PhD Scholarships in UK for Indian Students 2026
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The UK is recognised globally for its excellence in research, and students from India and many other countries opine that the return on investment (ROI) they obtained by investing in studying in the UK was spectacular. The UK, being a research house attracts thousands of students from India to apply for a PhD course in multiple top-ranking institutes that offer PhD programmes.
A PhD from the UK can help you excel in the core scientific world - by doing research in the most in-demand field or subject. You may even attract great rewards (like the UK Global Talent Visa, funds, etc.) and definitely can present your research work at a top institution in the world. You may also apply to be a visiting research student at top institutions in the world.
It is worth noting for international students that not all PhD programs in UK are funded by the UK Research Councils (UKRI), and some of them are advertised as "unfunded" PhD programs. Hence, students need to apply for PhD scholarships in UK, externally. Read this article to learn more about scholarships for a PhD in UK for Indian Students.
- How Can a PhD Scholarship Help Students?
- List of top PhD Scholarships in the UK
- Eligibility for PhD Scholarships in UK
- Major Funding Bodies for PhD Scholarships in UK
- Tips to Apply for PhD Scholarships
- Top PhD Scholarships in UK FAQs
How Can a PhD Scholarship Help Students?
A PhD scholarship can help a prospective student in various ways. Some of the prominent ones have been listed below:
- Financial Assistance: A scholarship or grant for pursuing a PhD programme can help one cover a part of their tuition fee or maybe the entire study cost. It may also include coverage of your accommodation, travel, and other related charges. This way, students are able to concentrate on their studies stress-free, without pondering over financial constraints time and again. This would help students from diverse backgrounds, irrespective of their socioeconomic status, who may be facing financial obstacles.
- Overall Development: A scholarship may also help you access mentorship programmes and an official group of professionals and scholars. This can help you build your contacts and network, obtain insight into the industry, and polish your skills that may play a major role in getting a job in the future.
- Global Exposure: Scholarships provide you with a chance to see new places, meet new people and experience a totally different environment. Many of them support international exchange programmes as well besides studying abroad.
List of top PhD Scholarships in the UK
There are many universities in the United Kingdom that have made available their individual scholarships for overseas students. Some of the top PhD Scholarships for studying in UK have been displayed in the table below:
| Scholarship Name |
Funding |
Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds Doctoral Scholarships |
Fully funded (amount varies) |
Applicant must be holding top-level academic excellence and must possess first-class honours or an upper second-class degree or a UG degree equivalent. Some research degrees may require a master’s degree as well. English Proficiency Tests: IELTS, TOEFL |
| Priestly PhD Scholarships |
Fully funded (Stipend £16,062 per annum) |
Applicant must be holding an upper second-class 4-year honours UG degree in an important subject or an MRes or MSc in an important subject |
| Carnegie PhD Scholarship |
Fully funded (Stipend £17,904 per annum Research Allowance: £ 3,000 overall) |
Applicant must possess or is about to obtain a first-class honours graduate degree from an eligible host organisation in Scotland. This degree should be related to your doctoral research field. |
| Imperial College London President’s PhD Scholarship |
Fully funded (Stipend £24,420 per annum) Consumables Fund: £ 2,000 per annum for the first three years) |
Applicant should be holding or expecting to receive a 1st-class or equivalent UG or integrated master’s degree |
| University of Exeter – PhD Scholarship |
Fully funded (Stipend £4,500-£ 5,000 per annum) Living Allowance: £17,668 per annum) |
Applicant should be holding a 1st or 2:1 honours degree or similar in an important subject. By similar, we mean a UG degree plus a master’s degree or relevant experience. |
| Southampton Presidential PhD Scholarship |
Fully funded tuition fees, Living Costs: (Stipend £17,668 for three years) Research Training & Support Grant: £1,000 to £3,500)
|
Applicant will be directly considered if he/she has applied for PhD programme with the university and has obtained an offer thereafter. |
| Gates Cambridge Scholarship |
Fully funded tuition fees, Living Costs: (Stipend £18,744 per annum) Research Training & Support Grant: £1,000 to £3,500) |
The applicant should be a citizen of a nation other than the UK |
| IBM PhD Fellowship Awards | $40,000 for students enrolled at universities in the USA, $6,000 to $25,000 for other countries. |
Must be enrolled on a PhD program, and have at least 2 years of duration remaining in their current program, must be from USA embargoed countries (or must be attending institutions/universities located at the US embargoed countries). |
| President's PhD scholarships | Complete tuition fees and an annual stipend of £25,150 (2024-25 rate) to cover the living costs for a period of 3.5 years. An additional consumable fund of £2,000 per annum is also provided for the starting 3 years of study. |
Candidates from Imperial College London are strongly preferred; however, citizenship is not a restriction. |
The above scholarships may cover your flight tickets, tuition fees, living costs, and much more. You may also want to check the British Council Scholarships for Indian Students.
Eligibility for PhD Scholarships in UK
Although it is tough to obtain a scholarship for a PhD course, it isn’t impossible, provided you fit the set criteria for it. There are various factors that determine whether you will be considered fit for financial assistance or not, which are listed below:
- Performance-based: These scholarships are awarded to those who, apart from having a decent academic record, have performed exceptionally in any extracurricular activity such as music, sports, dramatics, and much more.
- Subject-centric: These scholarships are awarded to students on the basis of a specific field of study or major they wish to study. These are awarded by colleges or government institutions. Those interested in this type of scholarship should be enrolled in subject-specific programmes abroad.
- Merit-based: In order to get this type of scholarship, one needs to possess a strong academic background and grades in their previous exam.
Major Funding Bodies for PhD Scholarships in UK
PhD scholarships are offered by either the governments of the UK and India, respective universities or some external agencies. Below are some of the major scholarship funding bodies in UK for PhD scholarships.
- UK Research & Innovation (UKRI): Funds PhDs across many subjects with full fees & stipends, open to home & international students.
- Chevening Scholarships: Prestigious, fully-funded scholarships for Master's (but some related funding exists).
- Commonwealth Scholarships: For talented individuals from Commonwealth countries.
- GREAT Scholarships: For students from 18 specific countries.
- UK Universities: Imperial College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Oxford and SOAS are the major PhD scholarships providing universities in the UK.
- Charities and Trusts: British Heart Foundation (BHF), Cancer Research UK, Wellcome Trust and Leverhulme Trust.
Tips to Apply for PhD Scholarships
One needs to act prudently while applying for a scholarship abroad. You have to keep certain things in mind before sending your application for the same. Intensive research is required while searching for a suitable scholarship as the list is quite long. Here are some helpful tips that you can follow while applying for a PhD scholarship in the UK:
Research well: Every year thousands of scholarships are made available by universities as well as external organisations for students to study abroad. Before beginning your search maintain a notebook or a diary and jot down the scholarships that are open for application and also the upcoming ones. One may also visit the British Council website and filter scholarships according to your country and course.
Remember the deadline: You need to keep track of each scholarship deadline which you are applying for. Once the date passes, you will have to wait long for its next application date. Be it the deadline for courses, visas or scholarship applications, write them down together in an organised manner.
Scholarship requirements: You need to keep in mind the set eligibility criteria for the scholarship you’re applying to. In case you don’t meet the same, there’s no point in applying because foreign universities are quite strict with their requirements and therefore won’t consider your candidature.
Craft your application carefully: Read what each scholarship application requires from you and make your response as interesting as possible. Thousands of students will be applying for the same scholarship, which might have limited slots. Make your application stand out by carefully reading all that you need to answer. This may consume a little extra time but will help you in the end.
Please remember that every scholarship you apply for will have different requirements, eligibility and application processes. It is always a smart idea to visit each of these scholarships’ official websites for in-depth and authentic details regarding the same. If you have any more doubts, you can post your queries in the comments below.
Top PhD Scholarships in UK FAQs
Commonly asked questions
Yes, you can get a 100% PhD scholarship in the UK. You need to attach a good Statement of Purpose (SOP) and research proposal to the professor in UK you are willing to work with. Some famous fully funded PhD scholarships in the UK are Leeds Doctoral Scholarships, Priestly PhD Scholarships, President's PhD scholarships and Carnegie PhD Scholarship.
The answer is - contact your supervisor. Some universities also share the process to getting your PhD funded by the university. You must contact your PhD supervisor for the same, in most cases, a PhD scholarship is awarded at the time of accepting your application. If you don't get a scholarship from your university, you can also apply for an external PhD scholarship in UK. The process to apply for each scholarship is to visit their respective websites and follow the steps as indicated.
Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark offer free or fully-funded PhDs for Indian students. These countries treat their PhD scholars as employees with salaries. Other countries like the USA, the UK and Canada offer PhD scholarships to students covering their fees and living costs. PhD is not generally free in most universities and students need to apply for scholarships.
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