PhD Studentships at The School of Physical Sciences, STEM Faculty

The Open University - Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

Salary: Stipend £21,805 per annum

Location: Milton Keynes

Full Time PhD Studentships at The School of Physical Sciences, STEM Faculty

Two full-time STFC PhD studentships are available from 1 October 2026. These are initially for 3 years and 3 months, with the possibility of an additional 3-month extension.

Closing Date: 31 March, 2026 - 17:00

Applications for funded PhD projects to commence on 1st October 2026 are now open at the School of Physical Sciences. The projects available are listed here: https://www.open.ac.uk/science/physical-science/phd-students/current-phd-studentships

These studentships are funded for 3 years and 3 months, with the possibility of an additional 3-month extension. They attract a stipend of £21,805 per year (2026/27 rate) and cover the home-student university fees. The studentships also include support for training and development opportunities. To be eligible for funding, applicants must meet the UKRI academic requirements. We normally require candidates to have at least a 2:1 at UK B.Sc. or M.Sc. level.

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 31st March 2026 at 17:00. Completed application forms should be sent to SPS at STEM-SPS-PHD@open.ac.uk

General information about studying for a research degree with the Open University is available from the Research Degrees Prospectus: http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/research-degrees/degrees-we-offer/doctor-of-philosophy-phd.