Research scholarships

Research scholarships

TitleCountry/ NationalityDescriptionStatus
Arts and Humanities Council (AHRC) - CHASESee RCUK residency criteriaFor research degree (MPhil/PhD) in the Arts and Humanities (New admissions and current students).Closed for 2024/25
AHRC Research Training Support GrantNot applicableFor current AHRC Studentship award holders at SOAS (Current students only).Open
AHRC/CHASE Collaborative Doctoral Award PhD StudentshipUK/InternationalAHRC/CHASE Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDAs) are open to academic supervisors at CHASE's member institutions to develop a project in collaboration with an organisation outside of Higher Education.
PhD students will be able to apply for a successful CDA project from the beginning of March 2024. These will be advertised on the CHASE website. The PhD will commence in October 2024.
Closed 
The Bhagavan Mahavira PhD ScholarshipUK or OverseasOne 3-year PhD Scholarship in Jaina Studies providing £41,652 for tuition fees, with the remaining amount to be paid directly to the scholar as a stipend.Open for 2025/26
Bloomsbury Colleges PhD StudentshipsOpen to UK and Overseas. However, tuition up to the home level is covered by the award

The Bloomsbury Colleges is a consortium of six University of London colleges. Two MPhil/PhD studentships of 3 year's duration (new admissions only) will be available for 2024/25 at SOAS for the following project:

**Please follow only the below links to apply for each studentship

For PhD Law: WASH, AMR and Environmental Justice: Addressing the Challenges in the Global South

For PhD Development Studies: Land grabbing in South-East Asia: the effects of the EU market and biodiversity and forest strategies

Closed for 2024/25
Brough Sanskrit AwardsAny3 awards of up to £1200 for SOAS postgraduate research and master's students who use Sanskrit in the work and will use the funds for fieldwork, conference or workshop attendance (Current students only).Closed
Centre for Global Finance (CGF) Scholarship1 award for a UK student and 1 for an international (New Admissions only)For research degree (MPhil/PhD) in Finance and Management - September 2023 entry only who thesis topic focuses on the research programme of the CGF.Closed
Doctoral School grantsAnyAs part of Early Career Researcher development, SOAS offers funding to PhD students for language training, conference attendance, student-led initiatives and fieldwork (Current students only).Open
SOAS School of ArtsUK/Home Rate only1 full-time student a Doctoral scholarship for students of Chinese Art History on behalf of Tim LiangOpen
CSJR Postgraduate Student BursaryAnyFor full-time/Part-time Research Degree: Religions and Philosophies in JAPANESE RELIGIONS (Department of Religions and Philosophies, School of History, Religions and Philosophies) (New admissions only).Closed for 2024/25
Economics and Social Research Council (ESRC) UBEL StudentshipsSee RCUK residency criteriaResearch Degree (MPhil/PhD): in Anthropology & Sociology; Research Degree (MPhil/PhD): in International Development (Department of Development Studies); Research Degree (MPhil/PhD): in Development Economics (Department of Economics); Research Degree (MPhil/PhD): in Law; Research Degree (MPhil/PhD): in Gender Studies; Research Degree (MPhil/PhD): in Politics and International Studies; Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD): Linguistics.Closed for 2024/25
Edgar Graham PrizeAnyFor part-time or full-time MPhil/PhD Development Studies (new admissions only for September 2024)Closed for 2024/25
Elisabeth Croll Scholarship for fieldwork in ChinaAnyFor students currently enrolled in an MPhil/PhD degree programme at SOAS planning to undertake fieldwork in China, including mainland China and Taiwan (Current students only).Not available for 2024/25
ERC/UKRI Project Maqām Beyond Nation StudentshipUK or Overseas Any full-time MPhil/PhD Degree programme relating to the Project title and details (new admissions only)Closed for 2024/25
Felix ScholarshipsIndiaFor any full-time MPhil/PhD degree programme (New admissions only).Closed for 2024/25
Felix Scholarship Non-IndianPriority to Nationals of Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Palestinian territories living in their country of originAny full-time MPhil/PhD degree programme (New admissions only)Closed for 2024/25
Fürer Haimendorf Fund for Anthropological Field ResearchAnyA Doctoral school grant for Field work or travels costs for current students studying Anthropology.Open
Kamran Djam ScholarshipsAnyFor full-time MPhil/PhD (New admissions only) in any of the following subject areas: Persian Language, Persian Literature and Iranian History.Closed for 2024/25
Kanji Swami MPhil/PhD ScholarshipAnyFull-time MPhil / PhD (new admissions only, starting in September 2023) in the following fields of Jaina Studies, i) Kanji Swami Studies, ii) Digambara Jaina Studies (with or without relevant languages), at the Department of History, Religions and Philosophies (Full-time, new admissions only).Closed for 2024/25
Leverhulme Research Leadership Award PhD studentship: The Social Life of Law in Authoritarian Contexts2x Studentships for Home or OverseasThe studentship is offered as part of the Leverhulme Research Leadership Award The Social Life of Law in Authoritarian Contexts. For full-time MPhil/PhD (New admissions only) Closed for 2024/25
Meiji Jingu Japanese Studies Research ScholarshipsAnyIn Japanese studies - Two scholarships are offered annually, either for existing PhD students at SOAS, or newly enrolling full-time MPhil students. Students may be registered in any department, and be of any nationality, but must be working on some aspect of Japanese Studies (Current students and New admissions).Closed for 2024/25
Neil Kreitman ScholarshipAnyFor full-time MPhil/PhD students, which involves undertaking research in the field of  Buddhist art, architecture or archaeology of Gandhara or of another Northern Central Asian Buddhist Culture.Closed for 2024/25
PhD Studentship in the Feminist Centre for Radical JusticeUKHome/UK tuition fees and a stipend of £12,000. Any new full time MPhil/PhD Programme in Politics & International StudiesClosed for 2024/25
Saraswati Dalmia ScholarshipAnyFor full-time or part-time Mphil/PhD which involves undertaking research in the field of Indian art from 1500 up to the present day. Preference will be given to those who undertake research in the field of modern and contemporary Indian art (Current first-year students and New admissions).Closed for 2024/25
Sasakawa Postgraduate StudentshipsAnyFor any full-time research programme which focuses on any aspect of Japan (Current students and New admissions).Closed for 2024/25
Shapoorji Pallonji ScholarshipsAnyFull-time MPhil PhD (new admissions only, starting in September 2024) in the following subject areas:i) Zoroastrianism, both ancient and modern ii) Zoroastrianism with Avestan, Pahlavi, Persian or Gujarati languages.Closed for 2024/25
SOAS Research StudentshipsCheck specific eligibility criteriaFull-time MPhil PhD (new admissions only, starting in September 2024). Closed for 2024/25
Sochon Foundation ScholarshipAnyIn Korean Studies (New admissions).Closed for 2024/25
Tibawi Trust AwardsPalestinianFor Palestinian postgraduate students currently enrolled on a programme at SOAS. Available for fieldwork and conferences (Current students only).Open