Postgraduate Funding Opportunities

Postgraduate funding opportunities

Apart from the fact that it is an old and very beautiful central Cambridge College with a rich intellectual history, a good reason for applying to Christ's College as a postgraduate student is the generous range of studentships and bursaries available.

Any of these awards may be held in conjunction with awards from other bodies.

They are also available to those who are already postgraduate students at the College and are applying for a new course.

The specific awards for which new postgraduate students can apply are listed below.  In recent years the College has given over £200,000 per year to postgraduate students as a result of these awards.

1. Postgraduate studentships and bursaries awarded by Christ's College

Only postgraduate offer-holders accepted for membership by Christ's College by the application date given below are eligible for consideration of these awards.

1.1 Hamied Postgraduate Studentship (any subject)

One Hamied Postgraduate Studentship is awarded each year based on academic excellence alone to a full-time applicant without restriction of subject or course type. The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home (UK) fee rate plus maintenance for the duration of a Master's course or up to 3 years for a PhD. Those with overseas fee status will receive the equivalent of Home fees plus maintenance. Applicants accepted for membership by 10 April 2026 will be automatically considered and the successful recipient will be informed by the end of May 2026.

1.2 Warwick Postgraduate Studentship in the Sciences (excluding Medicine)

One Warwick Postgraduate studentship is awarded each year based on academic excellence alone to a full-time applicant in the fields of science (excluding medicine /medical science), technology, engineering or mathematics, without restriction by course type. The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home (UK) fee rate plus maintenance for the duration of a Master's course or up to 3 years for a PhD. Those with overseas fee status will receive the equivalent of Home fees plus maintenance.) Applicants accepted for membership by 10 April 2026 will be automatically considered and the successful recipient will be informed by the end of May 2026.

1.3 Levy–Plumb Postgraduate Studentship in the Humanities (MPhil only)

At least one Levy-Plumb Postgraduate Studentship is awarded each year based on academic excellence alone to an MPhil applicant in a Humanities subject. The studentships provides £20,000 towards the cost of the course. Applicants accepted for membership by 10 April 2026 will be automatically considered and the successful recipient will be informed by the end of May 2026.

Courses in the following Departments and Faculties are eligible: Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic; Archaeology; Architecture; Asian & Middle Eastern Studies; Classics; Divinity; English; Geography (excluding Physical Geography); History; History of Art; History & Philosophy of Science; Linguistics; Modern & Medieval Languages; Music; Philosophy.

1.4 Spyrou-Lintott Postgraduate Studentship in Law (LLM only)

One Spyrou-Lintott Postgraduate Studentship, worth up to £15,000, is awarded each year based on academic excellence alone to an applicant accepted for the LLM course in the Faculty of Law. Applicants accepted for membership by 24 April 2026 will be automatically considered and the successful recipient will be informed by 8 May 2026.

1.5 Todd-Croucher Postgraduate Studentship in Science, Technology or Medicine

One Todd-Croucher Postgraduate Studentship is awarded each year based on academic excellence alone to a full-time applicant in the fields of science, medicine or technology who is a permanent resident of Hong Kong. The studentship provides maintenance for the duration of a Master's course or up to 3 years for a PhD. Applicants accepted for membership by 10 April 2026 will be automatically considered and the successful recipient will be informed by the end of May 2026.

1.6 Sir Satyendra Roy Postgraduate Studentship for the study of Indian and Commonwealth history, economics of relations

One Sir Satyendra Roy Postgraduate Studentship is awarded each year based on academic excellence alone to an applicant studying Indian history, Indian economics or Commonwealth economics, history and relations. The studentship of up to £15,000 may be held for the duration of a Master’s course or up to 3 years for a PhD. Applicants accepted for membership by 10 April 2026 will be automatically considered and the successful recipient will be informed by the end of May 2026.

1.7 Christ’s College Postgraduate Bursaries

Our postgraduate bursaries are awarded based on financial need and are targeted at students who only have a small funding deficit. They are not designed to provide a substantial contribution to funding. Bursaries are normally worth £1,000 to £2,000, and occasionally up to £3,000, per annum (up to a maximum of 3 years for a PhD). All new postgraduate applicants can apply without restriction of subject or course type. Up to 20 new bursaries are awarded each year. Applicants accepted for membership at Christ's will be sent an online application form in early May 2026 to apply by 16 June 2025. Decisions will be notified by6 July 2026.

1.8 Yusuf Hamied Emerging and Developing Countries Bursaries

One or more Yusuf Hamied Emerging and Developing Countries Bursaries, each worth up to £5,000, will be awarded annually based on financial need to postgraduate students from countries classified as Emerging Market and Developing Economies by the International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook studying science subjects. They are targeted at students with a small funding deficit and are not designed to provide a substantial contribution to funding. Bursaries are awarded for one year in the first instance but may be renewed, subject to satisfactory academic progress. You can apply at the same time as the College Postgraduate Bursary (see above) by indicating you are eligible for a Yusuf Hamied Emerging and Developing Countries Bursary.

2. Postgraduate studentships awarded jointly by the University of Cambridge and Christ's College

To apply for these studentships, postgraduate applicants must apply for University Funding in the Funding section of the Application Portal by ticking the ‘Yes - I wish to apply for funding’ box , ensuring they submit their application by the course funding deadline (which can be checked in the Course Directory), and ticking the box ‘Do you wish to apply for this fund?’ for the studentship. You do not need to put Christ's College as your preference college on your application.  Successful candidates are required to become a member of Christ's College to take up the studentship, and the University will assist with moving membership to Christ's College if necessary. 

2.1 Cambridge Master's & Christ's College Studentship (MPhil only)

Three awards are made each year by the Cambridge Trust in partnership with Christ's College, each worth £12,000 for one year. Applicants who have applied for any MPhil course by the course funding deadline relevant to their course are eligible for consideration. The Cambridge Trust will select the successful candidates and inform them directly. Please read the further details from the Cambridge Trust on how to apply for these scholarships.

2.2 Bindesh P. Shah Studentship in Economics (MPhil only)

The Bindesh P. Shah Studentship supports an exceptional applicant accepted for an MPhil course in the Faculty of Economics with a studentship of up to £18,000 towards the cost of the course. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of May 2026 and required to become a member of Christ's College to take up the studentship.

2.3 Robert Owen Bishop Studentship in History (MPhil only)

The Robert Owen Bishop Studentship supports an exceptional applicant accepted for an MPhil course in the Faculty of History. The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home (UK) fee rate plus maintenance for the duration of the MPhil course. Those with overseas fee status will receive the equivalent of Home fees plus maintenance. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of May 2026 and required to become a member of Christ's College to take up the studentship.

2.4 Geoffrey Thorndike Martin Postgraduate Studentship in Archaeology 

The Geoffrey Thorndike Martin Postgraduate Studentship in Archaeology supports an outstanding applicant accepted for a full-time PhD or MPhil in the Department of Archaeology. The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home (UK) fee rate plus maintenance for the duration of a Master's course or up to 3 years for a PhD. Those with overseas fee status will receive the equivalent of Home fees plus maintenance. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of May 2026 and required to become a member of Christ's College to take up the studentship.

2.5 George Kingsley Roth Postgraduate Studentship in Anthropology, Ethnology or History of the South-East Asian or Pacific Basin areas 

The George Kingsley Roth Postgraduate Studentship supports an exceptional applicant accepted for a course undertaking research in the anthropology, ethnology or history of the South-East Asian or Pacific Basin regions. The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home (UK) fee rate plus maintenance for the duration of a Master's course or up to 3 years for a PhD. Those with overseas fee status will receive the equivalent of Home fees plus maintenance. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of May 2026 and required to become a member of Christ's College to take up the studentship.

2.6 Kennel-Lehman Christ’s College PhD Studentship in Climate Change and Sustainability

The Kennel-Lehman Christ’s College PhD Studentship in Climate Change and Sustainability is available to support an outstanding applicant in this field accepted for a full-time PhD at the University of Cambridge. Eligible Departments and Faculties will nominate their top applicants to the College for consideration. 
Research areas from any discipline whose work falls in the area of Climate Change and Sustainability may be considered. These could include biological, social, geo-physical or evolutionary viewpoints. 
The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home (UK) fee rate plus maintenance for up to 4 years, along with funding to attend one domestic or international conference each year. Those with overseas fee status will receive the equivalent of Home fees plus maintenance. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of May 2026 and required to become a member of Christ's College to take up the studentship. One studentship is offered at a time, the first of these is available for a student beginning their studies in October 2026.

2.7 Adelaide Stoll Postgraduate Studentship in the History of Drama

The Adelaide Stoll Postgraduate Studentship supports an exceptional applicant accepted for a course in the Faculty of English, including the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, researching the history of drama in any historical period. The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home (UK) fee rate for the duration of a Master's course or up to 3 years for a PhD. The candidate will be selected in partnership with the Faculty of English. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of May 2026 and required to become a member of Christ's College to take up the studentship.

 

Enquiries

Please get in touch with us on postgraduates@christs.cam.ac.uk

For further information on postgraduate funding opportunities across the University of Cambridge please see:

• University Funding - to find out about the University's scholarships for postgraduate students.
• Postgraduate Funding Search - to find out about a range of funding opportunities across the University that support postgraduate students with their studies.
• The Cambridge Trust -  to find out more about the scholarships offered by the Cambridge Trust.

Student Loans: For the University's information on UK Postgraduate Student Loans - Student Loans

Federal Loans for US students: For the University's information about Federal Loans for US students - Cambridge Students - US loans  and Cambridge Students - US loans - Consumer Information