Are you a passionate researcher looking for a fully funded PhD opportunity in the United Kingdom? The University of Glasgow’s College of Social Sciences (CoSS) is offering multiple fully funded PhD scholarships for 2026 across law, criminology, and related disciplines. These prestigious scholarships are backed by the European Research Council (ERC) and the university’s own funding, and they are open to both home and international students.
The University of Glasgow is one of the world’s leading research-intensive universities — a member of the Russell Group and ranked among the top universities globally. This is a rare opportunity to pursue cutting-edge doctoral research in the heart of Scotland while receiving a competitive financial package. Whether your interest lies in employment law, financial systems, or criminal justice reform, Glasgow has a funded position for you in 2026.
For more scholarship opportunities in the UK, check out our complete guide: Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in the UK 2026 for International Students
🎓 Scholarship Overview
The University of Glasgow’s College of Social Sciences regularly advertises funded PhD positions tied to active, externally funded research projects. For 2026, there are three major fully funded PhD scholarship opportunities available, each with distinct research themes:
- ERC LawAtWork PhD Scholarship – Workplace Technologies & Employment Law
- ERC LawAtWork PhD Scholarship – The Rule of Law & Workers’ Rights
- CoSS PhD Scholarship – Law in a Complex World (Civic Finance)
- ERC RaRiE PhD Scholarship – Rehabilitation & Reintegration in Scotland
Each position is linked to an internationally recognized, externally funded research project, offering PhD candidates a unique opportunity to contribute to high-impact, real-world research from day one.
🎓 Benefits / Funding Package
These are genuinely fully funded PhD scholarships, not partial awards. Here is what each successful candidate receives:
- ✅ Annual Stipend (Living Allowance) at the UKRI rate (currently £19,237 per year for 2024/25, updated each year)
- ✅ Full Tuition Fees covered at the home or international rate — yes, international students are eligible
- ✅ Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of up to £940 per year to support research-related expenses such as conference attendance, fieldwork, and training
- ✅ For the RaRiE scholarship, additional funding is provided for direct fieldwork costs and participation in international meetings and conferences via the ERC project grant
This is a comprehensive package that covers both your living costs and your academic fees for the full duration of the programme — either 3 or 4 years depending on the position.
🎓 Eligibility Criteria
While each scholarship has slightly different requirements, the general eligibility criteria are:
- 🎓 A good undergraduate or Master’s degree (or overseas equivalent) in a relevant discipline such as Law, Sociology, Criminology, Industrial Relations, or Human Resource Management
- 📄 A demonstrable interest in the specific research area of the project you are applying for
- 🌍 Open to both home (UK) and international applicants
- 📋 Applicants must also meet the entry requirements of the relevant PhD programme at Glasgow (Law PhD or Criminology PhD)
English Language Requirements: The University of Glasgow requires international applicants to demonstrate English proficiency. Accepted qualifications include:
- IELTS Academic: Typically 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0
- TOEFL iBT: Typically 90 overall
- Other accepted tests include PTE Academic and Cambridge English qualifications
Always check the specific programme entry requirements on the University of Glasgow postgraduate research pages for the most up-to-date language requirements.
Additional Notes by Scholarship:
- The Rule of Law project considers fluency in Italian or German as desirable but not essential
- The RaRiE scholarship requires the successful applicant to be Glasgow-based and able to travel internationally
- The Civic Finance (Law in a Complex World) position is open to both full-time and part-time candidates
🎓 Who Should Apply
You should apply if you:
- Hold or are completing a relevant Master’s degree in law, social sciences, or criminology
- Are deeply interested in interdisciplinary, real-world research with policy impact
- Want to work within a well-funded, active research group alongside senior academics and postdoctoral researchers
- Are looking for a fully funded PhD that covers both fees and living costs
- Are an international student seeking a prestigious UK doctoral scholarship
You may want to reconsider if you:
- Do not have a relevant background or demonstrable interest in the specific research topic
- Are looking for a self-defined, open-topic PhD (these are all project-specific positions)
- Cannot commit to full-time study (note: the Civic Finance/Law scholarship does allow part-time study)
🎓 Available PhD Positions
1. ERC LawAtWork PhD Scholarship — Workplace Technologies & Employment Law
Research Group: LawAtWork (led by Professor Ruth Dukes, funded by ERC Advanced Grant) Topic: How AI and novel workplace technologies affect employment law enforcement and compliance. The project maps practices in people analytics, algorithmic management, and tech-driven monitoring, examining where technology enables or undermines legal compliance. Duration: 4 years (full-time only) Start Date: October 2026 Reference Code: COSS-26-003
2. ERC LawAtWork PhD Scholarship — The Rule of Law at Work
Research Group: LawAtWork (led by Professor Ruth Dukes, with Dr Eleanor Kirk) Topic: How frequent or routine breach of employment rights damages public faith in the rule of law. The research spans Germany, Italy, and the UK using focus groups, surveys, and library-based study. Duration: 4 years (full-time only) Start Date: October 2026 Reference Code: COSS-26-004
3. CoSS PhD Scholarship — Law in a Complex World (Civic Finance)
Research Group: Civic Finance Project (led by Professor Javier Solana, ERC Starting Grant) Topic: How the complexity of financial, economic, and climate systems affects the legal system itself. Candidates are encouraged to submit a research proposal exploring this intersection. Duration: 3 years (full-time or part-time) Start Date: October 2026 Reference Code: COSS-26-005
4. ERC RaRiE PhD Scholarship — Rehabilitation & Reintegration in Scotland
Research Group: RaRiE Project (led by Professor Fergus McNeill, in collaboration with Universities of Oslo and Leiden) Topic: How rehabilitation technologies and practices are operationalized in Scotland, and how they are experienced by those involved — practitioners, designers, and people undergoing rehabilitation. Duration: 4 years (full-time only) Start Date: Between March and May 2026 Reference Code: COSS-25-017
🎓 Required Documents
For all positions, applicants are typically required to submit the following through the Glasgow Scholarships Application Portal:
- ✅ Completed scholarship-specific application form (available in Word format on the official page)
- ✅ Academic transcripts from all relevant undergraduate and postgraduate degrees (provisional transcripts are accepted if the degree is not yet complete; translations required if not originally in English)
- ✅ Contact details for two referees — at least one should be an academic who knows your work within the last five years. Note: supervisors listed in the project team cannot act as referees
- ✅ CV (academic format preferred)
- ✅ For the Civic Finance scholarship, academic prizes are also required
- ✅ For the RaRiE scholarship, it is helpful to refer to the RaRiE Briefing Document for PhD Applicants (available on the official page)
🎓 Application Process
All applications must be submitted through the University of Glasgow Scholarships Application Portal at glasgow.ac.uk/ScholarshipApp.
Step-by-step:
- Visit the Scholarships Application Portal
- Navigate to “College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding”
- Select the relevant reference code (e.g., COSS-26-003, COSS-26-004, COSS-26-005, or COSS-25-017)
- Download the specific application form for that scholarship
- Upload all required documents as listed above
- Submit referee contact details as early as possible — referees must submit their references by the closing date
⚠️ Important: Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Referees must be contacted immediately so they can complete their reference templates by the deadline.
🎓 Important Dates
| Scholarship | Application Deadline | References Due |
| ERC LawAtWork (Workplace Tech) COSS-26-003 | 16 March 2026 | 23 March 2026 |
| ERC LawAtWork (Rule of Law) COSS-26-004 | 16 March 2026 | 23 March 2026 |
| CoSS PhD – Law in a Complex World COSS-26-005 | 23 March 2026 | 30 March 2026 |
| ERC RaRiE (Rehabilitation) COSS-25-017 | 05 February 2026 | 12 February 2026 |
⚠️ Note: The RaRiE scholarship deadline has already passed (February 2026). However, the LawAtWork and Civic Finance positions are still relevant for students preparing for upcoming cycles and for general awareness.
🎓 Why Apply to the University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is one of the oldest and most respected universities in the world, founded in 1451. Here is why this is a standout opportunity:
- 🏆 World-ranked university — consistently placed in global top 100 rankings
- 🔬 ERC-funded research — your PhD will be embedded in internationally recognized, externally funded projects
- 🌍 International collaboration — especially the RaRiE and LawAtWork projects involve partners across European universities
- 💷 Full funding for international students — rare for UK PhD positions to fully cover international fees and living costs
- 🤝 Mentorship and career development — candidates benefit from active supervision, seminar access, global networks, and structured development programmes
- 🏙️ Glasgow as a student city — vibrant, affordable, culturally rich, and ranked among the UK’s best cities for students
Whether you are a law graduate curious about the impact of technology on workers’ rights, or a criminologist passionate about justice reform, the University of Glasgow offers a nurturing environment to develop your research career.
🎓 Official Source
For full details, position-specific application forms, and the latest updates, visit the official page:
🔗 University of Glasgow – Latest PhD Opportunities – College of Social Sciences
Always check the official portal for any updates, new positions added during the academic year, or deadline changes.
🎓 Scholarship Summary Table
| Feature | Details |
| Host Institution | University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK |
| College | College of Social Sciences (CoSS) |
| Level | PhD (Doctoral Research) |
| Fields | Law, Criminology, Social Sciences |
| Duration | 3 or 4 years depending on position |
| Stipend | UKRI rate (~£19,237/year) |
| Tuition Fees | Fully covered (home & international) |
| Open to International Students | ✅ Yes |
| English Requirement | IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 (approx.) |
| Application Portal | glasgow.ac.uk/ScholarshipApp |
| Deadline | March 2026 (LawAtWork & Civic Finance) |
| Start Date | October 2026 (most positions) |
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