DPhil Funding

You should start looking for funding as soon as you decide to apply to Oxford. The first place to look is the Fees, Funding and Scholarship Search which shows the wide range of graduate scholarships offered by the collegiate University. Please type in ‘art’ in the scholarship search in the ‘course keywords’ box and leave the ‘subject area’ unspecified. Further information is available from the Search results, which link directly to relevant scholarship webpages.

Whilst we encourage all applicants to pursue as many different funding avenues as possible, the Ruskin is unable to offer individual advice or support to candidates.

Before applying for scholarships, you should read the eligibility criteria thoroughly and make sure you submit your application by the correct deadline. Most fully funded scholarships are only available to students who are about to start a new course. Once you are on course, there are very few substantive scholarships available, so it is vital to explore your options early.

Clarendon scholarships

The very strongest applicants for all our DPhil programme are automatically considered for University Clarendon scholarships. There is no separate application process. These are highly competitive and each year only one or two of our students are successful. 

Ertegun scholarships

Applicants for the DPhil in Contemporary Art History and Theory are eligible to apply for the Ertegun Scholarship Programme, which covers all tuition fees plus a generous maintenance grant and a dedicated study space in Ertegun House. More information and details of how to apply can be found on the Ertegun website.

College scholarships

Nearly all colleges offer funding for graduate students, and these scholarships can cover a variety of expenses, including accommodation, fees or a grant for living expenses.  Many awards are for the support of students in specific disciplines. But some are open to research students from across a range of disciplines. The list of colleges that accept Fine Art students is available here. A full list of college scholarships is available from the Fees, Funding & Scholarship Search.

Other funding info

Also have a look at the A-Z of Scholarships here https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/fees-and-funding/oxford-funding.

Since funding in the Humanities is relatively thin on the ground, you are best advised to check out any external funding opportunities before applying. There is also some more information here https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/fees-and-funding