Funding a PhD studentship is a unique opportunity for businesses or organisations of any size to get involved in challenging research projects that are designed to find bespoke solutions to real-world problems.
By working alongside and supporting a PhD student, you will have access to a wealth of resources at Bournemouth University and can contribute to a valuable knowledge exchange that can make a real difference to people’s lives. We strongly encourage innovative research projects that involve critical investigation and result in an independent and original contribution to knowledge.
How do funded PhD studentships work?
A funded PhD studentship gives your organisation the chance to be a part of a high-quality research project and to access the knowledge and expertise of university staff and students. Your business will need to provide funding for the duration of the PhD (typically three years). In some cases, Bournemouth University may be able to offer match-funding and cover half the costs of the studentship.
You are not obliged to provide anything other than financial support for a match-funded PhD studentship. However, your organisation can choose to:
- Be involved in the supervision of the research
- Provide logistical support for the project
- Have access to information throughout the research.
The external match-funding may be provided by industry/business partners, with direct relevance to the proposed research area; government and non-government organisations; other academic institutions; NHS; UKRI; or other external bodies.
The external match-funder should provide a minimum of 50% of the studentship stipend, plus the £3K research costs in line with the Doctoral Study Fund. Our stipend rates are aligned to the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) stipend which are published annually. As such, the external match-funders contribution is equivalent to £31,124 over 36 months / £42,067 over 48 months:
| Funding Type | Year | Stipend | Matched Funder Contribution |
| Stipend | Year 1 (2023-24) | £18,198 | £9,099 |
| Year 2 (2024-25) | £18,744 | £9,372 | |
| Year 3 (2025-26) | £19,306 | £9,653 | |
| Year 4 (2026-27) | £19,885 | £9,943 | |
| Research Costs | £1,000 per annum | ||
| Total match-funder contribution for 3-year project | £31,124 | ||
| Total match-funder contribution for 4-year project | £42,067 | ||
What are the benefits to your organisation?
The main benefit of contributing to a funded PhD studentship is in the knowledge and critical insight you will gain through the research that is conducted. We run research projects in a variety of areas, allowing you to find a project that fits in with the aims and interests of your organisation.
In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), 94% of BU research was found to be internationally-recognised or above, with 19% found to be world-leading in quality.
We pride ourselves on producing impactful research that makes a real difference to people’s lives and we welcome partnerships with organisations that want to work towards this aim.
Access to the expertise of our staff and students, as well as our excellent facilities, is a further advantage to financing a PhD studentship with us.
What areas does your research focus on?
Our approach to research is very much about collaboration, encouraging staff, students and businesses from different backgrounds to work together and pool their knowledge to deliver truly outstanding research projects.
We seek funders to support exciting PhD projects undertaking research across the range of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) and Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines undertaken across our four Faculties.
How can my organisation get involved with a match-funded PhD studentship?
If you would like more information about what a match-funded PhD studentship could do for your business and how to get involved, please email us at [email protected].