Funding for postgraduate research programmes
PhD Funding Opportunities, 2025-2026 entry
Doctoral projects in Modern Languages at the University of St Andrews
The School of Modern Languages welcomes PhD applications in a wide range of research areas across its seven language departments (Arabic & Persian, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish) and Comparative Literature programme.
With research active members of staff, the School of Modern Languages has a vibrant research culture which spans a wide range of national cultures and cross-disciplinary themes including:
- comparative studies
- creativity and performance
- environmental humanities
- gender and sexuality studies
- history, politics, and society
- medical humanities and cultures of science
- medieval and early modern studies
- memory studies
- postcolonial and transnational studies
- translation studies and linguistics
In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 the School was ranked first in Scotland in terms of its publications with over 83% of its outputs rated either world-leading or internationally excellent.
- Find out more about our research
- Learn more about potential supervisors and their areas of expertise
Funding opportunities
The School offers a limited number of PhD scholarships and fee waivers and supports applications to a number of funding schemes.
We warmly welcome expressions of interest from students planning to apply to the Scottish Graduate School in Arts and Humanities.
Early application is essential so if you would like your proposal to be considered for submission to the SGSAH AHRC PhD scholarship competition you should apply by 22 November 2024. The application process involves several stages and we recommend that you contact us as early as possible to discuss your ideas. Please request the pre-selection template from the School of Modern Languages (modlangs@st-andrews.ac.uk)
To view all scholarships currently available please visit the University of St Andrews Postgraduate funding pages.
School of Modern Languages PhD Scholarships
The School of Modern Languages offers a limited number of PhD scholarships (covering tuition fees and an annual stipend paid at the standard UKRI rate) to new entrants based on academic merit and financial need for the full tuition fee-paying duration of their postgraduate study programme. Please note that you must have applied for external funding in order to be considered and have submitted your PhD application by the deadline of 22 November 2024.
How to apply
You do not need to submit a separate application for this scholarship. Please note that you must have applied for external funding in order to be considered. Applicants should apply online as per the normal University application process. All eligible applications submitted before 22 November 2024 will be considered for the award.
LJ Woodward Memorial Scholarship
The LJ Woodward Memorial Scholarship is a three-year award, paying £1,500 per year. The successful applicant may also be eligible for a tuition fee waiver.
This postgraduate scholarship is awarded in memory of L J “Ferdy” Woodward, who initiated Spanish at the University of St Andrews in 1949.
The Memorial Scholarship is available for the 2025-26 academic year for postgraduate students in the Department of Spanish.
Eligibility:
Postgraduate students in the Department of Spanish (2025/26 entry) are eligible to apply.
Applications will be assessed on the strength of their research proposals and academic merit.
How to apply
You do not need to submit a separate application for this scholarship. Applicants should apply online as per the normal University application process. All eligible applications submitted before 22 November 2024 will be considered for the award.
To find out more about funding opportunities, please go to the University of St Andrews Scholarships Funding Catalogue.
Recent Graduate Discount
Entry 2025
The University offers a 15% discount on postgraduate tuition fees to students who have graduated or are eligible to graduate from St Andrews in the last three academic years.
The discount is available if you are applying for postgraduate degree programmes at the University.
Duration and Value of award
The discount will be applied to each standard fee-paying year of study, including the compulsory fieldwork year, if applicable. It does not include extension, continuation, or any other fees.
The discount is 15% of the St Andrews standard tuition fee, taking into account any exceptions and based on your remaining fee liability after any other funding has been deducted.
Additional Criteria
Available to any student who meets the criteria.
The discount will only be applied to the tuition fee balance (the remaining student liability) after any other scholarship or funding has been deducted.
Discount does not apply if:
- You are transferring into a postgraduate degree programme from another St Andrews degree programme where you have not graduated. For example, a change in qualification aim from MPhil to PhD.
- You have previously studied on an International Education Institute (IE) postgraduate preparation programme.
- You have previously studied on an International Foundation Programme.
How to Apply
If you meet all eligibility criteria, the discount will be applied when your programme tuition fee is generated. You do not need to submit an application form. The discount will be applied to the self-funded portion of your tuition fee liability.
Terms and Conditions
You must have either:
- graduated, or have been eligible to graduate, from the University of St Andrews with a recognised degree defined in the Senate Regulations, at a graduation ceremony within the last three years.
- or completed a Global Summer School, Study Abroad or Exchange programme at St Andrews and are returning for postgraduate research studies.
You will only be eligible for the discount when you have an unconditional offer of a place on a postgraduate degree programme.
For full terms and conditions see Recent Graduate Discount (PDF)
Please email scholarshipsandfunding@st-andrews.ac.uk if you have any questions about the scheme.
Paid Part-time Teaching
School's PhD candidates may be offered part-time teaching opportunities once they have completed the in-house teacher training programme.
To discuss potential applications and find out about the support we can give applicants, as well as for advice on expertise available in the School and enquiries about self-funded projects, please contact Professor Mary Orr at langsdopgr@st-andrews.ac.uk