Warwick's central 2027 postgraduate-research scholarship competition offers up to 80 fully funded PhD places for October 2027 entry, including the Chancellor's streams for outstanding international and EU applicants. One single scholarship application is considered across all six streams; the package pays full fees (UK or overseas rate), a tax-free UKRI-rate maintenance stipend for 3.5 years, and a £5,000 research grant. You must apply for the PhD course first, then submit the separate scholarship application by 10 December 2026.
Why it is notable: One application competes for six schemes at once — no separate forms per stream. The hidden mechanics: the course application (7 Dec) and scholarship application (10 Dec) are TWO different submissions on two different portals, references have their own deadline (21 Dec), and Warwick warns it is "not usually possible to complete and submit an application in less than 36 hours".
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full payment of academic fees (UK or international rate)
Tax-free maintenance stipend at the UKRI rate for 3.5 years
£5,000 Research, Training and Support Grant (RTSG) — research-related expenses, training, conferences
For eligible international applicants: opportunity to apply for support towards UK visa and immigration costs
Up to 8 weeks annual leave per year
Paid leave for family and medical reasons
Option to suspend studies temporarily if needed (e.g. health/personal reasons)
Additional support for disabled postgraduate researchers
Access to personal and professional development opportunities
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor PhDMasters/MPhilfor PhD
This scholarship is offered for PhD, MPhil/PhD, EngD and the PhD stage of combined courses (e.g. 1+3, 2+4) beginning in October 2027.
Who can apply
Any nationality or fee status (official page: "Be of any nationality or fee status"). The Chancellor's streams are targeted at outstanding international/EU applicants assessed at overseas fee status.
Experience
No experience required — assessed against the PGR Scholarship Competency-Based Assessment Criteria (check the official guidance notes).
Language Certificate
Course-dependent — meet the English-language requirements of your chosen Warwick department/research course.
Other Certificates
Per the course application (transcripts, degree evidence).
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Check your eligibility
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
All nationalities eligible; no exclusions (Chancellor's streams aimed at international/EU fee-status applicants).
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Qualification
Bachelor's (or Master's where the department requires) meeting the entry requirements of the chosen Warwick PGR course.
02
Documents
Course application with transcripts/degree evidence/research proposal; separate scholarship application written to the competency-based criteria (portal word counts apply).
03
Language
English-language evidence per the chosen department's requirements.
04
Essays/answers
Scholarship application answers assessed against the published Competency-Based Assessment Criteria — prepare well in advance (Warwick: not usually completable in under 36 hours).
05
References
Referees must submit by 21 December 2026, 16:59 GMT.
06
Fee
No separate scholarship fee stated; standard course-application fees (if any) apply.
Document checklist
01Course application (Warwick admissions portal) with transcripts, degree evidence, research proposal/statement per departmental requirements
02Scholarship application (scholarships.warwick.ac.uk) — written to the Competency-Based Assessment Criteria, observing portal word counts
03References (submitted by referees by 21 December 2026)
Do I need to submit separate applications for each scholarship stream?
No — you submit a single application and are considered for all streams you are eligible for.
Can I apply for a Master's with this competition?
No — the competition is for postgraduate research courses only: PhD, MPhil/PhD, EngD and the PhD stage of combined courses.
Do I need to apply for the course first?
Yes — submit the course application by 7 December 2026, then the scholarship application by 10 December 2026. All deadlines are 16:59 GMT; late submissions are not accepted.
What does the award cover?
Full academic fees (UK or international), a tax-free UKRI-rate maintenance stipend for 3.5 years, a £5,000 RTSG, visa/immigration cost support for eligible international applicants, family/medical paid leave, and researcher development.
Can I defer the scholarship?
No — scholarships cannot be deferred to a future academic year; you must start in 2027/28.
Can current Warwick PhD students apply?
No — current postgraduate research students are not eligible.
When will I hear the outcome?
Mid-stage notification 25 January 2027; offers released by email by 5 March 2027.
Can I study part-time?
Yes — full or part-time options (subject to visa requirements); part-time funding is 60% with a proportionally longer funding period.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
United Kingdom · University of Warwick