Funding a PhD or MPhil at the MRC CBU

An important note about self-funding: Following careful consultation and consideration, the CBU has a policy of not permitting ‘self-funded’ PhDs. That is, the CBU accepts only PhD applicants who are funded for the duration of the PhD from, for example, Gates Cambridge, Cambridge Trust, ESRC DTP, other charitable organisation, or the applicant’s home government. This is motivated by our commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and equality of opportunity. It is also our experience that self-funding can place the student and supervisor under considerable strain with potential to seriously impact wellbeing. Note this is not the case for our taught MPhil in Cognitive Neuroscience, for which we accept both funded and self-funded students.

An offer of a place to undertake training with us and being offered funding are independent processes. If we offer you a PhD or MPhil place, we will nominate you for all available funding schemes that we consider you to be eligible for. However, being offered a ‘place’ does not guarantee funding. To take up a PhD studentship at the CBU, you will need to be awarded a minimum of 3 years of funding that covers the University Composition Fee and provides you with a maintenance stipend. Please be sure to indicate in your online application any funding that you think you may be eligible for so that you are given due consideration. If we offer you a place, we will also enter you into the University postgraduate funding competition (Cambridge Trust awards) and where appropriate, for Gates Cambridge, ESRC STP or other funding awards.

The good news is that in recent years, 75% of new PhD students and 25% of new Masters students at the University were awarded full or partial funding. You can learn more about the different funding opportunities from across the collegiate University using the University’s Postgraduate Funding Search. For more information about funding sources outside the University, please see the External Funding Page.

Once we have entered you into the above funding competitions, decisions are out of our hands. Applicants begin to hear about funding decisions in March, though decisions can be communicated as late as June or July. As the University funding rounds are highly competitive, we always recommend that you seek out and apply for any additional funds that could support your PhD (e.g. funds from the government of your home country or a charity). We are always happy to do what we can to assist, and so please do reach out to us.

Additional opportunities to secure funding for a PhD at the MRC CBU

There are several funding competitions for PhDs that are run independently from the route described above and require applicants to make a separate application. In such cases, we recommend you also apply via the above standard route to ensure the best chance of being awarded funding for a PhD. The details and available projects for these schemes have not yet been confirmed for this coming year, but the following have been offered in previous years. Do keep an eye out for these or similar opportunities.

The Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine Doctoral Training Programme in Medical Research has previously offered some funded PhD SCM DTP-MR studentships, with projects based in a Department or Research Unit within the School of Clinical Medicine. For October 2023 starters, the program was structured as 0.5 + 3.5 years. In the first 6 months, students completed two 3-month rotation projects in different laboratories and different disciplinary areas from their main field of research. Towards the end of the second rotation, students confirmed their preferred project and supervisor for the remaining 3.5 years of the PhD. Projects were posted in October 2022 for an October 2023 start. Do check back for details on eligibility and on whether the scheme is being offered for October 2025 entry.

The BBSRC DTP has also offered 4-year studentships, with students undertaking 2 rotation projects in their first year and in April-May selecting the group in which they wish to undertake their PhD project. The DTP website has generally offered information about potential supervisors and research areas, with further information here.