PhD Student Funding
The IHR offers funding opportunities for students to undertake a postgraduate research degree at the Institute.
Learn more about the PhD Student Funding opportunities below.
Veale Straschnov Student Bursary
The IHR will offer a Veale-Straschnov Doctoral Studentship for new doctoral students at the Institute of Historical Research. This award provides support for mature students, aged 25 and over, seeking to begin a research degree at the Institute.
Awards are funded from a benefaction left to the IHR by Elspeth Veale, in remembrance of her late sister Jean and brother-in-law George Straschnov. Elspeth Veale (1916-2015) trained as a teacher of history and was awarded a one-year research fellowship at the Institute of Historical Research in 1950, where she began work on the history of the English Fur Trade, subsequently published as The English Fur Trade in the Later Middle Ages (1966). She became a university lecturer and Dean of Humanities at Goldsmiths’ College, University of London.
The Veale-Straschnov Doctoral Studentship is intended to cover the fees of mature students embarking on a doctorate at the Institute of Historical Research. The selection panel will take into account the strength of the applicant’s project; their academic background; and their financial circumstances.
The award will be made for the initial year of study in the first instance, but will only be extended subject to favourable annual academic progress reports. For further information on fees, please see: https://www.sas.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/fees-and-funding
Awards are open to mature students newly-accepted to read for the PhD degree at the IHR. For this purpose a mature student will be understood to be anyone who, on starting his or her doctorate, is aged 25 or over.
The award is only available to new doctoral students joining the IHR from 1 October 2025; doctoral students already on-course are ineligible. Applicants must be UK residents at time of application.
Applicants wishing to be considered for the Veale-Straschnov award should first submit their application to study for the PhD degree at the IHR by completing the relevant Online Application.
Once you have submitted your application to study for the PhD degree, please complete an application to be considered for the Veale-Straschnov award by completing the Veale-Straschnov Award Application
Please note that acceptance into the PhD programme does not indicate the conferment of the Veale-Straschnov Award. The School of Advanced Study will inform you of the outcome of your application to PhD study. You will receive separate communication from the IHR regarding your Veale-Straschnov Award application.
31 March 2025
Elaine Paintin Award
The Elaine Paintin Memorial Fund is awarded annually to eligible students of the Institute of Historical Research to support travel and accommodation costs associated with research or conference attendance or skills courses.
The fund is open to all students registered on the MPhil/PhD at the Institute of Historical Research. Applicants are only eligible for one award per academic year.
The maximum grant awarded will be £400. Applicants may request to put this awards toward an activity of a higher total cost. Successful applicants will pay their costs up front, and provide relevant receipts upon completion. All approved costs will then be reimbursed.
Please complete an application here: Elaine Paintin Award
31 March 2025