Bicentenary PhD Studentships
Your future starts here
Discover more about our Bicentenary PhD Studentships.
At Manchester you can follow in the footsteps of brilliant researchers, at the place where the atom was split, graphene was discovered, and AI was born.
To celebrate 200 years of innovation and our commitment to supporting life-changing breakthroughs in research, we are proud to announce the Faculty of Science and Engineering Bicentenary PhD Studentships for postgraduate researchers.
About the studentship
Commencing in September 2025, the studentship will provide more than 45 fully funded PhD scholarships for projects across major research themes within the Faculty:
- Digital and AI
- Environment and climate change
- Health inequalities
- Creative industries
You will:
- Receive a fully funded studentship covering tuition fees and an annual stipend at the UKRI rate (2025 / 26: £20,780 per year) for four years.
- Make life-changing breakthroughs in the research area you're passionate about, supported by an expert supervisory team who will ensure there are no limits to what you achieve.
- Become part of our Doctoral Academy and join a diverse community, where everyone is welcome and where people who think differently enjoy calling home.
- At a world-leading research institute with strong industry links you'll gain the experience, reputation and profile to accelerate your development.
Available projects
Search for a project
Please use the Find a PhD search below to find projects which are eligible for this funding.
What you need to do
In order to be considered for this scholarship, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Have submitted an application by the deadline for a PhD starting in January 2025.
- Hold (or expect to achieve) a First Class or 2:1 UK honours degree (or international equivalent).
- Ideally hold a master’s-level qualification at merit or distinction (or international equivalent).
- Be able to demonstrate potential for academic research. This may include contributions to publications/articles, promoting their research to a wider audience, and prizes for research or project work.
- We will only consider candidates who hold a formal offer for a place on one of our PhD programmes.
Equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and are at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact. We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.
We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder).
All appointments are made on merit.
- Choose your research project using the filter above.
- Find your supervisor. They should be listed on the project advertisement but if you have any questions, please contact the Doctoral Academy Admissions Team.
- This scholarship works on a nomination basis so it’s important you make sure you have had significant contact with your supervisory team during the application process and that they are aware that you wish to be considered for funding.
- Complete your application prior to the advertised funding deadline (see key dates below). Specify in the funding section of your PhD application form that you wish to be considered for the Bicentenary PhD Studentships.
Each Department will be invited to nominate candidates to Faculty – if nominated you will then be invited to an interview.
Please view the project for application deadlines. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis until all studentships have been awarded.
Have any questions? Get in touch.
Queries regarding the application process can be sent to the Doctoral Academy Admissions Office.
Email: FSE.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 161 529 3049
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