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UK Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships 2026

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The Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships, commonly known as the Leverhulme Centenary Doctoral Scholarships (LCDS), are a new mechanism for the UK to provide funding to students. The Leverhulme Trust established them to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The 2026 call includes fully funded PhD invitations as well as a Master’s + PhD option for underrepresented groups. The initiative’s goal is to promote exceptional, diversified doctoral research while also diversifying the pool of PhD candidates.

Key Features & What It Offers

  • Number of Scholarships per Institution: Each successful UK university can propose 15 standard PhD scholarships (of which up to 3 may be for international students), plus up to 3 additional Master’s + PhD places reserved for UK students from underrepresented groups.

  • Duration:
    • PhD scholarships are up to 48 months (4 years) of full-time tuition + stipend.

    • Master’s + PhD pathway offers up to 60 months in total (1 year Master’s + 4 years PhD) for eligible candidates.

  • Funding Components:
    • Full tuition fees (at UKRI base levels for UK students; for international students, the scholarship covers international fees up to a cap (e.g., approx. £25,000/year) depending on the institution.

    • A maintenance stipend (living allowance) at UKRI base stipend rates for the duration of the PhD.

    • Research and training support fund of £10,000 per student to cover research costs, travel, and training events.

  • Additional Support:
    • Funds for “cohort-building” activities (to create peer networks among scholars).
    • Postdoctoral support opportunities for graduates from this scheme.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Student Eligibility:
    1. Open to both UK/home students and international students (but only a limited number of international places per institution).

    2. For the Master’s + PhD route: UK domiciled students who are from underrepresented socio-economic or ethnic backgrounds, and do not already have a Master’s degree from the host institution.
  2. Institutional Eligibility:
    1. Proposals must come from UK universities with Research Degree Awarding Powers. A university can apply as a single lead or in a consortium with another UK institution (a maximum of 2 universities per consortium).

  3. Ineligible Research Areas: Medical and clinical research, policy-driven clinical trials, commercial application-focused work, or specific database-heavy research are generally not supported.

Application Process & Deadlines

  1. How Applications Work: Universities apply to the Leverhulme Trust for funding; successful universities will then advertise specific PhD positions under this scheme. Individual candidates do not apply directly to Leverhulme for most cases.

  2. Key Deadlines:
    1. Institutional leads must submit proposals by 6 March 2026 (midday UK time).

    2. Universities manage student application windows once they have received funding.

  3. Announcement of Results: Expected by July 2026 for institutions awarded grants. Then universities will recruit students.

Strengths and Challenges

Strengths

  • A very generous and comprehensive funding package: tuition + stipend + research/training support.

  • Emphasis on diversity via the Master’s + PhD route for underrepresented UK groups.

  • Interdisciplinary research encouraged; universities choose thematic priority areas.

Challenges

  • Highly competitive, especially for international students due to limited places.

  • Universities must first win an institutional grant; only then can students apply. So some institutions may not participate.

  • Applicants need to find advertised positions at successful universities and meet the specific criteria for each position.

Conclusion

The Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships 2026 are an excellent opportunity for students globally who want to pursue fully funded PhD (or MA + PhD) studies in the UK. The coverage is broad, including tuition, stipend, and research support, making them among the top-tier scholarships available. Prospective students should monitor which universities win the grants, prepare strong research proposals, and be ready to apply once their chosen institution advertises relevant PhD positions.

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