Graduate School
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

You are here: Home > Funding & Finance > Postgraduate Funding Competitions

Funding & Finance

University Funding & Fees Info

Scholarships and Funding

For entry in 2013-14 there is £2 million in funding opportunities available through the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and its Departments. There are a wide range of funding opportunities available, but competition is fierce and you will need to begin your enquiries in good time to meet deadlines.

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.

Note that you will need to have received an offer of a place before your application for funding can be considered, so it is important to apply to the University as early as possible.

AHRC logo

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 2013 entry, there are AHRC BGP studentships in the following subjects:

Dance, Drama and Performing Arts
English Language and Literature
Linguistics
Religious Studies

The full AHRC awards for 2013/14 will include a fee waiver and maintenance award. In 2012 the maintenance award was £13,590 (Doctoral) and £9,490 (Masters). Maintenance rates for 2013/14 are yet to be announced by the AHRC. Doctoral awards will be made for three years, subject to satisfactory progress. * Details of the provision and funding offered by the AHRC are available on the AHRC website.

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.

Eligibility:

UK and EU students resident in the UK for 3 years (full award)
EU students not resident in the UK for 3 years (fees only)

(please see AHRC for information on student eligibility)

Deadline: Various (See departmental websites)

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 4 February 2013.

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

FASS logo

Faculty MA Scholarships (fees only)

A number of MA fees-only bursaries are available for students wishing to study for a Masters degree within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. 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 application 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 2013/14 academic year.

Eligibility: All full-time and part-time students
Deadline: Various (See departmental websites)

FASS logo

Faculty 1+3 Scholarships (fees only)

The Faculty is offering a number of 1+3 fees-only bursaries for students wishing to study for a Masters degree followed by a PhD within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Recipients will need to meet their general living expenses themselves. The full terms and conditions are available here.

Eligibility: UK and EU students
Deadline: Various (See departmental websites)

FASS logo

Faculty Research Scholarships (fees only)

The Faculty is offering a number of fees-only scholarships for students wishing to undertake full-time PhD study. Awards will 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.

These awards are administered by individual departments. Applicants wishing to be considered for these awards should contact their prospective department for details of the application process. All applicants must already hold an offer of a place to study in any department in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences and should be due to commence their studies between October 2013 and January 2014. The full terms and conditions are available here.

Eligibility: All full-time and part-time students
Deadline: Various (See departmental websites)

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 to understand and 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 of the application process for 2013 entry will be found, when available, at: http://highwire.lancaster.ac.uk/

AHRC Creative Exchange Studentships

Lancaster University is looking to recruit practice-based researchers with a strong desire to combine practical design project work and knowledge exchange with in-depth study.

More information on the studentships and details of the application process can be found at: http://imagination.lancaster.ac.uk/news/CX_Funded_PhD_Studentships

Departmental awards

See individual departmental webpages for information on departmental awards:

Applied Social Science
Educational Research
English & Creative Writing
European Languages & Cultures
History
Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA)
Law School
Linguistics & English Language - Masters; PhD
Politics, Philosophy & Religion (PPR)
Sociology - Masters; PhD

University funding opportunities

In addition, a number of full and partial bursaries are offered by Lancaster University. Details of all such funding opportunities are available on the University's Postgraduate Funding pages and in a searchable database on the Student Services website. There are also the following:

The Alumni Postgraduate Studentships (worth £1,000) for students who have completed a first degree at Lancaster and wish to continue to postgraduate study here.
The Alumni Opportunity Fund - UK (worth up to £250) for UK Master's and Research Students who run into unexpected financial difficulties post enrolment.
The Peel Studentship Trust (worth up to £2,500) is unique to Lancaster, and is reserved for applicants aged 21 or over on the first day of Michaelmas Term. Both UK and international students may apply, with applications assessed on the basis of academic merit and financial need.
The Lancaster India Centre bursary (worth £12,500) for new Masters students from India.
College awards (worth betwen £500 and £2,000 per annum) from Bowland, County and Grizedale.

UK students

Information about funding opportunities for UK students, including Professional & Career Development Loans and Government Funding, is available from the Student Based Services website. These include:

The Learning & Skills Council operates a Professional & Career Development Loans scheme. Applicants can borrow between £300 and £10,000 to support the cost of up to two years of learning (or three years if it includes one year's relevant unpaid practical work).
Possible sources of Government Funding include Disabled Student's Allowance, Tax Credits, and (for UK part-time students) Government (state) benefits such as housing benefit, income support and council tax benefit.

International students

A number of funding opportunities are available for international students through the British Council, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department for International Development.

UK and International students

The Postgraduate Funding Database allows prospective students (both UK and International) to search and browse comprehensive listings of external sources of PG funding for all academic disciplines.