Fees and Funding
The two main components of the costs for a research degree are the University fees and the maintenance required for your living expenses. Postgraduate Admissions has a useful page summarising these. The awards below include a "stipend" - which is a tax-free salary - which covers living costs and is administered through the department This is usually paid at standard research council rates. The standard length of funding is 3.5 years.
If you have an independent source of funding (e.g. government scholarship, self/family, or current employer) then you may want to look at the university's fees page (for overseas we are Postgraduate Research Band 2). If you do have independent funding please make this clear on your application as finding funding is often the most difficult part of the application process.
If you require funding from the university, this could be available from several different sources the most common of which are listed below. Please read the information below, but also look at the information on scholarships on the university website (including the useful video) and check the available projects with funding.
Research Council Studentships
The UK Research Councils, especially EPSRC and STFC, provide funding for PhD training and research to UK students, EU students may also eligible for the award if they meet the below conditions. Studies for an MSc by Research cannot normally be funded by the research councils, however you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Masters Loan
To be eligible for a full award (fees and stipend), candidates must satisfy the following criteria:
- Be a UK National or have settled status, have pre-settled status, have indefinite leave to remain or enter.
- Meet the residency requirements:
- living in the EEA or Switzerland on 31 December 2020, and have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the last 3 years before starting a course in the UK
- Have lived continuously in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar between 31 December 2020 and the start of the course
- The course starts before 1 January 2028
- Children of UK Nationals are eligible (without having to be a UK National themselves), provided both they and their parent(s) meet the residency requirements.
- Irish Nationals living in the UK or Ireland are eligible for a full award under the Common Travel Area agreement
- EU, EEA or Swiss citizens can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021. If successful, applicants will get either settled or pre-settled status.
For EPRSC, notes on eligibility can be found here , STFC details can be found here. These studentships pay a standard stipend to cover maintenance as well as paying the university fees and providing some travel expenses for conferences or experiments. The stipends are usually paid at standard research council rates.
These studentships are assigned through the department. Check the available projects with funding, but there are also a limited number available for outstanding students to choose the area of their choice. Contact the PG admissions tutor for more details.
University and Departmental Scholarships
The department has a limited number of scholarships for outstanding UK students, please contact the PG admissions tutor if you would like to know more.
Highly competitive scholarships, such as the CSC and Chancellors International Scholarship to support PhD study are also available from the Doctoral College Please contact the PG Admissions Tutor before applying.
The International Office also offers a range of scholarships, including scholarships for overseas Masters students - this also includes the MSc by Research degree offered by Physics.
The Bell Burnell scholarship
The Bell Burnell Graduate scholarship fund was set up to support full or part-time graduates who wish to study towards a doctorate in physics and are from groups that are currently under-represented in physics. See "How to apply page for the internal deadline".
Centres for Doctoral Training
The Physics department is also associated with various CDTs at Warwick which have funding available for PhD studentships.
Centre for Doctoral Training in Modelling of Heterogeneous Systems
Diamond Science and Technology
Alumni Discount Scheme
The 10% tuition fee discount is available to Warwick graduates who are excepted onto a Postgraduate Masters course , further information can be found here
Postgraduate Master's Loan
A Postgraduate Master’s Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master’s course. Further details can be found here. Full eligibility criteria can be found on the gov.uk websiteLink opens in a new window.