Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in the UK for 2027: UBEL ESRC Studentships Offer Tuition Fees and £23,805 Annual Stipend
Overview
The UBEL ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership offers funded doctoral studentships for postgraduate research in the social sciences across six London universities in the United Kingdom. The partnership delivers Economic and Social Research Council-funded training spanning 30 disciplinary pathways organised into six subject groupings. The participating institutions are University College London, Birkbeck, University of London, SOAS University of London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Greenwich, and University of East London. The programme combines doctoral study with structured research training, professional development, and placement opportunities in academia, government, business, or civil society.
Who can apply
The competition is open to both UK home and international candidates, including applicants from the Global South. Candidates should normally hold, or expect to achieve by 30 September 2027, a first-class or upper-second-class honours degree, a master’s degree from a recognised UK university, or an equivalent international qualification. For the standard full-time funding route, applicants normally need a master’s degree containing an appropriate level of research training. International applicants face a funding allocation limit under which the partnership may allocate no more than 30 percent of its total studentships to international students, and the programme does not cover visa costs.
What you get
The studentships provide funding for tuition fees at the applicable UK Research and Innovation rate and an annual maintenance stipend. For the 2026/27 academic year, published funding includes tuition fees of £5,238 and a minimum annual stipend of £23,805 including the London Allowance. The standard full-time PhD route generally provides 3.5 years of funding, while eligible placements can provide an additional three months of funded time and stipend. The partnership also offers different study routes, including pathways with integrated master’s-level training, depending on the selected pathway and the applicant’s qualifications.
Requirements
Applicants must have a research proposal that aligns with one of the available disciplinary pathways. Candidates are required to engage with a potential supervisor at one of the participating universities and consult the relevant pathway leader before submitting their materials. International applicants should consult official UKRI eligibility guidance to establish their fee status and seek immigration guidance from their proposed institution's visa compliance team.
Key dates
The pre-registration deadline is 30 October 2026 at 23:59. The preliminary application deadline is 9 November 2026 at 23:59. Pathway teams provide decisions to the DTP by 11 December 2026, and the full application stage opens for successful preliminary applicants on 14 December 2026. The full application deadline is 1 February 2027 at 23:59, with the DTP Board confirming studentship awards during the week commencing 19 April 2027.