Wolfson Postgraduate Scholarships in the Humanities at the University of Nottingham

About the Scholarship

Wolfson Postgraduate Scholarships in the Humanities at the University of Nottingham, funded by The Wolfson Foundation, for doctoral (PhD) study in history, literature and languages starting in 2027/28. Awards cover tuition fees and a stipend of £28,250 per year. Deadline: 19 January 2027.

Opportunity	Wolfson Postgraduate Scholarships in the Humanities at the University of Nottingham
Host	University of Nottingham
Location	Nottingham, United Kingdom
Study Level	PhD
Funding	Fully Funded, stipend provided, tuition covered
Stipend	£28,250 per year (tax-free, paid monthly), plus tuition fees and research and training allowance. Total value £114,000 o
Application Deadline	19 January 2027, midday
Apply	Official application page ↗

Wolfson Postgraduate Scholarships in the Humanities

With generous funding from The Wolfson Foundation, we are now inviting applications for Wolfson Postgraduate Scholarships starting in the 2027/28 academic year for doctoral (PhD) study in the broad subject areas of history, literature and languages.

The Wolfson Foundation awards funding to outstanding students who demonstrate potential to make an impact on their chosen field. Wolfson Scholarships will be awarded solely on academic merit. Ideally, the successful applicants should aspire to becoming significant contributors to society, whether in the academic sphere or in other areas of intellectual and cultural leadership.

Application deadline: 19 January 2027, midday.

Eligibility and Requirements

The awards are open to UK and International (including EU) applicants who will commence campus-based doctoral (PhD) study at the University of Nottingham at the start of the relevant academic year.

• Applicants' intended PhD research must be in the discipline(s) of history, literature or languages (these are broadly drawn, please see Definition of eligible subject disciplines below)
• Applicants should be resident in the UK for the duration of their studies and live within reasonable distance of UoN (except for periods of fieldwork)
• Applicants should have a track record of academic excellence. This will usually be demonstrated by:
• a good undergraduate degree, usually a first-class honours degree resulting in a BA
• AND EITHER a Master's degree in a field of study relevant to their proposed doctoral research (the Master's must either be held at the point of application or completed by the time an applicant begins their PhD, even though the final examination board may not yet have taken place and the overall result is therefore not yet known) OR professional qualifications and experience equivalent to a Master's qualification.
• Applicants should have applied to study for a PhD at the University of Nottingham before they submit their Wolfson Scholarship application. It is, however, not necessary to have received a formal offer by the point of application.

About the Scholarship

Each Scholarship offers a fixed sum of £114,000 over three years for full-time study or six years for part-time study and covers:

• Home (UK)/International Tuition Fees (where an International applicant is successful, the Faculty will cover the difference between Home and International fee levels)
• A maintenance grant (referred to as a stipend) fixed at £28,250 per year (pro rata part-time) which is tax-free and paid monthly
• A research and training allowance

Definition of Eligible Subject Disciplines

Wolfson Postgraduate Scholarships are in three disciplines that align closely with the Foundation's interests: history, literature, and languages. These are broadly defined, and applicants should note that it is the area of study which is important rather than the name of the academic school/department in which they will be based.

History: as well as broad-based historical and historiographical studies, this may include such areas as classics, music, history of art, visual culture, or architectural history, provided the research is grounded within historical methodology.

Literature (excluding creative writing): as well as literary and textual studies, this may include research that involves critical theory, theatre, film and other visual media, provided there is a literary element within the research (e.g. the translation of literature to screen).

Languages (excluding linguistics): research should be in applied languages other than English. It may involve the study of literary or historical texts, theatre, film or other visual media, translation, or the philosophy of language, provided that the research is focused primarily on a language other than English. N.B. While research can be working with any language, it is expected that the student's final thesis is written in English.

How to Apply

Application is through the Arts and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) application process

1. Ensure you meet the above eligibility criteria
2. Go to AHRC studentships
3. Apply for a Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) and tick the relevant box to confirm your interest in Wolfson Scholarship funding

Deadline for application: noon (GMT) on 19 January 2027

Contact

Questions about this position, eligibility or the application process should be raised through the contact channel given on the official announcement page (see the Official Link section above). Always quote the position reference in your message so the admissions or HR team can route your enquiry quickly.

Official Link

Full announcement and application portal: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/arts/teaching/postgraduate-research/wolfson-postgraduate-scholarships-in-the-humanities.aspx

Source: nottingham.ac.uk - the details in this listing were recorded from this official page.

Important Notes

• Application deadline: 19 January 2027, midday - late or incomplete applications are normally not considered.
• Listing details were recorded from the official source at the time of publication; always confirm the latest requirements on the official page before applying.
• Prepare the documents listed in the eligibility and application sections before starting the online form - transcripts, CV and references take the longest to collect.

Application guides

• How to Read a PhD Job Advert: Funding, Eligibility and Application Steps
• Academic CV for PhD Applications: Structure and an Example
• UK Student Visa Application: CAS, Documents and Financial Evidence