Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford - Unilever Scholarship

Benefit

The scholarship covers your full course fees at the ‘Home/ROI’ rate for three years, plus an annual allowance towards your living costs (the exact amount is not disclosed). ‘Home/ROI’ is the tuition fee rate applicable to students from the UK and the Republic of Ireland. St Cross College funds the scholarship jointly with the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford. It is aimed at students who are commencing a DPhil (as the PhD is known at Oxford) in Chemistry in October.

Eligibility

• Degree: You are applying for a DPhil (PhD) in Chemistry at the University of Oxford.
• Field of study: Chemistry only.
• Start date: You start in October (in October 2026 for the current round).
• Grades: The award is based on academic achievement, so you’ll need excellent results.
• Nationality: Anyone can apply. However, the funding only covers tuition fees for home students (Home/ROI). So if you are paying the higher fees for international students, your costs will not be fully covered.

How to apply

There is no separate application process. Apply for the DPhil in Chemistry by the deadline in January (2026 January for a start date in October 2026). All applicants who are offered a place will then be automatically considered. Scholarship recipients will be selected following the assessment of DPhil applications.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a single award linked to a specific programme of study at an Oxford college, meaning that only a small group of DPhil candidates in Chemistry compete for it. The challenge lies in securing a DPhil place at Oxford in the first place. Once you have been offered a place, no further effort is required, and selection is based solely on academic merit. If you are a strong candidate in Chemistry and pay the home or Republic of Ireland tuition fees, your prospects are promising.