Research Excellence Scholarships for Cross-disciplinary Training (One-Year) (RXD)

What you get

You get a fully funded extra academic year to work in a different UCL department and pick up research skills from another discipline. The award covers your full tuition fees (Home or Overseas rate), a maintenance stipend (living-cost payment) of about EUR 25,000 (£21,237) for full-time study, based on the 2024/25 rate, and up to about EUR 1,400 (£1,200) towards research costs. If you already hold a UKRI scholarship at a higher stipend, your RXD amount is matched to that higher rate. The funding runs for one academic year, full time, in the new department. It comes from University College London (UCL), which offers 4 places for 2025/26.

Who can apply

• Current student: You are already enrolled at UCL on an MPhil/PhD or EngD (a doctoral engineering degree), full or part time.
• Study phase: You are still in the research, fee-paying phase of your doctorate. You cannot apply if you have entered, or will enter, the writing-up phase before September 2025.
• Nationality: Open to students from any country, both UK and overseas fee status.
• Funding secured: You can prove three years of secured funding for your normal doctoral programme. If you fund yourself, you show that the rest of your PhD is fully covered.
• Existing funder's consent: If you already hold another scholarship or grant (such as UKRI), you need written approval from that funder to take the RXD year.

How to apply

Your UCL department nominates you and forwards the application to the Student Funding Office. The deadline for the 2025/26 round is Friday 10 January 2025. Successful candidates are notified in April 2025. Selection is based on the impact of your cross-disciplinary research plan, plus your academic merit and research potential.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is cut very narrowly: only current UCL doctoral students still in the fee-paying research phase can apply, and just 4 places are offered. That keeps the pool small, but you also need a convincing case for why a year in another discipline strengthens your research. If you clearly fit the criteria and your department backs you, your prospects are solid.