Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) - AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards (2026-2030) at Oxford

What the AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award gives you

You get a fully funded DPhil (Oxford's name for a PhD) in an arts or humanities subject, starting in October. The award covers your tuition fees at the UK/Home rate. It also pays a yearly living stipend (a maintenance grant) at the UKRI standard rate, around EUR 26,000 (GBP 21,805 for 2026/27), plus extra money for research costs and training. Funding runs for the standard 3.5 years full time, or up to 4 years where your project needs it. Part-time study is funded over a longer period. The money comes from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Oxford awards three of these studentships each year from 2026 to 2030.

Who can apply

• Degree: You are applying for a DPhil (doctorate) at the University of Oxford.
• Subject: Any arts or humanities field in Oxford's Humanities Division, for example philosophy, history, classics, English, languages, music or theology.
• New student: You are starting your DPhil, not already enrolled in one.
• Nationality: UK and international students can apply, including EU and non-EU. The award only covers fees at the UK/Home rate, so international students pay the difference up to the international fee themselves. No more than 30% of places each year can go to international students.
• Grades: You need an outstanding academic record, because selection is based on academic excellence.

How to apply

There is no separate application for this award. Apply for your DPhil course through Oxford's graduate admissions by the early January deadline for that course. You are then automatically considered for a Landscape Award, alongside the Clarendon Fund and other Oxford scholarships. The Humanities Division picks the winners on academic merit.

How realistic are your chances?

Oxford funds only three of these places a year across all humanities subjects, so the field is small and competition is strong. Academic excellence is the deciding factor. International applicants face a tighter squeeze, since only 30% of places can go to them and they must cover the fee gap. Because one strong DPhil application puts you in the running for several funds, applying by the early January deadline with the best possible academic case is what matters most.