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Graduate Research Degrees

UCL offers two research graduate degrees in Philosophy: the MPhil Stud and the PhD.

The Philosophy MPhil Stud is a two-year (full-time) programme. Students complete coursework across a range of areas, and produce a substantial research thesis, preparing them for PhD-level research.

The Philosophy PhD is a three-year (full-time) programme. Most of our PhD students have completed our MPhil Stud, but it is possible to enrol on this course if you have obtained a similar qualification elsewhere.

The links, above, provide information about the programmes, funding opportunities, and the application process.

Funding Opportunities

We are delighted to announce several sources of funding (assuming candidates of suitable quality). Some of these require separate applications, so please read the following information carefully:

Keeling Scholarship: Open Area of Philosophy (PhD)
  • Value: full fees; maintenance stipend; research allowance 
  • Available to: prospective students based on academic merit
  • Eligible fee status: UK
  • Eligible programmes: PhD
  • Deadline: TBC January 2025

UCL Philosophy is pleased to announce at least one Keeling scholarship for a PhD in any area of philosophy, beginning in September 2023.

The scholarship lasts for three years. It will fund UK tuition fees and provide a maintenance stipend (equivalent to the AHRC stipend, plus London allowance).

No separate application for this scholarship is necessary; all successful applicants to UCL's PhD in Philosophy will be considered automatically, provided they apply by 10 January 2024.

Keeling Scholarship: Ancient Philosophy (PhD)
  • Value: full fees; maintenance stipend; research allowance 
  • Available to: prospective students based on academic merit
  • Eligible fee status: UK
  • Eligible programmes: PhD
  • Deadline: TBC January 2025

UCL Philosophy is pleased to announce at least one Keeling scholarship for a PhD specializing in ancient philosophy, beginning in September 2024.

The scholarship lasts for three years. It will fund UK tuition fees and provide a maintenance stipend (equivalent to the AHRC stipend, plus London allowance).

Applicants wishing to apply for this Keeling Scholarship in Ancient Philosophy should indicate this on their UCL application form in the section 'Funding', and must apply by 10 January 2024.

Keeling Scholarship: Ancient Philosophy (MPhil Stud)
  • Value: full fees; maintenance stipend; research allowance 
  • Available to: prospective students based on academic merit
  • Eligible fee status: UK
  • Eligible programmes: MPhil Stud
  • Deadline: TBC January 2025

UCL Philosophy is pleased to announce at least one Keeling scholarship for an MPhil Stud specializing in ancient philosophy, beginning in September 2024. The recipient of this scholarship will be required to specialise to some extent in ancient philosophy over the two year programme, by completing at least two half-year modules in the area of ancient philosophy, attending the weekly ancient philosophy reading group, and by writing their research thesis (25,000–30,000 words) on a topic in ancient philosophy. Other taught modules can be taken in any area of philosophy, as well as in the relevant ancient language as required.

The scholarship lasts for two years. It will fund UK tuition fees and provide a maintenance stipend (equivalent to the AHRC stipend, plus London allowance).

Applicants wishing to apply for this Keeling Scholarship in Ancient Philosophy should indicate this on their UCL application form in the 'Funding' section, and must apply by 10 January 2024.

UCL Research Excellence Scholarships (MPhil Stud or PhD)
  • Value: full fees (Home/Overseas); maintenance stipend; research allowance
  • Available to: prospective and current students, based on academic merit
  • Eligible fee status: UK, Overseas
  • Eligible programmes: PhD or MPhil
  • Deadline: TBC January 2025

UCL will offer 40 fully-funded UCL Research Excellence Scholarships (RES) to exceptional applicants from any country.

This requires a separate application. For more details, please visit the UCL RES site.

AHRC Doctoral Training Awards / LAHP Studentship
  • Value: full UK fees; maintenance stipend; research allowance 
  • Available to: prospective students based on academic merit
  • Eligible fee status: UK, Overseas
  • Eligible programmes: research PhD
  • Deadline: TBC January 2025

The London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP) will be accepting applications for AHRC/LAHP Doctoral Training Awards, for 2024 entry. Usually, up to 90 studentships are available for postgraduate research students studying arts and humanities disciplines at the institutions (including UCL) which comprise the LAHP.

LAHP Studentships last for three years (full time study). They fund UK tuition fees and provide a maintenance grant. Overseas applicants are eligible to apply, but the studentship will not cover the full cost of Overseas tuition fees. Guidance on applying to the LAHP can be found here. The deadline for submission of funding application forms to LAHP is 26 January 2024.

Please note that LAHP applications require a supporting statement from the prospective supervisor. Consequently, applicants are strongly advised to contact their prospective UCL supervisor, to discuss their application, well before the deadline.

Smaller Departmental Awards (MPhil Stud or PhD)

The Philosophy Department also has a limited number of small scholarships, to be taken towards fees or as a stipend, as follows:

  • A.J. Ayer Award: ~£2,000
  • Ayer–Sumitomo Award: ~£800
  • Dawes–Hicks Award: ~£5,000
  • Jacobsen Scholarship: ~£9,500
  • G. Melhuish Award: ~£3,700
  • J.S. Mill Award: ~£1,400
  • Downing Scholarship: ~£250

There is no separate application procedure for these scholarships; all successful applicants to any UCL Philosophy Research Programmes (i.e. MPhil Stud or PhD) will be automatically considered for them, on the basis of academic merit.

For other possible sources of funding, you can use the UCL scholarship finder on the main UCL funding pages.

Advice on writing samples

Applicants for either the MPhil Stud or the PhD must submit two writing samples of around 2000 words each (excluding bibliography). These are a crucial part of our admissions process.

  • We ask for two pieces, as we do not want to make the decision on seeing only one piece of work.
  • We set a short word-limit, because we have so many applications. If you send in longer pieces, we cannot guarantee they will be read in their entirety. Longer pieces with highlighted sections can be submitted, but do be aware that is not always possible to get a feel for an argument from an isolated section. 

Remember: you are in competition with many other applicants; it is worth taking some time to work on pieces that fulfil the requirements.