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UK Government doctoral loans

New MPhil/PhD research students can apply for a UK government doctoral loan of up to £28,673 (if your course started on or after 1 August 2023). The amount that you can receive is not means-tested (i.e. - it is not determined by your household income). 

  • ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

    • You must be:
      • a new student OR a continuing student if your course started on or after 1 August 2018
      • applying for an MPhil/PhD degree or a professional doctorate
      • a UK or EU national, or have 'settled status' (some exceptions may apply)
      • resident in England 
      • aged 59 or under
      • new students: applying to study on a Birkbeck programme that is based at our Bloomsbury campus in London (this includes programmes delivered online)
      • current/continuing students (if your course started on or after 1 August 2018): a registered Birkbeck student, studying on a programme that is based at our Bloomsbury campus in London (this includes programmes delivered online).
    • You are ineligible if:
      • you started your MPhil/PhD prior to the 2018-19 academic year 
      • applying for a stand-alone MPhil or MRes degree (you can apply for the government's postgraduate loans) 
      • you are already in receipt of government funding, such as a Research Council studentship (including fees-only awards). 

  • HOW TO APPLY

  • CLOSING DATE

    • You can apply at any point up until the ninth month of your final academic year. 

  • REPAYMENT

    • Doctoral loans are repaid on the same terms as the government's postgraduate loans. 
    • The repayment rate is 9% for a doctoral loan and for a postgraduate and doctoral loan combined. 
    • Find out more about repayment. 

  • FURTHER INFORMATION