an original and independent research project.
The Department will select one or more candidates to co-develop full applications for funding offered through the Economic and Social History Pathway of the Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Doctoral Training Partnership. The MGS is one of 14 UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), and comprises the University of Warwick, Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham. Co-supervision across institutions is possible.
At Nottingham, successful applicants will join a team of PhD researchers on the Economic and Social History pathway in the Department of History. Supervisors of current students include Professor Sarah Badcock, Dr Nick Baron, Dr Jonathan Kwan, Dr David Gehring and Dr Richard Goddard. Numerous other members of the academic staff are actively engaged in research into economic and social history. You can find out more about our staff, their research interests and current doctoral supervision by consulting these pages, as well as the pages of individual academics.
This 4-year programme comprises 1 year of training in social science research methods (to MA level) plus 3 years of research on an original topic in economic and social history (to PhD level).
Candidates who already have an ESRC-accredited MA in History or a cognate discipline, and/or can demonstrate extensive expertise in social science research methods, may apply for a +3 PhD programme.
Candidates without MA degrees and those with a non-ESRC-accredited MA degree may only apply for the 1+3 programme. This competition is open to both UK and international students, but awards will only pay fees at UK (home) levels (additional bursaries are available to international award-holders on a competitive basis). As projects must be based on social science method, please ensure that you read this page before formulating your proposal.
Application procedure
If you are interested in applying for entry in October 2023, please contact a prospective supervisor or, if you have yet to identify an appropriate advisor, Dr Nick Baron (nick.baron@nottingham.ac.uk), as soon as possible before 1 December 2022 (we cannot consider any enquiries or expressions of interest after that date). Please send your CV, a one-page note on your preparation and motivation to conduct research to PhD level on economic and social history and a one-page outline of your proposed research topic. We can advise on your eligibility and the fit of your proposed research with our departmental interests and expertise.
If the Department agrees to support your application to the MGS, you will then need to submit applications, first, for a PhD place to the University of Nottingham (two academic references will be required) and, subsequently, for funding to the Midlands Graduate School, the deadline for which is 24 January 2023 (23:59 GMT).
Download this information as a PDF
Download this information as an accessible Word doc
4 Year Masters and PhD Studentship in Modern Russian and East European Social/Economic History
Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Area Studies Russian and East European Pathway
Applications are closed.
The Department of History, University of Nottingham, invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for a fully-funded 4-year study programme leading to a PhD in Modern Russian and East European social and/or economic history. Proposed research projects should principally employ social science methods (for further guidance on disciplinary remit, see this page).
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate an excellent record of academic achievement in History, Russian and East European Studies or a related discipline, and potential to complete an original and independent research project in modern Russian and East European history.
The Department will select one or more candidates to co-develop full applications for funding offered through the Area Studies (Russian and East European) Pathway or the Economic and Social History Pathway of the Midlands Graduate School (MGS) Doctoral Training Partnership. The MGS is one of 14 UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), and comprises the University of Warwick, Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham.
At Nottingham, successful applicants will join a team of PhD researchers in Russian and East European History in the Department of History, working mostly under the supervision of Professor Sarah Badcock and Dr Nick Baron. For a list of current and former ESRC-funded PhD projects, please see under the research supervision section of Nick Baron's page.
This 4-year programme comprises 1 year of training in social science research methods (to MA level) plus 3 years of research on an original topic in Russian and East European social and/or economic history (to PhD level).
Candidates who already have an ESRC-accredited MA in History or a cognate discipline, and/or can demonstrate extensive expertise in social science research methods, may apply for a +3 PhD programme. Candidates without MA degrees and those with a non-ESRC-accredited MA degree may only apply for the 1+3 programme. This competition is open to both UK and international students, but awards will only pay fees at UK (home) levels (additional bursaries are available to international award-holders on a competitive basis). To apply, you must intend to study full-time, and have a working knowledge of the relevant Russian & East European language(s).
Application procedure
If you are interested in applying, please contact Professor Badcock (sarah.badcock@nottingham.ac.uk) and Dr Baron (nick.baron@nottingham.ac.uk) as soon as possible before 1 December 2022 (we cannot consider any enquiries or expressions of interest after that date), sending your CV, a one-page note on your preparation and motivation to conduct research to PhD level in modern Russian and East European socio-economic history, and a one-page outline of your proposed research topic. We can advise on your eligibility and the fit of your proposed research with our interests and expertise. Please ensure you read this page before formulating your proposal.
If the Department agrees to support your application to the MGS, you will then need to submit applications, first, for a PhD place to the University of Nottingham (two academic references will be required) and, subsequently, for funding to the Midlands Graduate School, the deadline for which is 24 January 2023 (23:59 GMT).
Download this information as a PDF
Download this information as an accessible Word doc
Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP Research Studentship (1+3)
Applications are closed.
The Midlands Graduate School is one of several accredited Economic and Social Research Council Doctoral Training Partnerships in the UK.
The Department of History leads two DTP pathways:
- Area Studies (Russian and East European Studies)
- Economic and Social History.
We invite applications for fully-funded 1+3 programmes of study, comprising a one-year MA in Social Sciences Research Methods followed by three years study for a PhD in modern Russian and/or East European socioeconomic history (from the mid-19th century).
Full details on funding applications through the Midlands Graduate School
Theology and Religious Studies students
The Memorial Scholarship
Applications are closed.
The Memorial Scholarship is awarded to academically talented applicants (as assessed by their School). A maximum of £1,250 is available to award between successful applicants in each academic year.
Open to postgraduate research students, full-time or part-time, holding an offer to study or already admitted to the MRes in Theology/Religious Studies only and undertaking research in Hebrew Bible.
Further application details and deadlines are available through the link below.
Further information
External sources of funding
British Spanish Society PG Scholarships
The British Spanish Society, an independent UK registered charity, provides scholarship awards, ranging from £5,000 to £6,000 each.
Their scholarships programme aims to support postgraduate projects by British and Spanish nationals in any subject discipline. Applications are considered for ongoing research as well as projects which are due to start next academic year, provided that they have been unconditionally accepted by a UK or Spanish Higher Education institution.
British Spanish Society PG scholarships details
Philosophy students
Music students
Financial support is sometimes available through local churches for choristers and an organist. Audition required. See the musical scholarships page for more information.
Classics and Archaeology students
Alexander S Onassis Foundation
Theology and Religious Studies students
Rickards Travelling Scholarship
The Rickards Travelling Scholarship is intended to encourage and assist students of theology and religious studies enrolled on degree programmes in the University of Nottingham Department of Theology and Religious Studies to travel and thus further both their general and specialist education. The value of the Scholarship is up to £200.
Candidates must submit a detailed application to the Head of Department stating the object of the journey being planned and its relationship to their special subject, the major items of expense likely to be incurred, and the names of two members of staff with whom they have discussed their proposed travel project and to whom reference may be made regarding the scheme.
Applications are accepted by the Head of Department on a rolling basis, and more than one award may be made each year, subject to the availability of funds.