Skip to main content
Department of Physics
Hero Header

Available Studentships

The studentships below are some of the key funding available within the Department

Dowthwaite MScR Scholarship 2023/24 entry

We have one full time MSc-R studentship on a subset of the following projects:

The studentship will cover 100% tuition home fees and annual living expenses of £17,668

Deadline for applications: 8th May 2023

Eligibility:

  • Students should be registered on a BSc Physics course or a Natural Sciences course including Physics by the 16th October 2022 of their final year
  • Students should be expecting to achieve a minimum of a 2:2 BSc in Physics (or relevant subject)
  • Applications are open to all eligible students, but note that the scholarship will not cover International fees. The difference between home fees and international fees must be covered from elsewhere
  • All other things being equal, preference will be given to students who were resident in postcode areas DH, DL, NE, SR or TS at the time of their UCAS application

How to apply

You must apply through the University’s applicant portal to the Physics MSc by Research programme F3A009

If you wish to be considered for more than one project, please detail this on the application under “field of study”

Please see individual projects for further details of how to apply.

Contact

For informal enquiries please contact physics.postgraduate@durham.ac.uk

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) studentships are available within our five research sections:

Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI), Astronomy (CEA/ICC), Condensed Matter Phyiscs (CMP), Elementary Particle Theory (IPPP), Quantum, Light and Matter (QLM)

There are also projects available within the following EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training (CDT)

Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund

“An innovative fund instigated by leading physicist Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell and the Institute of Physics to encourage greater diversity in physics by assisting PhD physics students from under-represented groups”

The fund is administered and managed by the IOP - find out more on the IOP website.

Departmental (internal) deadline Friday 9th December 2022.  Apply through Durham University Applicant Portal You must indicate that you wish to be considered for Bell Burnell Scholarship (On the funding tab select ‘yes’ you are applying for a scholarship, select ‘Other’, write Bell Burnell)

Successful candidates will be notified week commencing 9th January 2023 to apply to the IOP by the 20th January 2023

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

STFC projects are available within Astronomy (CEA/ICC) and Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI)

For STFC-funded positions we strongly recommend submitting applications by Wednesday 4th January 2023 to allow us to shortlist candidates for the interview. Further details can be found on the research areas pages.

For STFC applications in Astronomy, please submit your application via the Applicant Portal. We would be grateful if along with this, please can you also complete the Anonymous Application Form form and return to physics.postgraduate@durham.ac.uk You can also upload this to the portal.  

Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC)

These important scholarships are available thanks to a partnership with the China Scholarships Council. The scholarships are open to applicants from China wishing to study for a PhD at Durham.

Department (internal) Deadline 9th December 2022.  Apply through Durham University Applicant Portal You must indicate that you wish to be considered for China Scholarship Council (On the funding tab select ‘yes’ you are applying for a scholarship, select ‘Other’, write China Scholarship Council - Durham Joint Award)

Further details and how to apply can be found here

Durham Doctoral Studentships (DDS)

Applications are closed for 2022 entry

For additional sources of funding, please also see the University's main postgraduate scholarships and bursaries page and Faculty of Science Funding Page. Overseas students could also contact the International Office about other funding possibilities. The British Council may have scholarships available – the possibilities vary from year to year and depend on your country of residence.

For applicants interested in self funding their degrees (which is usually expected for MSc by Research degrees), there are a number of available options to consider, including the Student Loan Company and Professional and Career Development Loans. Information about these can be found on the Postgraduate Student Loan page