Eligibility

In academic year 2018/19 postgraduate doctoral funding was introduced for English and Welsh-domiciled students on eligible courses in the UK.

Students must be on a full doctoral degree course (a full programme of doctoral study) to be eligible for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan. Partial courses, where students can rely on previous study to contribute to their doctoral course, are ineligible. 

Students who register for a standalone master's course are also not eligible. They should apply for postgraduate master’s funding instead.

If a student is enrolled on a master’s course that contributes towards a doctoral qualification, you should enter these as a single course. These students are eligible for the full programme of doctoral study including the time spent on the master’s course. They will not be eligible for postgraduate master’s funding at the same time.

Some students do not need to complete the first year of a '1+3' doctoral degree course or an integrated subject specialist doctorate. This can be due to prior attainment or time spent on a previous level 7 research master’s (such as an MPhil or an MRes).

You must register these students on a separately designated doctoral degree course so they're eligible for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan. They must be undertaking the full designated course to be eligible.