Queen Mary HSS Doctoral Research Studentships 2027-28

Studentships will be awarded in late-February 2027 to the most outstanding candidates in the Humanities and Social Sciences applying for a full-time or part-time PhD programme starting in September 2027. Applications will also be considered from Queen Mary students who are currently in the first year of a full-time PhD programme, or the first two years of a part-time programme.

In order to be considered for an award, applicants should have (or expect to have by the end of the 2026-27 academic year) a master’s degree or equivalent qualification in an appropriate field. Awards cover tuition fees and a maintenance stipend at the Queen Mary rate (currently £22,618 p.a. full-time, c. £11,308 part-time). Awards are tenable for up to three and a half years full-time or six and a half years part-time. 

BAME Studentships for UK Candidates

We encourage applications from UK candidates in BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) groups who have been previously under-represented in this process.

For 2027-28 entry, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) will be offering one fully funded doctoral studentship (tuition fees and stipend at the Queen Mary rate) to a UK applicant from a BAME background.

To be eligible to apply for this studentship you must be a UK permanent resident from a BAME background, and eligible to pay home student fees. You will automatically also be considered for our other studentships. Our goal is to recruit outstanding and diverse candidates across the full range of studentships.

How to Apply 

You should apply for your place at QMUL via the online portal by Tuesday 1 December 2026 (17:00).

On the online application form, you should indicate that you would like your application to be considered for the HSS Studentship Competition. If you are applying for more than one funding award at Queen Mary, please select ‘I will fund my studies by multiple funding sources’ when prompted in the Funding section of the application. Please then give details of the multiple awards you are applying for in the text box.

Before applying, please read our Guidance to Applicants, which will help you to complete your applications. The guidance is relevant to all applicants, regardless of subject area and type of Studentship.

If you wish to apply for the BAME studentship, you should specify this in the statement of purpose that will form part of your application.

If you have already applied to Queen Mary to begin a PhD programme in September 2027, you may revise the research proposal and statement of purpose that you previously submitted, to take account of our Guidance to Applicants. However, you are not required to do so. If you wish to submit revised documents, you should contact the PGR Officer in the school you are applying to, providing your ID number from your application.

If you have already begun a PhD programme at QMUL, you should email the Director of Graduate Studies and the PGR Officer in the appropriate Discipline, giving your student ID number and supplying a research proposal and statement of purpose (length and contents as indicated in our Guidance to Applicants).

How Your Application Will Be Assessed

Your application will be considered and ranked by a Discipline selection panel. Selected applications will then be considered and ranked by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.  If a candidate has already begun their PhD, selection panels will be looking for a research proposal that is demonstrably stronger than the proposal of someone yet to begin their thesis.

The Discipline panel will evaluate applications on the basis of the following criteria and weightings:

• Quality of proposal (50%) – i.e. the significance and originality of the proposed research; its underpinning ideas, aims, and research questions; the research design, methodology, and/or sources; the suitability of the proposal for doctoral research; opportunities for dissemination and potential impact; and any ethical considerations that the proposal may raise
• Preparedness of applicant (20%) – i.e. previous academic achievements in relevant subject areas; any relevant professional/practitioner experience (particularly for applicants with non-standard academic trajectories); and relevant knowledge, skills, and/or training for the proposed research
• Feasibility of project (20%) – i.e. the project’s likely completion within the timeframe; the identification of training needs; justification of fieldwork and study visits; and fit with the expertise and interests of the two named supervisors
• Alignment with discipline strategic research priorities (10%) – i.e. how the project aligns with or compliments strategic research priorities within the discipline.

The Faculty panel will then evaluate applications on the basis of the following criteria and weightings:

• Quality of proposal (40%) – defined as above
• Preparedness of applicant (20%) – defined as above
• Feasibility of project (20%) – defined as above
• Alignment with discipline strategic research priorities (10%)
• School ranking (10%)

At both Discipline and Faculty levels, if two or more candidates are equally ranked, preference will be given to the candidate scoring more highly on the following criterion: quality of proposal; if still equal, preparedness of applicant; if still equal, feasibility of project; if still equal, alignment with discipline strategic research priorities.

Offers will be made to successful candidates in late-February 2027, to be accepted or declined within one week.

The studentships cover all tuition fees and provide a grant for living expenses at the QMUL stipend (currently c. £22,617 p.a. full-time, c. £11,308 part-time).

Please note that these awards cannot be deferred to the following academic year.