The Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarships 2026
📖 About The Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarships
The Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships programme is a flagship funding initiative designed to strengthen doctoral education in the UK. It enables universities to create ambitious, interdisciplinary doctoral training programmes aligned with institutional research priorities.
The scheme emphasizes:
- Cohort-based learning
- Research excellence
- Inclusivity
- Long-term academic impact
Under the programme, selected universities receive substantial funding to support doctoral scholars, structured training, research development, and postdoctoral progression, ensuring sustainability over nearly a decade.
💰 Benefits of The Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarships
Ten awards of up to £5 million each are made to eligible UK universities. Each award supports:
- 24 four-year doctoral scholarships
- Up to 6 additional students through a combined master’s plus PhD pathway
- Three annual doctoral cohorts to ensure continuity and scale
- Programme duration of up to 9 years
📋 Requirements for The Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholarships
In addition to the 24 four-year doctoral scholarship places, institutions may also recruit six students to a master’s plus PhD programme. Students wishing to pursue the master’s plus PhD route need to fulfil the following criteria:
- Be a UK domiciled student
- Not already have a master’s degree from the host institution
- Be from a low-income household background, evidenced by:
- Being in receipt of a full maintenance loan or Special Support loan during undergraduate studies
AND/OR
- Belong to one of the following categories of ethnicity:
- Black African
- Black Caribbean
- Black Other
- Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
- Mixed – White and Black African
- Other mixed background (including Black African, Black Caribbean, and Black Other)
📅 Application Date and Process
- Application Deadline: 06 March, 2026
- Visit the official application portal to apply:
This opportunity offers a remarkable chance to pursue advanced education in the UK with substantial funding and support. Make sure to check your eligibility and apply before the deadline!
- Ten awards of up to £5 million each are made to eligible UK universities.
- Each award supports:
- 24 four-year doctoral scholarships
- Up to 6 additional students through a combined master’s plus PhD pathway
- Three annual doctoral cohorts to ensure continuity and scale
- Programme duration of up to 9 years
