Funding & Finance

University Funding & Fees Info

Applying for Faculty Scholarships and other Postgraduate Funding

For entry in 2012-13 there is £2 million in funding opportunities available through the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and its Departments.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Lancaster offers postgraduate students the opportunity to undertake research in a stimulating interdisciplinary environment with a thriving postgraduate community. All our departments have an international reputation for excellence in research and teaching and provide a home to some of the leading names in their fields.

All full-time campus-based postgraduate research students are provided with shared office facilities. All our research students have access to our extensive research training programme and to funding for conference travel. Many departments offer research students the opportunity to gain valuable experience of undergraduate teaching in the course of their studies and the University's Centre for Employability, Enterprise and Careers provides excellent support to all postgraduates, whether they wish to pursue a career in academia or to transfer the skills to other forms of employment.

Please see our Studentships, Scholarships and Bursaries page for a summary of all funding opportunities.

The AHRC Studentships, Faculty Research Studentship, Faculty Scholarships and Alumni Bursaries are awarded by the decision of the Faculty. Applications should be made on the appropriate application form (Research student or Taught student) and should be submitted to the prospective Department (check Departmental websites for application deadlines). The Department will submit a list of all their applicants ranked in order of academic merit. The Faculty Funding Committee will then meet in late May or early June, to compile one ranking of all Faculty applicants. In order of academic merit, applicants will be offered the award of the highest value for which they are eligible. Applicants will be considered for all awards unless they specify otherwise.

Any applicant not holding a firm offer of a place to study within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences will not be considered for any awards.

AHRC logo

Six Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Block Grant Partnership Studentships *

The University is delighted to have been awarded 33 studentships over the 5-year period covering 2009-10 to 2013-14. For 2012 entry, there are 6AHRC BGP studentships in the following subjects:

Cultural Studies: RPM (Research Preparation Masters)
Dance, Drama and Performing Arts: Doctoral and RPM (Research Preparation Masters)
English Language and Literature: Doctoral
Linguistics: Doctoral
Religious Studies : Doctoral

The awards are available to UK/EU applicants (please see AHRC for information on student eligibility) in the above subjects. The rates for 2011-12 were £13,590 (Doctoral) and £9,490 (Masters); we do not yet know what the rates will be for 2012-13. Doctoral awards will be made for three years, subject to satisfactory progress. *

Applicants wishing to be considered for these awards must hold a firm offer of a place. Applicants should liaise with the relevant department for application deadlines and should apply using the appropriate application form (Research student or Taught student).

* Subject to AHRC Spending Review update.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Studentships

Lancaster University forms part of the ESRC's North West Doctoral Training Centre (NWDTC). 63 studentships, covering tuition and maintenance, are available for those wishing to study in areas covered by the ESRC at Lancaster, Liverpool or Manchester. Some studentships are reserved for students seeking joint supervision across two or more partner institutions.

Applicants must be planning to study in one of the following ESRC-approved pathways (relevant FASS programmes in brackets):

Economic and Social History (MA, PhD History)
Learning, Technology and Identities in Educational Research: Policy and Practice (PhD Education)
Linguistics (PhD Linguistics; PhD Applied Linguistics by Thesis and Coursework)
Politics in a Global World (PhD International Relations)
Science, Technology, Innovation and Social Practices (PhD Sociology, PhD Science Studies)
Security, Conflict and Justice (PhD Applied Social Science, PhD Law, PhD Politics)
Social Anthropology (PhD Sociology)
Social Work (MA Social Work, PhD Applied Social Science)
Sociology (MA, PhD Sociology)

Applicants wishing to be considered for these awards must hold a firm offer of a place at Lancaster, and should apply directly to their prospective departments on the appropriate form; guidance notes are available here. The deadline for applications is 23 March 2012.

Further information about the provision and funding offered by the NWDTC is available on the NWTDC website.

FASS logo

Departmental MA fees-only scholarships

These awards are for students wishing to study for a Masters degree within the Faculty.

These awards are open to applicants of any fee status but are capped at UK/ EU rates. Awards will normally be made in the form of a fee waiver, and will be calculated on a pro-rata basis for part-time programmes. Recipients will need to meet their general living expenses themselves. The full terms and conditions are available here.

These awards are administered by individual departments. Applicants wishing to be considered for these awards should contact their prospective department for details of the applications process. All applicants must already hold an offer of a place to study in any department in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences and be due to commence their studies during the 2012-13 academic year.

FASS logo

Faculty Research studentship

This award is for students wishing to undertake research and is available to full-time UK/EU applicants only. It is tied to AHRC/ ESRC rates and will cover fees and a maintenance stipend. The award will be made for three years, subject to satisfactory progress. The recipient will be required to undertake a small amount of teaching in their department in exchange for the award. Applications from candidates whose research project requires supervision and support from more than one department in the Faculty are particularly welcomed.

Applicants should apply directly to their prospective departments on this application form. Departments will then submit a shortlist of candidate to the Faculty. Applicants should liaise with the relevant departments for application deadlines.

Applicants wishing to be considered for this award must hold a firm offer of a place within any department in the Faculty. The full terms and conditions are available here. Successful applicants will be informed in writing in July 2012.

FASS logo

Fourteen Faculty Scholarships (Fees-only)

The Faculty is offering 14 fees-only scholarships for PhD and Masters level, for both UK/EU and Overseas students.

10 PhD Scholarships - 5 for UK/EU applicants and 5 for Overseas applicants
4 Masters-level scholarships -; 2 for UK/EU applicants and 2 for Overseas applicants.

Applicants should apply directly to their prospective departments on the appropriate application form (Research students or Taught students). Departments will then submit a shortlist of candidate to the Faculty. Applicants should liaise with the relevant departments for application deadlines.

Awards will normally be made in the form of a fee waiver and recipients will need to meet their general living expenses themselves. PhD Awards will be made for three years, subject to satisfactory progress. Applicants wishing to be considered for this award must hold a firm offer of a place within any department in the Faculty. The full terms and conditions are available here. Successful applicants will be informed in writing in July 2012.

Three alumni bursaries of £2,000 per year

Candidates for these awards, available to applicants of any fee status, must either hold or currently be studying for an undergraduate or Master's-level qualification from Lancaster University. The awards are open to both full and part-time students; part-time students will receive their awards on a pro-rata basis. Applications from candidates wishing to study across more than one department are particularly welcomed.

Awards will normally be made in the form of a fee waiver and recipients will need to meet their general living expenses themselves. Applicants wishing to be considered for this award must hold a firm offer of a place within any department in the Faculty. The full terms and conditions are available here. Successful applicants will be informed in writing in July 2012.

EPSRC logo

Eleven Engineering and Physical Sciences Rearch Council (EPSRC) HighWire (Digital Economy) Studentships and one Departmental HighWire Studentship

Lancaster University is currently recruiting exceptional students with backgrounds in computing, design and management to join HighWire in 2012 to understand an apply innovation to the digital economy. The studentships would be a 4 year MRes+PhD programme.

There is also a departmental HighWire studentship, also for a 4 year MRes+PhD programme.

More information on the studentships and details on the application process are found at: http://highwire.lancaster.ac.uk/