Postgraduate Funding

School Masters Scholarships

The School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics is seeking outstanding applicants for scholarships on our Masters programmes in Literature, English Language, Linguistics and Creative Writing. We are offering several bursaries worth up to £2,500 towards the cost of postgraduate study.

Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis to applicants who, at the time the application for the Scholarship is submitted, have completed an application on the admissions portal for 2024/25 entry on one of the following Masters programmes in the School:

• MA in Creative Writing
• MA in Writing Poetry
• MA in Linguistics
• MLitt (Master’s by Research) in English Literature
• MLitt in English Language
• MLitt in Linguistics

Applicants should have achieved, or be predicted to achieve, a first-class or 2.1 undergraduate degree or, where relevant, a lower qualification with professional practice that provides equivalent academic and research skills. Applicants are expected to outline why Newcastle University is the best place to undertake Postgraduate study and how Masters level study will lead to doctoral study or support their future career aspirations.

Successful applicants will join our thriving School in which the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 placed our research in English Literature and Creative Writing 1st in the UK (Times Higher Education) and our research in Modern Languages and Linguistics 7th in the UK (Times Higher Education). 

We have an energetic, creative and well-resourced postgraduate community within the School, and we hope successful applicants would contribute to this culture via participation in the Postgraduate Community and Culture Group. Award holders will benefit from expert teaching and supervision. They will have the opportunity to work within the University Library’s Special Collections, with the wide range of linguistic corpora created by the School and with our partner organizations.

(If you intend to apply for a Masters Scholarship to study Creative Writing or Poetry, please be aware that the creative portfolio you included in your application for the MA programme will be used to inform a decision on your Scholarship application. You are also encouraged to get in touch with the Degree Programme Director, Professor Jacob Polley, to discuss your Scholarship application: jake.polley@newcastle.ac.uk)

Shortlisted applicants may be interviewed, with all successful and unsuccessful applicants notified by the end of June 2024.

General enquiries: Scott Burdon

Eligibility criteria & application guidelines: Criteria and Guidelines - September 2024 Starters

Deadline for applications: 17th June 2024, 5pm.

Newcastle University is seeking outstanding MA Writing Poetry applicants for a scholarship award for September 2024 entry worth £10,800 (full fees).

Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis to applicants who, at the time the application for the Scholarship is submitted, have completed an application on the admissions portal for 2024/25 entry on the MA Writing Poetry (either London (4155P) or Newcastle (4154P)).

This accredited MA uniquely combines masterclasses, workshops and individual teaching with a core footing in the professional poetry world, encompassing all aspects of creative practice. There is expert tuition from nationally and internationally renowned poets: Glyn Maxwell and Meryl Pugh (London); Tara Bergin, W.N. Herbert, Sinéad Morrissey and Jacob Polley (Newcastle).  Students come together for a one-week summer school in July, alternating between Newcastle and London each year.

Applicants should have an achieved or predicted first-class or high 2.1 undergraduate degree or, where relevant, a lower qualification with professional practice that provides equivalent academic and research skills.

General enquiries should be directed to Melanie Birch (Newcastle) or Tessa Foley (London)
For further information please read the WP Criteria and Guidelines - September 2024 Starters

The deadline for applications is 17 June 2024, by 5pm.

The Northern Bridge Consortium is a Doctoral Training Partnership funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

It brings together the cutting-edge expertise and exceptional resources of Durham University, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Queen’s University Belfast, Sunderland University, Teesside University and Ulster University and their strategic partners.

They offer up to 67 fully funded studentships per year to outstanding postgraduate researchers across the full range of Arts and Humanities subjects, including Creative Practice disciplines.

Northern Bridge students benefit from supervision, training and development of the highest quality, tailored to the needs of 21st-century researchers.

The School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics seek outstanding applicants for studentships on our PhD programmes in Literature, Creative Writing or Linguistics.

We invite applications in any area of literary study, from medieval literature to contemporary culture, as well as in a number of areas of Linguistics. We offer a world-leading research environment for doctoral projects in:

• American and African American Literature
• Children's Literature
• Creative Writing (poetry, prose or script)
• 18th Century and Romantic Studies
• Language Acquisition
• Language Variation and Change
• Modern and Contemporary Literature and Culture
• Postcolonial Literature
• Renaissance and Early Modern Literature and Culture
• Syntax, Phonology, Morphology
• Theatre Studies
• Victorian Literature

We also invite student-led applications for Collaborative Doctoral Awards with our partner organisations. 

We value equality and diversity and strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups.

The competition for September 2025 entry is now OPEN.

Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership (NBDTP).

Prospective Northern Bridge applicants should discuss their applications with the appropriate academic contact in their subject area:

• English Language and Literature: Michael Rossington
• Creative Writing: Sinead Morrissey
• Drama and Theatre Studies: Helen Freshwater
• Linguistics: Niamh Kelly

 General queries should be directed to Scott Burdon

There are also opportunities for Linguistics applicants via the ESRC funded NINE Doctoral Training Partnership

The Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership (NINE DTP) is an exciting collaborative enterprise between seven Universities across Northern Ireland and the North East of England.  Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), with support from the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland (DfENI), they provide outstanding students with fantastic opportunities to conduct their Doctoral studies and develop core research skills in an exciting and creative environment.

Each year, they award in excess of 50 studentships to exceptional social scientists across the seven partner Universities, providing funding to support Doctoral studies on three year (PhD), three-and-a-half year (PhD with Research Methods) or four year (Masters and PhD) programmes.

They are committed to working with award-holders, partners and collaborators to deliver an innovative and engaging experience, allowing students to deliver real-world impact whilst developing into the next generation of social scientists.

The School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics seeks outstanding applicants for studentships on our PhD programmes in Linguistics.

We offer a world-leading research environment for doctoral projects in:

• Language Acquisition, Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics
• Language Variation and Change
• Syntax, Phonology, Morphology

Find out more about our staff research areas.

The competition for September 2025 entry is now OPEN.

NINE Doctoral Training Partnership.

Prospective NINE applicants should discuss their applications with Niamh Kelly.