Department of History and Philosophy of Science

Funding for graduate students

Some options for obtaining funding are given on this page. See the CamFunds database for details of other awards that are available.

We recommend that you apply for all funding for which you are eligible. Do not wait for the outcome of one application before submitting other applications.

Please note that the Department has no general funds to help students meet the costs of fees and maintenance.

Arts and Humanities Research Council

The Arts and Humanities Research Council offers awards for MPhil and PhD study to students from the UK and European Union. A full studentship, which covers all fees and a maintenance allowance, is offered to those meeting UK residency criteria; EU nationals resident in the EEA may be eligible for a fees-only studentship.

To be eligible for an AHRC award, you must submit your graduate application by 13 January 2012. Make sure you tick the AHRC box in Section B of the GRADSAF form.

You must also complete a separate AHRC application form, which is available from the website below, and submit it to the Department by 13 January 2012. On this form you will need to write a 500-word statement of purpose (for an MPhil) or research proposal (for a PhD). This is not the same as the statement or proposal that you include in your graduate application: see the website below for an explanation of what to include in the statement or proposal.

Further information about AHRC studentships

Cambridge Trusts

The Gates Cambridge Trust, Cambridge Commonwealth Trust and Cambridge Overseas Trust offer scholarships and part-cost bursaries to students from overseas and the European Union (excluding the UK) for MPhil and PhD study.

To apply for Cambridge Trusts funding you need to complete section B of the GRADSAF form and submit a personal reference.

Please note that you will need to submit you graduate application earlier than the usual deadline to be eligible for Cambridge Trusts funding. The deadline for applicants from the USA applying for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship is 15 October 2011; for all other Cambridge Trusts applicants the deadline is 2 December 2011.

Rausing Studentships

A Rausing Studentship is open to anyone who is, or is about to be, registered as a Graduate Student in the University, and who intends to undertake advanced study or research in the history and philosophy of science, excluding history of medicine. Funding is not normally provided for an MPhil course.

Studentships are tenable for one year in the first instance, and may be renewed up to a maximum tenure of three years. Their value will be determined by the Managers, taking account of any other financial resources available to the student. Recipients of Rausing Studentships will be required to submit a brief Annual Report to the Secretary of the Fund by 24 June each year.

New applications and applications for renewal must be made on the application form. The form asks for (a) a clear statement of the course of advanced study or research that the applicant proposes to pursue, (b) a full curriculum vitae, (c) a full financial statement (applicants are expected to demonstrate in this statement that they have applied for all other grants for which they are eligible), and (d) the names of two referees, who should be asked to send references direct to the Secretary of the Fund by 24 June.

All applications should be received by the Secretary of the Fund, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RH by 24 June 2012.

Application form for Rausing and Williamson studentships

Raymond and Edith Williamson Studentships

Williamson Studentships are open to anyone who is, or is about to be, registered as a Graduate Student in the University, and who intends to undertake advanced study or research in the history of biological sciences, including medicine. Funding is not normally provided for an MPhil course.

Studentships are tenable for one year in the first instance and may be renewed up to a maximum tenure of three years. The value will be determined by the Managers, taking account of any other financial resources available to the student; the maximum value being £6,500 a year. Recipients of Williamson Studentships will be required to submit a brief Annual Report to the Secretary of the Fund by 24 June each year.

New applications and applications for renewal must be made on the application form. The form asks for (a) a clear statement of the course of advanced study or research that the applicant proposes to pursue, (b) a full curriculum vitae, (c) a full financial statement (applicants are expected to demonstrate in this statement that they have applied for all other grants for which they are eligible), and (d) the names of two referees, who should be asked to send references direct to the Secretary of the Fund by 24 June.

All applications should be received by the Secretary of the Fund, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RH by 24 June 2012.

Application form for Rausing and Williamson studentships

Cambridge International Scholarships

Cambridge International Scholarships are offered to overseas students studying for a PhD. They cover the full cost of fees and maintenance.

You will need to submit your graduate application by 2 December 2011 to be considered for an award. There is no additional application form.

Further information about Cambridge International Scholarships

Cambridge Home and European Union Scholarship Scheme

Cambridge Home and EU Scholarships are open to UK and EU students studying for an MPhil or PhD. Applicants must have applied for an award from a UK Research Council (such as the AHRC) if they are eligible.

You must submit your graduate application by 13 January 2012 to be considered for an award. There is no additional application form.

Further information about Cambridge Home and EU Scholarships

Wellcome Trust Awards in History of Medicine

Wellcome Master’s Awards

The Department is one of the UK centres able to put forward one candidate each year for a Wellcome Master's award. Awards pay a stipend and all compulsory university and college fees at the UK home postgraduate student level only. Applicants should have a minimum of an excellent upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.

Funded students will be expected to write two essays and the dissertation in history of medicine, broadly understood to include much history of life sciences and public health. Strong preference is given to applicants intending to go on to a PhD in history of medicine.

The Department is responsible for nominations. Applicants should indicate their interest in an award on their GRADSAF form.

Further information about Wellcome Master's Awards

Doctoral Studentship on ‘Generation to Reproduction’

The University invites applications for one doctoral studentship funded by a Wellcome strategic award in history of medicine. We seek outstanding candidates whose research would fall within the theme 'Generation to Reproduction'.

Further information about Doctoral Studentships on 'Generation to Reproduction'

Wellcome Doctoral Studentships

Awards pay a stipend, a set amount to cover conference travel, research expenses and, where justified, the cost of overseas fieldwork travel, as well as all compulsory university and college fees at the UK home postgraduate student level. Fees at the overseas rate will not be provided. Awards enable young scholars to undertake up to three years of full-time research on a history of medicine topic leading to a doctoral degree. Strong preference is given to applicants intending to make a long-term academic career in the subject.

Applicants should hold a Master's in the history of medicine or a Master's with strong emphasis on the history of medicine. (If specialist language skills are essential to undertake the research, a Master's in the language required may be acceptable.) The proposed project must fall within the history of medicine, broadly understood. If you are not sure whether or not your interest falls within the scheme, you are strongly advised to discuss it with a prospective supervisor. The application must be sponsored by a senior member of the Department, who would supervise the student if an award were made, and must be submitted through the Department. Prospective applicants should note that only a very small number of doctoral studentships is awarded each year and that competition for them is intense.

The Department is responsible for nominating applicants. If you would like to be nominated, you should submit a preliminary application to the Department no later than 9 January 2012.

Further information about Wellcome Doctoral Studentships

Wellcome Research Expenses Awards

These awards are open to self-funded, part-time and full-time doctoral students in history of medicine.

Further information about Wellcome Research Expenses Awards

Other sources of funding

College studentships

Several Cambridge Colleges offer studentships to their own students or to applicants who put that College first on the preference list. See CamFunds or each College's website for more information.

Tarner Studentship

This a three-year studentship for a student undertaking a PhD in the philosophy of science or the history of scientific ideas. The successful candidate becomes a member of Trinity College. Applications for this studentship must be submitted by 27 January 2012.

Further information about the Tarner Studentship

Soon-Young Kim Studentship in the History of East Asian Science and Technology

The Needham Research Institute offers a studentship for research in the history of science and technology in modern Korea, Japan or China, or the history of modern medicine in any of these countries.

Further information about the Soon-Young Kim Studentship

Microsoft PhD Scholarships

The Department may apply to Microsoft on behalf of a student accepted for the PhD for a generous scholarship for doctoral research in the history, philosophy and sociology of science, technology and medicine as it relates to computing.

Students interested in this award should make informal contact with the Department well before submitting their PhD application, indicating the likely area of their proposed research.

Further information about the Microsoft Research PhD Scholarship

Cambridge Philosophical Society

The Cambridge Philosophical Society awards research studentships, either to provide for the continuation of an exceptionally promising piece of research beyond the usual standard of the PhD, or to allow extra time for the completion of a PhD thesis which has been delayed by circumstances outside the applicant's control. Applicants must be fellows of the Society of at least one year's standing.

Royal Historical Society

The Royal Historical Society offers a number of research grants for those undertaking postgraduate research. Funds are available to subsidise attendance at conferences and training courses, and to help defray the costs of archival visits.

Hardship

Students experiencing hardship should consult their College tutor for advice about sources of funding for which they may be eligible. In addition, the Board of Graduate Studies administers research awards for PhD students who experience hardship as a result of unforeseen changes in their financial circumstances.

Links
Board of Graduate Studies: funding
CamFunds – funding database