OII DPhil Scholarships / Shirley Scholars Fund

Shirley Scholars Fund (OII DPhil scholarship)

You get a scholarship that covers your full costs as a doctoral (DPhil) student at the Oxford Internet Institute, part of the University of Oxford. It pays your tuition fees plus your living costs for the whole degree, which runs 3 to 4 years full time or 6 to 8 years part time. For reference, a full overseas DPhil costs around EUR 165,000 (about £145,000) and a full home DPhil around EUR 114,000 (about £100,000). The exact monthly amount you receive is not published. The fund is named after Dame Stephanie Shirley, the technology entrepreneur who founded the institute. It supports students researching technology, data, artificial intelligence and society, including work on diversity and fairness in technology.

Who can apply

• Level: You are applying for a doctorate (DPhil) at the Oxford Internet Institute.
• Programme: You are applying to the DPhil in Social Data Science or the DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences.
• Where you study: The University of Oxford in the UK.
• Nationality: Any country can apply.
• Enrolment: Full-time and part-time students can both apply.
• Selection basis: Awards go to the strongest candidates on academic merit.

How to apply

You do not apply for the scholarship separately. You apply to the DPhil programme through the University of Oxford by 12 noon on 9 January 2026, for a start in October 2026. Everyone offered a place is automatically considered, and the OII scholarship committee decides who is nominated.

How realistic are your chances?

Only a few of these scholarships are awarded each year, and the DPhil programmes themselves are highly competitive. Your real hurdle is winning a place on the doctorate. Once you have an offer, you are in the running automatically. A strong, well-defined research proposal that fits the institute's focus on technology and society is what sets applicants apart.