The University of Warwick is offering up to 80 Postgraduate Research (PGR) Scholarships for PhD study starting in October 2027, with a single application that is considered for six scholarship streams. Each scholarship covers your full academic fees, a tax-free stipend and, in the main streams, a £5,000 Research Training and Support Grant. Course applications close on 7 December 2026 and scholarship applications on 10 December 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the official Warwick Doctoral College page and set out the streams, the eligibility rules and the application steps below.
What Every Warwick PGR Scholarship Includes
💷 Full payment of your academic fees, whether you are a UK or international student
🧾 A tax-free maintenance stipend to support your living costs
⏱️ Full or part-time study, subject to visa requirements; part-time funding is paid at 60% over a proportionally longer period
🏖️ Up to 8 weeks of annual leave per year
⏸️ The option to suspend your studies temporarily, for example for health or personal reasons
♿ Additional support for disabled Postgraduate Researchers
🚀 Access to personal and professional development opportunities
Six Scholarship Streams, One Application
You submit a single application and are considered for these streams:
🏛️ Faculty Chancellors: up to 30 scholarships
🔗 Interdisciplinary Chancellors: up to 12 scholarships
📚 AHRC Doctoral Scholarships: up to 3 scholarships
🌱 Doctoral Access - Pathway: up to 3 scholarships
🕊️ Doctoral Access - Sanctuary: up to 2 scholarships
🏮 China Scholarship Council: up to 30 scholarships
Warwick also lists other PGR funding that uses different application routes, including Centres of Doctoral Training, department scholarships, externally funded scholarships, UK Research Council funding and joint PhD scholarships.
Who Can Apply?
To be considered for any Warwick PGR scholarship you must:
🎓 Apply for an eligible research course at the University of Warwick starting in October 2027: PhD, MPhil/PhD, EngD, or the PhD stage of a Masters+PhD course such as 1+3 or 2+4
📆 Start in the 2027/28 academic year, because scholarships cannot be deferred to a later year
🚫 Not be a current postgraduate research student, as current PGR students are not eligible
The Faculty Chancellors and Interdisciplinary Chancellors streams are open to applicants of any nationality or fee status.
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Faculty Chancellors Scholarships
The largest stream gives you a UKRI-rate stipend for 3.5 years and a £5,000 Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG). You also receive paid leave for family and medical reasons, and eligible international applicants can apply for support towards UK visa and immigration costs. The only additional eligibility requirement is that you are of any nationality or fee status.
Interdisciplinary Chancellors Scholarships
This stream offers the same package: a UKRI-rate stipend for 3.5 years, a £5,000 RTSG, paid family and medical leave and the chance to apply for visa and immigration cost support. To be considered you must:
✅ Indicate in your scholarship application that you wish to be considered for this funding
🧪 Propose an interdisciplinary research project aligned to one or more Research Spotlights or a Research Centre
🌐 Be of any nationality or fee status
📝 Complete the Interdisciplinary Chancellors Scholarship statement in the application to show you meet the additional criteria
AHRC Doctoral Scholarships
The AHRC stream also provides a UKRI-rate stipend for 3.5 years, a £5,000 RTSG, paid family and medical leave and the option to apply for visa and immigration cost support. You must propose a research project within the Arts and Humanities Research Council remit and be of any nationality or fee status.
Doctoral Access - Pathway
This stream gives a UKRI-rate stipend for 3.5 years, a £5,000 RTSG, paid family and medical leave and the option to apply for visa and immigration cost support. To be considered you must:
✅ Indicate in your scholarship application that you wish to be considered for this funding
🤝 Self-identify as Black or of Black heritage
🌐 Be of any nationality or fee status
📝 Complete the Doctoral Access (Pathway) Scholarship statement in the application
Doctoral Access - Sanctuary
This stream gives a UKRI-rate stipend for 4 years, a £5,000 RTSG, paid family and medical leave and the option to apply for visa and immigration cost support. You must indicate in your application that you wish to be considered, be of any nationality or fee status, and hold one of the UK government recognised statuses below. If you are unsure whether your status is eligible, Warwick encourages you to contact them for guidance before applying.
🛡️ You applied for asylum in the UK, either yourself or as a dependant (spouse, partner or child). Spouses and civil partners must have been in that relationship when the asylum application was submitted, and children or step-children must have been under 18 at that time
📄 You received a decision on an asylum claim and hold Refugee Status, Humanitarian Protection, Limited Leave to Remain or Discretionary Leave to Remain, or another temporary status linked to your asylum claim
🎓 You are currently supported by the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA)
You must upload evidence of a relevant Home Office status with your scholarship application.
China Scholarship Council Stream
This stream combines support from two sources:
🏮 From the China Scholarship Council: a CSC-rate stipend for up to 4 years (less for current students) and return international airfare between the UK and China
🏛️ From Warwick: a stipend enhancement to the UKRI rate for up to 4 years (less for current students)
To be considered you must:
✅ Indicate in your scholarship application that you wish to be considered for this funding
📬 Hold an unconditional eligible course offer by 21 January 2027, or be within the first 12 months of an eligible course in October 2027; accepted outstanding conditions are completing a degree or obtaining ATAS clearance
🛂 Hold a People's Republic of China passport and either be permanently resident in China or studying overseas; applicants from Hong Kong or Taiwan are not eligible, and neither are those working overseas
📋 Meet the CSC eligibility requirements, especially if you are studying or have studied overseas
📝 Complete the China Scholarship Council statement in the application
Applications from any research area are welcome, and 12 CSC Priority Areas are identified. Candidates who apply through CSC-direct routes or transfer from other institutions are not automatically considered for the Warwick-funded elements.
Key Dates
All deadlines are at 16:59 GMT and late submissions are not accepted.
📅 5 October 2026: the call for applications opens
📝 7 December 2026: course applications
🎯 10 December 2026: scholarship applications
✉️ 21 December 2026: references
📣 25 January 2027: mid-stage notification
🏁 5 March 2027: offers released
How to Apply Step by Step
Warwick advises preparing well in advance, because it is not usually possible to complete and submit an application in less than 36 hours.
1️⃣ Read the PGR Scholarship Competency-Based Assessment Criteria and the Applicant Guidance Notes
2️⃣ Submit your course application by the course application deadline
3️⃣ Receive an automated email with a 7-digit applicant ID number; allow at least 48 hours for it to arrive
4️⃣ Register your ITS applicant account; the Doctoral College cannot issue ID numbers
5️⃣ Submit your scholarship application and any supporting documents by the scholarship deadline; word limits are counted by the scholarships portal and may differ from other word processors
6️⃣ Results are communicated by email by 5 March 2027
Our guide to writing a scholarship motivation letter can help with the written parts of your application.
Joint PhD Scholarships at Warwick
Warwick also offers joint PhD scholarships with partner universities, where applicants are nominated by their academic department. Speak with your prospective supervisor about the Monash-Warwick Alliance Joint PhD Scholarships, the Eutopia Cotutelle Scholarships and the SJTU-Warwick Joint PhD Scholarships. For other options in the country, see our overview of government scholarships in Europe, which includes Chevening.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Warwick PGR scholarships are available?
Warwick offers up to 80 scholarships across six streams for Autumn 2027 entry: up to 30 Faculty Chancellors, 12 Interdisciplinary Chancellors, 3 AHRC Doctoral, 3 Doctoral Access - Pathway, 2 Doctoral Access - Sanctuary and 30 China Scholarship Council.
What do the scholarships cover?
They cover your full academic fees, a tax-free maintenance stipend and, in the main streams, a UKRI-rate stipend for 3.5 years with a £5,000 Research Training and Support Grant. Eligible international applicants can also apply for support towards UK visa and immigration costs.
Can international students apply?
Yes. The Faculty Chancellors, Interdisciplinary Chancellors, AHRC Doctoral, Pathway and Sanctuary streams are open to applicants of any nationality or fee status. The China Scholarship Council stream is only for holders of a People's Republic of China passport.
Do I apply for the course and the scholarship separately?
Yes. You first submit a course application by 7 December 2026, then a scholarship application by 10 December 2026. You submit one scholarship application that is considered for all streams you are eligible for.
Can current PhD students apply?
No. Current postgraduate research students are not eligible to apply.
Can I defer the scholarship to a later year?
No. Applicants must start in the 2027/28 academic year, and scholarships cannot be deferred.
When will I hear the result?
Offers are released by 5 March 2027, with a mid-stage notification on 25 January 2027.
Deadline
⏳ 10 December 2026
Links
🌐 Apply for the scholarship: https://scholarships.warwick.ac.uk/apply/scholarship/81b0f648-b744-498d-ae12-b940c10f0c1e
📖 Official scholarship competitions page: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/dc/schols_fund/applicants/competitions/
