€25,000 a Year UCC PhD Scholarship

University College Cork's flagship doctoral scholarship, the UCC Futures Scholars Programme (GoI), funds full-time PhD research in any discipline at UCC in Ireland, starting 1 October 2027. It is funded through Research Ireland's Empower programme, and winners are recognised as Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship holders. Applicants of every nationality can apply, and they lead their own research project with a UCC supervisor.

What you get:

• An annual stipend of €25,000
• Up to €5,750 a year towards tuition fees, with UCC waiving any non-EU fee component the award does not cover
• At least €5,000 a year for research costs such as consumables, training, conferences, fieldwork and travel
• Up to four years of funding for new entrants, or up to three years for students who first registered on or after 1 September 2026
• Recognition as a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship holder

What you'll do:

• Design and lead your own full-time PhD research project at UCC, supported by a supervisory team
• Prepare a written proposal of up to 2,700 words with your Lead Supervisor, who submits it for you
• Interview online if shortlisted, between 9 and 12 February 2027

Key dates:

• Call opened 2 November 2026
• Pure platform information session 2 December 2026
• Applications close 5pm Irish time, 11 December 2026
• Online interviews for shortlisted applicants 9 to 12 February 2027
• Offers issued end of February 2027
• Supporting documents due on UCC Apply by 1 April 2027
• Scholarship starts 1 October 2027

More information:

• The full call document and application form are linked from the programme page
• Queries go to uccempowerapplications@ucc.ie

• Open to applicants of all nationalities, with no age limit
• Hold or expect a First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1.1 or 2.1), or a Master's degree, or an international equivalent, completed by 30 September 2027
• Meet UCC's postgraduate English language requirements
• Be starting an eligible UCC doctoral programme, or have completed no more than the first year of one (first registered between 1 September 2026 and 31 August 2027)
• Have an eligible UCC Lead Supervisor who agrees to support and submit the application through UCC's Pure system; applicants cannot submit themselves
• Not hold a doctorate, not hold or have held any doctoral scholarship, and not be permanent staff of a higher education or research organisation
• One application per applicant
• Must study full time and be based primarily at UCC; full-time employment is not allowed during the award