Fully Funded PhD Scholarships 2026: Funded Positions & Fellowships

A fully funded PhD covers tuition and pays a stipend, or in much of Europe a salary, for the duration of your research. There are three main ways to get one: advertised funded positions, government fellowships, and university awards.

In Europe, funded PhDs are often advertised like jobs, with a 3 to 4 year contract and a salary, rather than a scholarship. These positions open throughout the year and close when filled, so checking regularly matters. In North America, doctoral students are commonly funded through teaching and research assistantships that waive tuition and pay a stipend.

Government fellowships for doctoral research include Fulbright, DAAD, the Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, the Vanier CGS in Canada and the Humboldt Research Fellowship for postdocs. They are competitive, but they cover the full cost of several years of research.

University awards, like Imperial's President's PhD Scholarships or the Oxford-McCall MacBain Graduate Scholarship, fund strong applicants directly. Search by study level and funding type to find funded doctoral opportunities in your field, and apply to specific projects rather than a generic programme.