How long: usually 3–4 years full-time. Universities award doctorates; many funded places are offered by doctoral training partnerships and centres. There are also professional doctorates.
Your status: you are a student. A UKRI studentship pays a tax-free stipend of at least £21,805 a year from 1 October 2026 (£23,805 in London) and fees at the home rate (£5,238 in 2026/27). International students can also be funded but may have to contribute to their fees.
How to get in: usually a good bachelor's or master's degree and a research proposal or an application for an advertised project.
Where to look: doctoral positions and calls are published on the websites of universities and their doctoral schools and on EURAXESS, and on UKRI – get a studentship. Programmes in United Kingdom in our database: United Kingdom – 2133 doctoral programmes (as of September 2026) »
Sources: UK Research and Innovation – Get a studentship to fund your doctorate. As of October 2026.
Sources: European Commission – Study in Europe (education.ec.europa.eu/study-in-europe), Eurostat, official national study and residence portals and authorities, Eurodesk, enic-naric.net, studentnews.eu. As of September 2026.
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