Leeds Business School PhD Excellence Scholarships 2026-27 in the UK offer two fully funded PhD opportunities in Marketing, covering full academic fees and a maintenance allowance of £21,805 per year for eligible UK and international students. Applications close on 15 September 2026.
The Leeds Business School PhD Excellence Scholarships 2026-27 in the UK provide an excellent opportunity for high-achieving students to undertake doctoral research at Leeds University Business School. The University of Leeds is offering two PhD Excellence Scholarships within its Marketing Department, with funding available to both UK and international applicants.
The scholarships provide full academic fees and a maintenance allowance currently valued at £21,805 for the 2026/27 academic year. The maintenance allowance increases annually in line with UKRI rates, while the award provides full-time fee coverage for three years and maintenance funding for 3.5 years. (phd.leeds.ac.uk)
Background & Scholarship Description
Leeds University Business School is an internationally recognised business school with research spanning management, marketing, economics, organisations, technology and other areas of business and society.
For the 2026/27 academic year, the Business School is investing in research excellence through two PhD Excellence Scholarships in the Marketing Department.
The awards are intended for prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence a PhD at Leeds University Business School. The scholarships are open to UK and international applicants, although part-time study is available only to UK candidates.
The Business School highlights research areas including strategic innovation, digitalisation and employment, UK growth and productivity, workplace and social inclusion, organisational and consumer behaviour, sustainable business futures, and global markets and international systems.
The School also has a postgraduate research community of approximately 210 researchers and provides academic, professional and personal development opportunities for its postgraduate researchers.
Scholarship Benefits
The Leeds Business School PhD Excellence Scholarship provides substantial financial support for successful candidates.
The award includes:
- Full academic fees
- Maintenance allowance of £21,805 for 2026/27
- Annual increases to the maintenance allowance in line with UKRI rates
- Full-time fee coverage for three years
- Maintenance funding for 3.5 years
- Pro-rata funding for eligible part-time UK candidates
The maintenance grant is intended to help support the scholar’s living costs while undertaking doctoral research.
However, international applicants should take note of an important limitation. Relocation expenses are not covered by the scholarship. International students are responsible for costs such as visas, insurance, NHS charges and flights associated with relocating to the UK.
Number of Scholarships
There are two funding places available under the Leeds University Business School PhD Excellence Scholarships in Marketing for the 2026/27 intake.
The scholarships are awarded competitively, and the final selection is based on academic merit and ability.
The university explicitly states that financial hardship is not considered as a selection factor. Therefore, applicants should focus on demonstrating the academic strength and research potential required for a highly competitive PhD award.
Eligible Applicants
The scholarship is open to:
- UK applicants
- International applicants
- New postgraduate researchers
- Full-time PhD candidates
- Part-time PhD candidates from the UK
Applicants who are already registered for PhD research study are not eligible for these awards.
Successful candidates must also take up the award by 1 February 2027 and live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds while receiving the scholarship.
Academic Requirements
Applicants must meet the entry requirements for a PhD at Leeds University Business School.
Normally, candidates should have:
- A first-class or upper second-class British Bachelor’s Honours degree, or equivalent
- A British Master’s degree or equivalent qualification from an overseas university, or an equivalent professional qualification
- An appropriate academic background for the proposed research
For departments including Marketing, applicants are expected to have a Master’s degree with a minimum average score of 60%, or an equivalent qualification from a non-UK institution, in an appropriate academic discipline.
Applicants should also meet any additional requirements associated with their proposed research area and PhD program.
English Language Requirements
International applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate that they meet the University’s English-language requirements.
The minimum requirement for postgraduate research study at Leeds University Business School is:
IELTS: 7.0 overall, with at least 6.5 in each component.
An equivalent English-language qualification may also be accepted.
The English test must normally have been taken within two years of the course start date to remain valid.
Applicants should therefore ensure that their English-language evidence will remain valid when their PhD begins.
Research Areas
Although these particular scholarships are located within the Marketing Department, Leeds University Business School conducts research across a broad range of business-related subjects.
Relevant research themes highlighted by the School include:
- Strategic innovation in management and leadership
- Digitalisation, work and employment
- Growth and productivity
- Inclusion in workplaces and society
- Organisational behaviour
- Consumer behaviour
- Sustainable business
- Global markets
- International systems
Applicants should ensure that their proposed PhD research aligns with the expertise and research interests of the relevant department and potential supervisors.
Application Deadlines
There are two separate deadlines that applicants need to understand.
PhD Application Deadline
Applicants must submit their application for a PhD study place by:
Tuesday, 8 September 2026
This earlier deadline is important because applicants need to have sufficient time for their PhD application to be assessed before they can complete the scholarship application.
Scholarship Deadline
The scholarship application deadline is:
Tuesday, 15 September 2026 at 12 noon
Applicants must have their 9-digit student identification number before completing the scholarship application.
The university states that applications received after the deadline will not be considered and that only complete applications will be assessed.
How to Apply
The application process consists of two stages.
Stage 1: Apply for PhD Admission
First, applicants must apply for a research place at Leeds University Business School.
The applicant should clearly indicate that they intend to apply for the relevant departmental scholarship.
All required supporting documents for the PhD application must be submitted. Applicants must meet the University’s PhD entry requirements.
Once the application has been processed and the applicant receives their 9-digit student ID number, they can proceed to the second stage.
Stage 2: Apply for the Scholarship
After receiving the student ID number, applicants must complete the relevant Leeds University Business School departmental scholarship application.
For this particular opportunity, applicants should use the Marketing Scholarship application form.
The completed scholarship application must be submitted by 12 noon on 15 September 2026.
Applicants who require evidence of English proficiency should also ensure that the relevant documentation is available.
Selection Process
All completed scholarship applications will be considered after the deadline.
The university states that the final awards are based on academic merit. Financial circumstances are not used as a selection criterion.
Applicants should therefore make sure that their academic qualifications, research proposal, and overall PhD application demonstrate strong research ability and potential.
The university expects to notify applicants of the outcome within six to eight weeks of the scholarship deadline.
Important Conditions
Successful candidates must take up the scholarship by 1 February 2027.
The award is intended for new postgraduate researchers undertaking research leading to a PhD.
Existing PhD students who are already registered are excluded from applying.
International students should also carefully budget for relocation expenses because the scholarship does not cover visa costs, insurance, NHS fees, flights or other expenses associated with moving to the UK.
The scholarship requires recipients to live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds while receiving the award.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Leeds Business School PhD Excellence Scholarships are available?
There are two scholarships available within the Marketing Department for the 2026/27 academic year.
Is the scholarship open to international students?
Yes. The scholarship is open to UK and international applicants.
How much is the maintenance allowance?
The maintenance allowance is £21,805 for the 2026/27 academic year, with annual increases in line with UKRI rates.
Does the scholarship cover tuition fees?
Yes. The award provides full academic fee coverage for three years for full-time study.
Can current PhD students apply?
No. Students who are already registered for PhD research study are excluded from applying.
What is the scholarship deadline?
The scholarship deadline is 15 September 2026 at 12 noon.
What is the PhD admission deadline?
Applicants must submit their PhD study application by 8 September 2026 to allow sufficient time for the admission process before the scholarship deadline.
Does the scholarship cover international relocation costs?
No. International students are responsible for relocation-related costs including visas, insurance, NHS fees and flights.
Final Thoughts
The Leeds Business School PhD Excellence Scholarships 2026-27 in the UK offer two highly competitive doctoral funding opportunities for talented researchers interested in Marketing and related business research.
The awards provide an attractive funding package, including full academic fees and a £21,805 maintenance allowance for 2026/27, with the maintenance funding increasing annually according to UKRI rates. Full-time scholars receive fee coverage for three years and maintenance support for 3.5 years.
Both UK and international applicants can apply, although international candidates should account for additional relocation and immigration costs that are not covered by the award.
The application timeline is particularly important. Candidates must submit their PhD application by 8 September 2026 and complete the scholarship application by 12 noon on 15 September 2026. Since applicants need a Leeds student identification number before submitting the scholarship application, prospective candidates should begin the admission process immediately.
For researchers with a strong academic record and a compelling doctoral research direction in Marketing or related business fields, this scholarship represents a valuable opportunity to pursue a funded PhD at the University of Leeds.
Official scholarship page: Leeds University Business School PhD Excellence Scholarships 2026/27 Marketing)
Official University of Leeds research opportunities: University of Leeds Research Opportunities
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