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UK Black and Global Majority Studentships in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 2025-26

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen Mary University of London offers fully funded postgraduate taught studentships to talented UK applicants from Black and Global Majority backgrounds. These studentships are designed to increase representation and opportunities for UK Black and Global Majority students who wish to pursue postgraduate degrees in the Humanities, recognizing that funding opportunities at the PGT level are particularly limited and may inhibit these students from undertaking doctoral research and following an academic career. Since 2019-20, the faculty has been offering these studentships to support graduates of Queen Mary who wish to pursue a Master's degree in any of the Primary Research Areas covered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). The studentships include a full fee waiver and a stipend to cover living costs of £18,062. A minimum of two studentships will be awarded specifically to Black British students, as these students are disproportionately under-represented among Queen Mary home postgraduates in the Humanities. Applicants must be UK permanent residents from a Black and Global Majority background, eligible to pay UK student fees, and graduates of Queen Mary (or in their graduating year). Eligible courses include any full-time Master's programme offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in disciplines covered by the AHRC, except LLM and MSc degrees in Law and Legal Studies. The studentships cover all tuition fees and provide living expenses for the full duration of the programme and cannot be deferred.

The John Abernethy (Barts) Scholarships

The John Abernethy (Barts) Scholarships are designed to encourage applications from students in financial hardship who would benefit from the MBBS or BDS programme at Queen Mary University of London. The trustees of St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College Trust offer these scholarships to three new medical students and one new dental student each year. The scholarships have been named after prominent figures in medical history: The John Abernethy Scholarships (2 scholarships for medical students), named after the founder of the Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital; The Dean Rees Scholarship (1 scholarship for a medical student), named after the first female Dean of the Medical College; and The Dame Margaret Seward Scholarship (1 scholarship for a dental student), named after the first woman elected to the General Dental Council. The scholarships assist students who, despite exceptional academic ability and aptitude for a medical or dental career, might not be able to undertake the course for financial reasons. Awards are based on household income, academic attainment of at least three grade A A-levels taken in the same sitting, and performance in the Fundamentals of Medicine/Dentistry module at the end of the first term. Note: This scholarship is currently suspended.

Sally Sainsbury History Scholarship

The Sally Sainsbury History Scholarship provides financial support to undergraduate students studying in the School of History at Queen Mary University of London. Three scholarships are available annually for students who are permanent residents of specific London boroughs, including the City of London, Tower Hamlets, Newham, or Hackney. The scholarship provides £1,250 per year for three years of undergraduate study. Applicants must have lived in one of the eligible boroughs for at least three years and must be assessed by Student Finance England as having a household income of £42,875 or less. The scholarship is designed to support local students from lower-income backgrounds in pursuing their history education at Queen Mary.

London Natural Sciences (NERC) DTP

The London NERC DTP is a partnership of nine prestigious research organisations across London, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. The program aims to attain new standards of excellence in environmental science research training and deliver a transformative inter-disciplinary experience for PhD students in the heart of London. Students are trained at world-leading research centres covering the breadth of environmental science research, from those driven by contemporary environmental challenges to those exploring complex questions about the evolution of planet Earth. The PhD programme focuses on eight key research themes: Biodiversity & Ecology, Earth, Atmosphere & Ocean Processes, Environmental Pollution, Evolution & Adaptation, Natural & Biological Hazards, Past Life & Environments, Solid Earth Dynamics and Pan-disciplinary research. The program currently funds 142 PhD students in the natural sciences across nine partner institutions including University College London, Birkbeck, Kings College London, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Holloway University of London, Brunel University London, the Institute of Zoology, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and the Natural History Museum.

HSS PhD Studentships 2024

Queen Mary University of London is offering fully-funded PhD studentships in all areas that fall within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences for September 2025 entry. These 3-year studentships cover tuition fees and living expenses for all nationalities. Part-time applicants and current first-year students are also eligible to apply. The studentships are available for all PhD programmes within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. There are up to two additional awards specifically for UK students who identify as BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic). The studentships provide comprehensive funding to support doctoral research across diverse humanities and social sciences disciplines at one of the UK's leading research universities.

HRP Scholarships

Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) offers two scholarships for UK-based students from groups or communities that are minorities or under-represented in the heritage sector. HRP values a diverse workforce and wishes to make careers in the heritage sector more accessible to people from all communities. The scholarships support part-time study on the MA in Heritage Management, jointly delivered by Historic Royal Palaces and Queen Mary University of London. The scholarships cover tuition fees for the part-time MA Heritage Management course over two years, commencing in September 2025. The program aims to help ensure everyone feels the palaces and heritage are for them and make them accessible and relevant for all. This opportunity is designed to increase diversity in the heritage sector by supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue advanced education in heritage management. Recipients will benefit from a unique partnership between a leading heritage organization and a prestigious university.

Chevening Awards

Chevening Scholarships are the UK government's flagship international scholarships scheme with over 40 years of history aimed at developing global leaders. Queen Mary University of London works closely with Chevening to provide a large number of full scholarships for study on one-year Master's courses. Every year QMUL hosts around 50 Chevening Scholars but there is no cap on this number. All Chevening awards cover full overseas tuition fees, as well as providing a stipend for living costs, air-fares, and a variety of other expenses. Chevening Scholars also benefit from a year-long programme of events helping them experience the best of British culture and to make the most of their time in the UK. Around 1400+ Chevening Scholars are funded annually by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) across the UK.

Wolfson Humanities Scholarship

With generous funding from the Wolfson Foundation, the Wolfson Postgraduate Scholarships fund doctoral research in three areas: History, Literature and Languages. The Wolfson Foundation awards funding to outstanding students who demonstrate the potential to make an impact on their chosen field. There are three scholarships available for 2026/27, generally expected to represent each of the three areas. Each scholarship offers £37,250 per student per year (£111,750 over three years) and covers tuition fees at the home rate and maintenance, research, travel and training costs. The scheme is open to all nationalities and to both full and part-time students, and it is the Foundation's hope that the scholars will become significant contributors to the culture of society, whether in the academic sphere or in other areas of intellectual and cultural leadership.