UK Research and Innovation Studentships
Discover fully funded postgraduate research opportunities through UKRI Studentships at Cardiff University, where world-class training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global support empower the next generation of researchers.
Our research-intensive profile and strong reputation enable us to secure postgraduate research funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its seven constituent Research Councils:
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
There are a variety of names for the funded schemes, such as Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) and Centres for Doctoral Training (CDT), and more recently Doctoral Landscape Awards and Doctoral Focal Awards. At Cardiff University, we collectively call them Doctoral Training Entities (DTEs).
What to expect
DTE's bring together diverse areas of expertise which aim to train postgraduate research students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become successful researchers who are equipped to tackle today's big questions and future challenges.
They also aim to provide a supportive and stimulating environment for students, often offering broader training or development opportunities, such as language learning, overseas research visits, or placements with non-academic partners. A typical studentship comprises of a stipend, fees and access to funds for research, training and professional development.
Funding
Each DTE has a set number of studentships to award over specific intake years. Whilst there are differences in how each DTE operates, broadly up to 30% of each intake can consist of international studentships. As UKRI only provides funding for UK fees, Cardiff University has chosen to cover the difference between UK and international fees. This means a successful international student will receive a fully-funded scholarship.
Search opportunities
Typically, DTE studentships have an October start date, with recruitment mostly happening around 9 to 12 months in advance.
You can use the PhD studentships and projects page to search for the latest funding opportunities.
