Kent Business School is looking to award up to three PhD GTA scholarships to highly motivated students. These scholarships are open to both home and international students.

Awardees of such hold a unique position in the University; they are both registered PhD students in receipt of a scholarship and employees of the University. 

ELIGIBILITY:

The Kent Business School (KBS) Research Scholarship is open to applicants from any country. Please note that international students must have the appropriate documentation to evidence eligibility to work in the UK. The method of determining tuition fee status is complex and follows guidelines issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs. 

Successful candidates will demonstrate excellent research potential and will have obtained a first-class or 2:1 undergraduate degree, along with a master’s with at least a merit but preferably a distinction, in a relevant subject (current master’s students can submit a partial transcript).

Applicants must have a minimum overall score of 7.0 in an IELTS test. This requirement may not be required if an applicant is a national of a majority English-speaking country or has completed a qualification equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree in a majority English-speaking country.

Successful applications will normally meet all of the qualification criteria (degrees and IELTS score). However, applicants falling short of these but with an exceptional research proposal and references may be considered.

Open to applicants from any country. Please note that international students must have the appropriate documentation to evidence eligibility to work in the UK. Further information can be found on these guidance pages. 

Open to all new postgraduate research applicants applying for September 2026 entry (current Kent research students are not eligible).

Scholarship cannot be deferred.

Please note that students who have already started their PhD are not eligible for this scholarship.

BENEFIT:

The GTA will cover tuition fees at either the home or international tuition fee rate and will carry a combined maintenance grant and salary equivalent to the Research Councils UK National Minimum Doctoral Stipend (£20,780 for 2025/26). The scholarship will be offered for one year in the first instance, renewable for an additional 2.5 years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.