Funding a research degree

A white man with dark hair in a blue jumper gives a presentation

Financial support for advanced levels of study in the UK is limited and often very competitive. Please think carefully about how you will fund your research degree before making an application.

How much will I need?

You need to consider how you will cover the fees (fee schedules are available here), any research expenses beyond what is provided by the School, and living expenses. Many researchers work alongside their studies in order to meet these costs, but please note that full-time registration requires you to dedicate at least 30 hours a week to your studies during term time (15 hours part-time).

Because of the independent nature of study, it is not necessary to live in London while pursuing your research degree, but you will need to be able to come to the School regularly and sometimes at short notice. Additional work restrictions and participation requirements apply to researchers on student visas.

Help with costs

Partial fee bursaries

All successful applicants are eligible to apply for a partial fee bursary. The typical fee bursary offered is around 20% of the total fees due, but more substantial bursaries are sometimes offered. The School is committed to diversifying its postgraduate researcher cohort and welcomes fee bursary applications from under-represented groups.

Funded studentships

Guildhall School welcomes applications for the new AHRC-funded ADAPT-AI Doctoral Focal Awards which support projects exploring how audiences experience and engage with creative technologies and artificial intelligence. Please note that the number of awards available each year is very limited and applications in this field are expected to be highly competitive.

Other external studentships and funding

If you are applying for an external studentship (other than ADAPT-AI) or other forms of funding support, please let us know as soon as possible. This is because some funders require supporting documentation from the School or even that an offer for a place be made in advance of our usual deadline – we need as much notice as possible to ensure we can support your application.