PhD Studentships for October 2025 start

Kingston University has established an international reputation for high quality, innovative research. Our research degree students are a core part of this.

We are again seeking to make a substantial investment in up to 20 new PhD studentships enrolling in late September 2025. These include targeted awards for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students and for Kingston alumni.

We are looking for students with expertise that matches our areas of research excellence. Application for these highly competitive research studentships is now open.

Deadline: 5 March 2025

More information on the research areas can be found by following the faculty links below:

Learn more about:

Funding available

There are three different levels of funding available for new students: fully funded, partially funded, and fees only, all at the home fee rate.

  • Full-time and Part-time applications are welcome: Funding for part-time study will be pro rata at 50% of the full-time rate.
  • Overseas fee-paying candidates: Applicants must be intending to study in the UK, not be based in their home country. These awards will cover Home fees only. If you are selected for interview you will need to demonstrate that you can fund the difference in fees for each year of your registration. For the academic year 2025/26, international fees are £17,300. Home fees have not yet been confirmed but are likely to be around £5,000. The difference between home fees and international fees is £11,814 for the academic year 2024/25 and it should be noted that tuition fees increase slightly each year. You would therefore need to find at least £35,442 over the 3 years, plus the yearly increase.
    Note that the Immigration Health (NHS) Surcharge must be paid before arrival in the UK and has recently increased. You can use the UK Government calculator to determine how much you will need to pay.

Note that if you were shortlisted for the Techne 2025 funding competition but were unsuccessful you will automatically be considered for these awards.

Fully-funded studentships

Up to 15 awards are available.

Fees: Home tuition fees only for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time. For 2023/24 this is £4,712 full-time or £2,356 part-time.

Stipend: 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time.

The full-time doctoral stipend for 2023/24 is £20,622 per year; levels are likely to rise slightly for the following years but have not yet been confirmed.

Applications for part-time study are welcomed and will receive pro-rata funding for both tuition fees and stipend.

Race Equality studentships

Fully-funded Studentships for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic applicants (Home students only)

We encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students and have set aside a number of the studentships listed above for applicants who identify as having these ethnic backgrounds. In addition to the funding, there will be a programme of support and mentoring available to you.

Successful applicants will be offered a place on our RISE Research Leadership Academy, which is designed to develop candidates' leadership skills within academia.

Note that these awards are open to Home fee-paying students only. Read more about who is eligible for home fee status.

To apply, please follow the process listed below and state ‘Race Equality Studentship' at the top of your Studentship Application Statement.

Once we have confirmed the availability of a potential supervisory team, we will offer application and interview support through a faculty mentor who will be a member of academic staff. To access support in advance of submitting your application please email the relevant Research Student Coordinator (listed below) and ask to be put in touch with a mentor in your subject area.

We are also hoping to have current research students with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds available to discuss their experiences with you. If you would like to take up this opportunity, please email rachel.graham@kingston.ac.uk to arrange an informal online meeting or phone call.

Note that a representative from the Kingston University People of Colour Staff Network will be part of the awarding panel.

Unsuccessful applicants who reach the interview stage will be offered a feedback meeting to assist with future applications.

Watch a video from one of our current award holders, Salema Foot, whose research focuses on the academic lived experiences of Black postgraduate students in the UK.

Read more about Kingston's approach to reducing the degree awarding gap.

Kingston Alumni studentships

At least one of the fully-funded PhD studentships listed above will be awarded to a Kingston Alumni who has completed an undergraduate and/or masters level degree course at Kingston University or its predecessor institutions. Please note 'KU Alumni application' on your Studentship Application Statement.

Partial studentships

Up to 5 awards are available.

Total contribution to fees and stipend: £11,000 per year for three years full-time or £5,500 per year for six years part-time. Payments will be made towards tuition fees and any remaining funds will be paid as a stipend.

Tuition Fees only studentships

Up to 5 awards are available.

Fees: UK Home tuition fees only for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time.

Awards will cover UK Home tuition fees for three years of full-time study or the part-time equivalent. For 2023/24 this is £4,712 full-time or £2,356 part-time.

How to apply

If you would like to apply for a Studentship at Kingston University, please follow the steps below.

Academic and administrative staff will be happy to help with queries but please note that they are available during working hours only and some staff work part time, so please give yourself plenty of time to complete the application.

Ensure you have included all the relevant documents, including English language certificates if applicable. A list is under Step 3 below. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Apply by: 5 March 2025 (midnight, UK time). Applications received after this time will not be considered. If you have not heard from us by 4 April, your application has been unsuccessful.

Eligibility

To apply you must:

  • have (or expect to have by 30 September 2024) a postgraduate masters degree or a first/upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed research project. Equivalent professional experience may also be accepted.
  • be intending to research in an area that is covered by Kingston University research expertise.
  • if you are not from an English-speaking country or have not studied at a UK university before, you must provide proof of Internet-based IELTS at a minimum overall score of 6.5 or 7 (or equivalent qualification). The requirement varies by subject, so please see our English Language Requirements for further details. Note that the qualification must be dated no earlier than 30 September 2021.

Please note that:

  • Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
    All documents must be uploaded to the application, including evidence of English language qualifications, if applicable.
  • Current doctoral students are not eligible to apply.
  • Tuition fees will be paid at Home level only for 3 years. Overseas fee-paying students may apply but, if short-listed, will be required to provide evidence of how the remaining part of their fees will be paid.
  • You should allow plenty of time to apply. Academic and administrative staff will be happy to help but are not able to answer queries outside the working week; some staff also work part time.

Step 1 – Write a research proposal

You will need to write a research proposal to support your Studentship application. For guidance on how to put together a research proposal, please visit the faculty pages:

You may want to discuss your research proposal with potential supervisors before you submit your application.

Please explore our staff profiles to find information on University staff and their research interests.

Advertised projects

If you are applying to an advertised project in the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment or the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, when you submit your online application please include a separate document stating the advertised project title and name of supervisor. You do not need to include the full project proposal.

Step 2 – Write a Studentship Application Statement

You must write a Studentship Application Statement and submit it with your online application. The statement should cover the points listed below. Maximum 500 words. Note that you do not also need to include a personal statement, unless you wish to.

Please save your statement as 'KU Studentship Application Statement YOUR NAME' and attach it to your online application at the point where you are asked to include a personal statement. You do not need to include an additional personal statement.

If you would like to apply for a Race Equality Studentship, or a KU Alumni Studentship, please note this clearly at the top of your statement.

In your Studentship Application Statement, please cover these points:

1. Why do you want to do a PhD?

Signing up for a PhD is a big undertaking. We need to know that you understand the commitment required for research and have a passion for your subject.

2. Why Kingston University?

What makes you keen to study with us at Kingston?

3. Why this subject area?

What is it about the area you have chosen that inspires you?

4. What will be the impact of your research and who will be reading it?

The impact of your research is how it will bring change to the wider society beyond academia (e.g. economy, society, culture, public policy, health, the environment and quality of life – both within the UK and overseas).

Who are the wider audiences for your research, perhaps in professional practice, policy-making, popular culture?

Who do you want to reach with your research?

How might you do so?

5. Your academic and/or professional background

How will your skills and expertise help you successfully complete your research project?

6. What personal qualities do you have that make you suited to PhD research?

For example: resilience and tenacity.

7. Assessment of personal development needs

A PhD is all about training to be a researcher. What knowledge and skills will you need to develop to conduct the proposed research?

How can we support your personal development?

Step 3 – Apply online

You should submit your application, research proposal and Studentship Application Statement online.

Please note, there are different application links for each faculty, so please make sure you use the correct apply link.

Make your application using our online portal

Include with your application:

  • Your research proposal. If you are applying for an advertised project (see Step 1), please paste the title and link to the advertisement into a document and upload it under the Research Proposal document type.
  • A KU Studentship Application Statement. Please follow our template and guidance outlined in Step 2. If you do not include this statement your application will not be considered for a studentship. Upload this at the end of the online application under the Personal Statement document type. You do not need to provide an additional personal statement, but may do so if you wish.
  • Copies of your transcripts and/or degree certificates, or partial transcripts if you have not yet completed the degree (you will be required to provide the originals for verification at a later date).
  • English language qualification, if applicable (see above).
  • CV, including publications (if relevant).
  • As part of the online application, under the Finance heading you will be asked to indicate how you will be paying your fees. Please select 'Sponsor' and write 'KU Studentship' in all relevant fields. Use the email address for your Faculty Research Student Coordinator as the contact address (see end of this web page for details).

If you have already applied to Kingston University for October 2025 and wish to be considered for a studentship, please email the appropriate faculty listed below with your application reference number and attach your Studentship Application Statement. Please also complete the Equal Opportunities Form.

Step 4 – Complete the equal opportunities form

Kingston University is committed to ensuring that students are selected on the basis of merit. Completion of the equal opportunities form will help us to ensure that our policies and procedures are effective in avoiding discrimination and promoting equal opportunities in awarding studentships.

Your answers will not affect your application in any way. The information will not be seen by your potential supervisors, your referees, or the reviewers assessing your application.

Complete the equal opportunities form

Step 5 – Provide references

References are not required with the application but will be required for shortlisted applicants and must be provided by the applicant before their interview.

Shortlisted applicants will be notified and must ensure references are submitted to the relevant Faculty by 19 April 2024. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that references are submitted to the relevant Faculty.

Referees should be asked to complete the Reference Form.

Who can provide a reference?

References should be from professional or academic contacts and cannot be from family members or friends. At least one reference should be from someone who knows you from your most recent academic qualification.

Step 6 – Attend an interview

You may be invited to attend an interview as part of your Studentship application.

Applicants invited for interview will be informed as soon as possible after the closing date. If you have not heard from us by 7 April, your application has been unsuccessful.

Need more information?

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions – KU Doctoral Studentships 2024 (Doc).

Read about our past and current research students and their research projects:

For more information about research degree programmes at Kingston University.

For faculty-specific enquiries please contact the relevant Research Student Coordinator listed below.

Kingston School of Art

Visit Kingston School of Art's research webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at ksaresearch-applications@kingston.ac.uk.

Faculty of Business and Social Sciences

Visit the Faculty's research webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at BUSSSRESEARCH-INFO@kingston.ac.uk.

Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment

Please see the Faculty's research degree webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at ECEresearch@kingston.ac.uk

Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education

Please visit the Faculty's research degree webpage for more information.

For enquiries please email the research student coordinator at HSSCE-Research@kingston.ac.uk.