Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund
Applications for September 2026 entry are now OPEN
The IOP and leading physicist Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell launched the Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund to encourage greater diversity in physics. The Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund provides an opportunity for physics graduates from groups currently under-represented in Physics.
About the Scholarship
There are two award categories: a co-funding award for the doctoral programme with a fixed maximum of £36k per student; or a top-up award to support additional costs that are needed to complete a fully funded PhD. The top-up awards will have a maximum value of £10k.
The fund is managed by the IOP - please visit the IOP website for more details.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to UK (home) students only.
Hold (or be about to obtain) a minimum of a 2:1 class UK Masters honours degree, or international equivalent, or a First Class Bachelor's degree with an additional Master's degree, or international equivalent. Applicants with a First Class Bachelor's degree, or international equivalent, with proven research experience may also be considered;
In order to be eligible you must also have an offer for a place for PhD in Physics
The scholarship fund is to support full- or part-time graduates who wish to study towards a doctorate in physics, and are from groups that are currently under-represented in physics, e.g. women; students of Black-Caribbean, Black-African and other minority ethnic (BAME) heritage; students with disabilities, or who require additional funding to support inclusive learning; LGBT+ students; a student from disadvantaged background who may struggle to find the levels of funding needed to complete their studies. People with qualifying refugee status who meet the above criteria are also encouraged to apply.
We particularly welcome applications from candidates with a demonstrable commitment to encouraging greater inclusion in physics.
Application Process
This scholarship works on a nomination basis, the lead supervisor will consider you for nomination and will support you through the process. It is important that you have had significant contact with the supervisory team during the application process. Your application will then be considered by a departmental funding panel.
The Department funding panel will review the applications received by 15th December 2025. In order to be considered, you must hold an academic offer for a place on one of PhD Physics programmes.
This year we have a number of projects for consideration for the funding scheme which can be found below.
Please note that two candidates seleced by the Department of Physics will be asked to submit a full application to the Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund via the IOP website by the application deadline of 5pm on Monday 19 January 2026
Key Dates
Applications Close – Midday Wednesday 10th December
Shortlisting – Midday Monday 15th December 2025
Invitation to interview sent w/c 15th December 2025
Interviews held w/c 5th Jan 2026
Outcomes communicated & Offer made Monday 12 January 2026
Application to Bell Burnell fund by 19th January 2026
Projects Available for the application to the Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund
The following projects are available for this funding opportunity.
- Characterising spinal disc stiffness and mechanics in vivo
- Developing simulations to study coevolution in aquatic environments shaped by flow
- Miniaturised mid-infrared sensing of environmental exposures using 3D-printed photonic metamaterials
- Nanoquakes for Pressure Sensing
- Non-linear quantum optomechanics
- Quantum technologies exploiting topology
Other EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Awards available across all Departments.
