Funding support for current doctoral researchers

This fund is intended to support opportunities for Doctoral Researchers to enhance their doctoral training experience and increase future employability.

Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis and could support activities such as:

• presenting at conferences,
• collaborating with partner institutions, industry, or other external organisations
• unplanned/unexpected travel or field work additional to the original PhD project plan
• specific training including workshops and summer schools 

Doctoral Researchers are expected to have first exhausted alternative funding sources, such as Research Training Support Grants (RTSG), industrial funding, project grants, School funding, funds from the supervisory team or Research area, where available. Doctoral Researchers who are self-funded with no access to alternative funding will be prioritised.

Please note, Doctoral researcher support funds are limited and prioritised awards that will typically be made at a maximum of £500 to support activity taking place within the UK, or £1,500 for international activity. Funds may be used to contribute to partial payment of an activity where costs exceed the schemes maximum allowance.

What do I need to know?

You must discuss your plans and gain the support of your supervisor, establishing clear links to your research or training needs. 
The Doctoral Researcher Support Fund panel will review applications at the following times:

 It is important that you plan your activity well in advance to meet the funding dates above. Applications may only be considered outside of the published timescales in exceptional circumstances.

Funding awards will be prioritised for students in their later years of study and for those who are self-funding with no access to alternative funding. Funding will not be provided to students in their R3 extension period.

Please note that expenditure occurs when the travel/training/conference takes place and not the date of ordering or booking. This means that awards from the 2024/25 budget can only be used for activities taking place up until 31st July 2025. Activities after this date will require funding from the 2025/26 budget so, please ensure you apply using the correct application form. 

Travel and accommodation should be consistent with the needs of activity and booked using the University’s approved Business Travel supplier. The guiding principle is that the most cost-efficient manner which meets the needs should be selected.

Please do not make any purchases or bookings using your own money. You will not be permitted to retrospectively claim expenses for any activity or purchase against the fund where the purchasing procedures have not been followed.

There is the opportunity to apply for this fund more than once, but we will only award one funding request over the lifetime of your PhD, so please be mindful of this when submitting an application.

I want to apply, what do I need to do?

• Refer to the application form link below and note the application deadlines for the next available funding panel.
• Please be specific about why you are requesting funding and make sure you have the support of your supervisor.
• The Doctoral College will usually communicate the outcome of your funding application within a week of the panel date.
• If you are successfully awarded funds, we will ask you to provide a short summary of the activity, and how you have benefited from it. This may be used to promote the Fund’s activities across the University.
• Once funding is approved, you will need to make the relevant bookings though your local school finance team. Further information will be given to successful applicants. 
  Please note, accommodation should be booked through Clarity travel, we cannot support bookings through 3rd party websites e.g. Airbnb.
• Complete the Application form to apply for funding from the 25/26 budget – this is for any activity commencing after 1st August 2025. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

I need to undertake specific field work or purchase consumables to undertake work that is essential to my research, am I eligible to apply for this funding?

Whilst we will consider all applications, we would not expect to see claims for equipment or consumables, or funding requests to undertake specific field work that is crucial to your research. This type of expenditure should have been considered (and funding provision made) at the outset of your research.

Should an unexpected opportunity arise to undertake additional research activity connected to your PhD project, you should detail the benefit it would bring to your development and to the University in terms of collaborating with industry or research led institutions.

Can I use third-party booking agents (e.g. Airbnb, Kayak, Skyscanner etc.) to make my accommodation and flight booking?

The University are unable to use third-party sites to book accommodation and flights, please book through Clarity Travel. We strongly recommend that you use Clarity Travel when providing your costs in the application, as they may be higher than on third-party websites.

 I have had some funds from DRSF last year, can I apply again?

No, you will only be awarded one funding request over the lifetime of your PhD. Once you have been provided with an award, you are not eligible to receive more funding. Please make sure you are requesting the support for an activity that has a significant positive impact on your PhD. 

One annual travelling scholarship to the value of £500 may be awarded to a registered full-time doctoral research student. The purpose of the scholarship is to ensure that promising research students are given the opportunity to extend their knowledge of their subject, either within this country or overseas.

Note: The scholarships will not normally be awarded to fund conference attendance.

About the John Guest Phillips Travelling Scholarship

The John Guest Phillips Travelling Scholarship was established in memory of Loughborough University of Technology's fourth Vice-Chancellor, Professor J G Phillips, who died in office in 1987. Professor Phillips had a special concern for young research workers who showed promise, and the Scholarship has been set up to provide financial support for travel for postgraduate research students at the University, a project which we feel Professor Phillips would have fully supported. The Scholarship is being supported by the John Guest Phillips Memorial Fund, which was established by Professor Phillips' family with the University as the beneficiary.

Projects that the scholarship has made possible in the past include:

• a trip to Japan to study virtual house building techniques.
• travel associated with fieldwork to determine the effects of increasing movement of seawater into river systems in southeast England.
• travel to Sydney to progress research into eating disorders. 

We understand the pressure of combining university studying with elite level sport.

In addition to the considerable benefits of first-class coaching, access to world class facilities, strength and conditioning and sports medicine support, Loughborough Sports Scholarships offer financial support as well as access to a sports mentor, a life skills programme, and the opportunity for flexible study. Scholarship holders receive up to £5,000 per year. 

The fund can be used to support Doctoral Researcher activities that enhance the research culture and community within and across Schools.

Established in direct response to the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) results and is intended to support and encourage Doctoral Researcher led events and initiatives across the University which contribute to creating a positive research culture and research community at Loughborough.

The fund can be used to support Doctoral Researcher activities or initiatives that enhance the research culture and community within and/or across Schools, or across the wider University. Events that encourage collaboration across Schools and Research Challenges, and which support the creation of an inclusive academic community at Loughborough, are particularly encouraged.

Initiatives must be led by Doctoral Researchers. Where applications relate to events (either standalone or a series), these must be open to all interested Doctoral Researchers.

Doctoral Researchers are encouraged to put forward their own novel event proposals. Examples of previous events supported through this fund include:

• Journal and writing clubs
• Doctoral Researcher conferences
• Discussion groups and reading groups
• Presentations and seminars

Use the link below for full details and eligibility information.

Do you need funding to cover tuition fees, living costs, research costs or travel, but haven't been able to secure money from traditional sources such as the Doctoral College or a Research Council?

The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding Online is all about alternative sources of funding - especially charities - which can make awards to any student regardless of subject.

The Alternative Guide Online contains a huge database of funding opportunities, as well as comprehensive guidance and numerous tools to help you prepare a winning grant application. The Doctoral College holds a licence to the Guide, and so it’s free for all students and staff to use!

You will need either to login from a campus-based computer or register with your university email address. 

Research Professional

As a member of the Doctoral College, you have automatic access to Research Professional, an online database of research funding opportunities. It also provides a source of international research policy and practice news. You are free to browse the content of this site, create customised searches or use the pre-set searches on the Doctoral College page (see under Early Career Researchers) which have been set up to help you find external sources of funding for travel, study or early career fellowships.  

• To log in, use the University account option and your Loughborough username and password.

Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust

The trust provides postgraduate bursaries of up to £5,000 to UK students in financial need, who have a parent or spouse, or are employed themselves, as a commercial traveller, pharmacist or grocer, and who are registered on a full-time postgraduate degree course at a recognised UK university. Applications open annually every June, and close in September.  

• Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust

Postgrad Solutions Study bursaries 

Bursaries worth £2,000 are available to students starting postgraduate courses. 

• Postgrad Solutions Study bursaries 

Sir Thomas White Loan Charity loans 

These are available to postgraduate students resident in Leicestershire and Rutland for the past three years. If you meet the criteria you can apply for an interest free loan of up to £10,000. 

• Sir Thomas White Loan Charity loans 

The Reid Trust 

This trust supports women educated in Britain who have appropriate academic qualifications and who wish to undertake further training or research in the United Kingdom, each year the Reid Trust makes six to ten awards of up to £1500 each. 

• The Reid Trust

Sports Scholarships

For full details, see the Loughborough Sport website. 

• Loughborough Sport Scholarships

UK government PhD loans

 The key details are:

• loans up to £28,673 (this may be reduced if you apply after your first year)
• available across all subjects
• intended to contribute towards the costs of your PhD.

To be eligible you must be:

• a UK or EU national ordinarily resident in England or an EU student who meets certain criteria,
• aged 59 or under,
• accepted for PhD study at a UK university,
• not in receipt of Research Council funding.

Part-time students are also eligible to apply.

Repayment of the loan begins when your income is over a certain amount (the ‘threshold’ amount). The postgraduate loan repayment rate is 6% on earnings over the threshold amount, but this could be significantly higher if you have other student loans relating to undergraduate study.

Interest will be charged from the day you get the first payment.

• Government Doctoral Loan website. 

The Hardship Fund

If you find yourself in financial difficulties, advisors in the Student Advice and Support Service may be able to help. 
In addition, the University has a fund available to help students who are facing financial hardship. The award is not automatic and students need to make a full application via the  Student Support Hardship and Emergency Loan webpage. 

•  Student Support Hardship and Emergency Loan

Students Disabled Allowance

Students with Disabilities are entitled to funding from the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). This helps disabled Postgraduate students with expenses incurred as a consequence of their disability. For advice, contact the Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity team (SWAI) on campus. Detailed information is also available on the gov.uk website. 

• Disabled Students Allowance

Government benefits for Postgraduate students

Full-time UK Postgraduate students usually do not have to pay Council Tax. Part-time UK Postgraduate students may be eligible for housing, council tax or other benefits. For details, contact your local benefits agency or visit the Department for Work and Pensions website.

• Department for Work and Pension