Postgraduate Research Finance

General sources of funding are listed on the Loughborough University’s Research degree funding webpage.

Details of funded research opportunities are publicised by the university’s PhD opportunities webpage.  The University stipend/scholarship for eligible students is £18,622 from October 2023.

In general, you can expect to spend £1,200 per month for living/accommodation costs while studying in Loughborough, i.e. £14,400 across the whole year.  Accommodation costs in London can significantly increase costs to £1,700 or higher per month (£20,400 per year).  Students with family should budget to spend an extra £680 per month for each dependant (£845 per month in London). For more detail please see our managing your money web page and click on 'How much money do I need for living costs?' which gives some sample budgets with an indication of how much you need to live on. All figures are intended as guidance only and may vary depending on personal preferences and external factors that affect the cost of living.

Students borrowing the UK government Doctoral Loan should be aware it only helps towards basic living costs and will not be adequate to meet all costs. There is no specific element of the loan for tuition fees.

Doctoral Loan rates for students resident in England (funded by Student Finance England)–

• £28,673 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2023
• £27,892 if your course started between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023
• £27,265 if your course started between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022

The loan is paid in instalments, generally across three years of your PhD.

Students from Wales have a different loans scheme.  Scotland and Northern Ireland do not offer loans for study at PhD level.

If you have a disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, you may be able to get extra help through Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs).

Recipients of partial scholarships (e.g. tuition fees only) should ensure they have another source of funding to be able to cover all necessary costs.

Research scholarships typically last for no longer than the first 3 years of study, additional funding should be planned in case additional time is taken for writing up.

If you require advice about Doctoral Loans and managing your finances you can contact the Student Advice and Support Service.