Some options for obtaining funding are given on this page. See Cambridge Funding Search 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
- Cambridge Trust
- College Studentships
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships
- Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholarships
- Rausing, Williamson and Lipton Studentships
- Wellcome Awards in Medical Humanities and Social Science
- Student loans
- Other sources of funding
Arts and Humanities Research Council: Open-Oxford-Cambridge Doctoral Training Partnership
The Open-Oxford-Cambridge Doctoral Training Partnership offers AHRC-funded studentships for PhD study in the arts and humanities. The consortium is supported by three strategic partners: the BBC World Service, the National Trust and BT.
The studentships are open to applicants from any country, but the majority of studentships are reserved for UK students.
To apply for an AHRC studentship you must submit your PhD application by 1 December 2022. Make sure you complete the AHRC section in the Applicant Portal. You must also complete the and upload it as an additional document in the Applicant Portal.
Students who have already started their PhD may also be eligible to apply for an AHRC studentship. See the website for details.
Cambridge Trust
The Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust offers scholarships for MPhil and PhD study. These include Cambridge International Scholarships (for overseas PhD students), Vice-Chancellor's Awards (for PhD students from the UK and Ireland) and Cambridge Masters Studentships (for MPhil students).
To apply for Cambridge Trust funding you must complete the funding application section of the Applicant Portal. Some scholarships offered by the Cambridge Trust have their own additional application process: see the Trust's website for details.
You must submit your MPhil or PhD application by 1 December 2022 to be eligible for Cambridge Trust funding.
College Studentships
The Colleges offer some studentships to their own students or to applicants who select that College as their first choice. See Cambridge Funding Search or each College's website to find out what is available.
Gates Cambridge Scholarships
The Gates Cambridge Trust offers scholarships for MPhil and PhD study. They are open to applicants from any country other than the UK.
To apply, complete the funding application section of the Applicant Portal, including a 500-word personal statement.
You must also have a Gates Cambridge reference, which is in addition to your two academic references. It is important to ensure that your Gates Cambridge referee is fully briefed about the scholarship and its selection criteria so they can write the most appropriate reference for you.
You must submit your MPhil or PhD application earlier than the usual deadline to be eligible for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship:
- 12 October 2022 is the deadline for US citizens normally resident in the USA.
- 1 December 2022 is the deadline for citizens of all other countries (except the UK) and US citizens normally resident outside the USA. This includes US citizens who are current MPhil students applying to continue to the PhD.
Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholarships
The Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholars Programme offers fully-funded scholarships for PhD study.
To apply, complete the Harding section of the Applicant Portal and submit your PhD application by 1 December 2022.
Rausing, Williamson and Lipton Studentships
The Department of History and Philosophy of Science will automatically consider all applicants for postgraduate study in HPS for trust fund maintenance awards. Assessment will be based on information provided in the Applicant Portal. The number of awards made in any year will be conditional on previous commitments and income generated by the fund. Initial offers of funding will be made in March each year, and awards will continue to be allocated until the application deadline has been reached, or all the available funding has been committed.
Wellcome Awards in Medical Humanities and Social Science
Wellcome Master's Programme Awards
We have a limited number of Wellcome Trust awards (normally one per year) to support students on the Health, Medicine and Society MPhil course. These awards pay all fees (at UK rate only) plus a stipend. All successful applicants will be automatically considered for one of these awards by the HMS course managers.
Wellcome Doctoral Studentships
Wellcome is no longer offering awards for PhD research in humanities or social science of health.
Student loans
UK Government student loans are available for master's and doctoral students. There are also student loan schemes for students from the United States and Canada.
Other sources of funding
British Society for the Philosophy of Science
The British Society for the Philosophy of Science offers one PhD scholarship each year.
British Society for the History of Science
The British Society for the History of Science offers up to three bursaries each year to support students taking a master's degree.
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.
Institute of Medical Ethics
The Institute of Medical Ethics offers scholarships to support UK medical undergraduates who wish to undertake an intercalated degree – such as an MPhil – that has medical ethics as a substantial component.
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.
PhD Completion Grants
The Department of History and Philosophy of Science will consider applications for PhD completion grants of up to £2,500 from PhD students registered in the Department. Students should apply by 1 October, just before they start their 10th term, providing a PhD submission plan that includes an outline of the thesis and estimated completion date. The application should also include a letter of support from the PhD supervisor.
John Forrester and Lisa Appignanesi Travel and Research Expenses Fund
Postgraduate students in the Department can apply for travel or research expenses grants of up to £150 a year to help with the cost of conducting research on their dissertation. These travel grants are primarily aimed at PhD students but are sometimes available to support MPhil students. Please send an email to the Department's administrative staff – in advance of any financial commitment being made – to ask for permission to use these funds. Once you have received confirmation you can claim reimbursement by submitting an expenses claim form with receipts. Funding for research expenses and/or travel is sometimes available through Colleges, so students should check with their College before applying for this funding.
Conference Travel Grants
Postgraduate students in the Department can apply for up to £150 a year to help with the cost of travel to conferences where they are giving a paper (not for attendance only). These travel grants are primarily aimed at PhD students but are sometimes available to support MPhil students. Please send an email to the Department's administrative staff in advance of the conference to ask for permission to use these funds. Once you have received confirmation you can claim reimbursement by submitting an expenses claim form with receipts. Funding for conferences is sometimes available through Colleges, so students should check with their College before drawing on this funding.
Hardship
Students experiencing hardship should consult their College tutor for advice about sources of funding for which they may be eligible. In addition, the Student Registry administers research awards for PhD students who experience hardship as a result of unforeseen changes in their financial circumstances.
Managers of the Department's Williamson, Rausing and Lipton Trust Funds are willing to consider applications out of cycle from genuine hardship cases, as long as the applicant can demonstrate that they have approached all other available sources.