Research Studentships

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Online Application Form
Funding for research of the highest quality

The Cambridge Philosophical Society (CPS) has a fund for the award of studentships for research in the natural sciences or any branch of technology or mathematics. The primary purpose of these awards is to provide for the continuation of an exceptionally promising piece of research beyond the usual standard of the PhD. Applications may also be made to allow extra time for the completion of a PhD thesis which has been delayed by circumstances outside the applicant’s control. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the guidance notes below in full before applying.

Applications must be submitted online in good time. There are two application rounds per year with the closing dates of 30 September and 31 March.

Guidance Notes to Applicants

A. Understanding the application process
At the closing date for applications, applicants must have been Fellows of the Philosophical Society for at least one year and should have a full paid membership (with the latest annual subscription payment covering the period which includes the closing date for applications). More information on the membership payments is available here. Fellows should ensure they meet these requirements before applying. Requests from Fellows with a dormant membership or with a membership less than one year in duration will not be considered.

Applicants must be registered postgraduate students at the University of Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin University, though in exceptional circumstances this condition may be waived. Previous CPS Research Studentship awardees are ineligible to apply for further awards.

The applicant should ensure that their application is supported by a report from their Principal Supervisor and from one other referee (the referee should be an academic or a person of appropriate standing who knows the applicant in a professional capacity). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that both the supervisor and second referee provide their references online by the closing date. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Awards will be tenable for a period up to three months. The maximum monthly award is normally in line with comparable awards from other funding agencies (up to £1,550). Any part-funding allocated by the Society will be to bring funding up to the award level for comparable funding bodies. That said, the maximum amount is not guaranteed: studentships awarded by the Society will vary from application to application depending on the individual circumstances. Funding for part-time students will be reduced pro-rata.

B. Considering the application remit

1. Studentships may be awarded to provide for continuation of an exceptionally promising piece of research beyond what was envisaged when the project was set up. Successful applications are expected to lead to immediately publishable results. In making awards the Society will have regard to the specific piece of research proposed, to the proven ability of the applicant, and to the other sources of funds for which the applicant may be eligible. Note that this funded work must be finished before the applicant has completed their PhD, so while they are still registered students. Student status may be retained until post-viva thesis corrections have been submitted, unless the student has moved into employment. Submission of the PhD thesis should therefore not be delayed: studentships may still be held post-submission.
   
2. Applications to allow extra time for completion of a PhD thesis will only be considered in cases of objective misfortune leading to delays that could not have been predicted. For example:

1. Loss of time through circumstances that could not have been reasonably anticipated (such as equipment failure, non-availability of promised resources);
2. Change of supervisor or project part way through the course;
3. Illness, family circumstances or other personal misfortune.

The Society will not make any contributions towards fees, travelling expenses, etc. Nor will it expect to contribute to over-run expenses in cases where it should have been clear from the outset that the project would require more time than was covered by the duration of the main funding. Similarly, the Society will not ordinarily cover costs associated with delays arising from a planned move of a department or laboratory: these costs should be factored in by the relevant Department during the planning process and covered by them.

Applicants should describe the aims of their research and report on progress to date including a full explanation for any delays that have occurred. This statement should be corroborated by the referees, who should ensure that a clear case is made for why funding from the Society is justified. For over-running students the supervisor must state what resources could be available from the Department and from their own funds. 

The remit of the Philosophical Society is ‘to promote research in all branches of science and to encourage the communication of the results of scientific research’. If there is any doubt whether the field of work qualifies under this rubric, for example, if the applicant’s departmental affiliation is not strictly scientific (e.g. Geography, Education, Archaeology or the Judge Business School), their statement must demonstrate that their research project counts as “science” and they should ensure that their supervisor and referee reinforce this. 


It is the responsibility of applicants and their referees to provide the necessary assurance of compliance with these policies, otherwise the application will be rejected.

C. Exploring other sources of funding
Funding from the Cambridge Philosophical Society will be provided only after relevant University and College resources have been explored. In particular, the applicant must demonstrate that, if eligible, they have already applied successfully to the University’s postgraduate financial support funds. They must state what Department and College funds are available and apply for financial support they are eligible for. Details of any funding bodies that have supported them during their PhD research should also be provided.

Applicants are required to state what other applications for funding have been made, and the amounts requested. The applicant should notify the Society’s office as soon as the result of any other application for funding is known.

D. Receiving a decision and claiming a Research Studentship

Applications will be considered by the Society as a field after the closing date, with due attention to individual circumstances of each requester, merits of their application and in line with this guidance. Decisions and further information will usually be communicated to applicants within 2 months after the application deadline, but this may occasionally take as long as 3 months. Once the decision is confirmed, we will not be able to offer further comments on it.

On completion of their studentships, Research Studentship awardees will be required to submit a short report on the work they have done while being supported by the Studentship.

Regulations revised January 2025.