College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities Masters Excellence Scholarship

The Masters Excellence Scholarships are designed as a route into PhD study within Arts & Humanities subject areas. They support applicants with an excellent undergraduate record and the capacity to complete a Masters degree at Distinction level. 

• This scholarship is no longer running. 2024 was the last application cycle.

If successful in gaining an Excellence Scholarship you will be expected to apply for a PhD at the University of Leicester after completing your Masters and apply for a PhD studentship from the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership. 

The Masters Excellence Scholarships are available to new UK applicants registering for a full- or part-time, campus-based Masters degree within the College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities in the following subject areas:

• American Studies*
• Archaeology and Ancient History
• Business Studies*
• Criminology*
• Education*
• English
• History
• History of Art and Film
• Human Geography*
• Law*
• Media and Communications*
• Modern Languages
• Museum Studies
• Politics and International Relations*

* Please consult carefully the AHRC-ESRC Joint Statement and contact your school to confirm that your area of study within these subject areas is compatible with the remit of AHRC funding.   

Four Masters Excellence Scholarships are available, each providing a full fee waiver and £9,000 stipend. To make sure your area of study is eligible, please check the disciplinary requirements of the Arts and Humanities Research Council funding.

Scholarships will be assessed by a cross-College panel and will be awarded on the basis of the overall strength of the application. The criteria considered by panel are:  eligibility and potential fit with the AHRC subject remit; previous academic attainment; relevant professional experience (if applicable) and the strength and relevance of your references, personal statement and proposed research. 

For more information about the current Midlands4Cities Doctoral Partnership please visit the website.

Entry Requirements

• Excellence Scholarships are only available to applicants eligible for UK fee status
• A relevant first-class or strong second-class degree* or overseas equivalent 
• Standard English language requirements
• Available for full- or part-time (subject to availability) campus-based study 
• You must be able to start in the 2024/25 academic year

* or show evidence of achieving this before the start of the Masters degree 

Important advice for applicants

• Online application for study on a Masters programme to be completed by 12 May 2024.
• Masters Excellence Scholarship application form to be submitted by the deadline of 22 May 2024.
• Applicants who do not submit a fully completed Masters Excellence Scholarship application form will not be considered.
• We recommend that you browse relevant School webpages to identify potential PhD supervisor/s. 
• The panel will aim to confirm four successful applicants by mid-June 2024.

Informal enquiries

For enquiries concerning your application for study on a Masters programme, please contact pgadmissions@le.ac.uk 

For enquiries concerning potential research interests and the aims and remit of the Excellence Scholarship and Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership, please contact Dr Claire Brock cb178@le.ac.uk

You may also contact potential PhD supervisor/s within your subject area to advise them of your Masters Excellence application and interest in pursuing doctoral research.