UCL's School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) - SSEES Foundation Studentship

SSEES Foundation Studentship

You get your tuition fees paid at the UK home rate plus a yearly living allowance of about EUR 24,000 (£20,622 for 2023/24, including a London top-up), for three years. The award comes from UCL's School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) and goes to one doctoral researcher a year, chosen on academic merit. If you are an international (overseas) student, you can still win it, but you must cover the gap between the home and international fee rates yourself.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You are applying for a full-time MPhil/PhD, a doctorate you research and write yourself.
• Field of study: Your research is in Slavonic and East European Studies at UCL SSEES.
• Qualifications: You normally hold a first or upper second-class honours degree plus a completed Master's degree.
• Nationality: Open to UK, EU and other international students.
• Grades: Selection is purely on academic excellence, so you need strong marks in subjects relevant to your research.

How to apply

Apply through the UCL online portal for the SSEES research degree and tick that you want to be considered for the studentship. You also email a written work sample of up to 10,000 words, with your student number, to the research programme administrator. The award is not offered for 2026-2027 and returns for 2027 entry.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a single fully funded place awarded once a year, so it is genuinely competitive. The narrow subject focus keeps the applicant pool small, but the bar is high: only academic merit counts, so top grades and a sharp writing sample decide it. Line up a supervisor early and prepare your sample carefully.