To celebrate 200 years of innovation and the commitment to supporting life-changing breakthroughs in research, the University of Manchester is proud to announce the Faculty of Science and Engineering Bicentenary PhD Studentships for postgraduate researchers. Commencing in September 2026, 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

ELIGIBILITY:

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 September 2026.

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.

BENEFIT:

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.