The Parent Student

Research councils use government funds to sponsor promising postgraduate students. Competition for funding is usually fierce and less than a quarter of applicants are generally successful. The application process usually takes several months and may involve extensive references from past tutors, a personal statement and research proposal, and endorsement from the institution at which you intend to study. According to Prospects, funding for science and engineering disciplines is less competitive than funding for arts and social sciences. 

Bearing in mind that some courses/research areas may be the concern of more than one research council, the seven bodies are: 

AHRC – Arts and Humanities Research Council

ESRC – Economic and Social Research Council

EPSRC – Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

NERC – Natural Environment Research Council

BBSRC – Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

STFC – Science and Technology Facilities Council

MRC – Medical Research Council

The research councils may fund postgraduate study at master’s or doctoral level, part-time or full-time with additional suplements for those living in London. You should consult the institution at which you intend to study as most applications are not made directly to a research council but to the university concerned. Most research council funding requires you to be ‘normally resident’ in the UK, in other words you must usually live in Britain but periods spent abroad are allowed for.