Music - Postgraduate Research Bursaries 2026 Entry
There are two bursaries available to support PhD students in the our Music department. They are the Harry Clough bursary and the Myrtle McMyn bursary.
Read more about postgraduate research in our Music department.
Harry Clough Bursary 2026
Funding description
A fee contribution award for Home (UK) students studying a PhD programme in Music (full-time or part-time). These include:
There is a single bursary award allocated by the Music Studentship Committee open to new PhD students only.
Key features of this bursary
- Contribution to tuition fees award (full-time or part-time).
- Available to Home (UK) students only.
This funding is available to UK students only.
You must be applying for one of the following PhD programmes in Music:
Other eligibility criteria:
This award can be held alongside other awards. The bursary is open to new PhD students only.
Academic requirements
- Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
- Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent)
You must submit your online application for a place on your chosen postgraduate research programme by 12 January 2026. This is to ensure you hold an offer of a place by the time the school committee make their selection.
Section 9 of the application asks for your funding intentions. In this section, you should detail fully all the competitions in which you would like to be considered. There is no limit to the number of competitions you may enter, but all must be detailed in your online application form to ensure you are included. Please add a funding source, and populate the fields as below:
- Type of Funding: Uni of Manchester Scheme
- Awarding Body (free text): Harry Clough Bursary
- Status of Funding: Intend to Apply
Please note that there is no separate funding application form for the Harry Clough Bursary. All decisions are based on the online programme application and supporting documents.
Additional documentation
Your full online application must include:
- a 1,500 word PhD research proposal. Please state the word count on page 1 of the document.
- a copy of your bachelor's and master's academic transcript and certificate. If your master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
- an up-to-date academic CV summarising your academic record, employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
- the names of two academic referees, including one from your most recent institution. Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following the submission of your application form.
- a certificate or evidence demonstrating your English language ability and proficiency.
Successful candidates will be chosen on the basis of:
- academic merit and preparedness for research
- quality and feasibility of research proposal
- consideration of ethical responsibility
This is a fee contribution award only. The award does not cover annual maintenance or other costs.
Offers of funding are not deferrable. If you cannot start your programme by the date mentioned in your studentship offer letter, the award will be withdrawn. You are permitted to re-apply in future.
The deadline for applications is Monday 12 January 2026.
Please note that this is a strict deadline and late or incomplete applications will not be included in the competition.
We expect to communicate the outcome to applicants by May 2026.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide feedback on individual applications, as outcomes are determined by independent panels.
For more information about this bursary, please contact: hums.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk
Myrtle McMyn Bursary 2026
Myrtle McMyn Bursary
A fee contribution award for Home (UK) students studying a PhD programme in Music (full-time or part-time). These include:
There is a single bursary award allocated by the Music Studentship Committee open to new PhD students only.
Key features of this studentship:
- Contribution to tuition fees award (full-time or part-time).
- Available to Home (UK) students only.
This funding is available to UK students only.
You must be applying for one of the following PhD programmes in Music:
Other eligibility criteria:
This award can be held alongside other awards. The bursary is open to new PhD students only.
Academic requirements
- Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
- Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent)
Application Process
You must submit your online application for a place on your chosen Postgraduate Research programme by 12 January 2026. This is to ensure you hold an offer of a place by the time the school committee make their selection.
Section 9 of the application asks for your funding intentions. In this section, you should detail fully all the competitions in which you would like to be considered. There is no limit to the number of competitions you may enter, but all must be detailed in your online application form to ensure you are included. Please add a funding source, and populate the fields as below:
- Type of Funding: Uni of Manchester Scheme
- Awarding Body (free text): Myrtle McMyn Bursary
- Status of Funding: Intend to Apply
Please note that there is no separate funding application form for the Harry Clough Bursary. All decisions are based on the online programme application and supporting documents.
Additional documentation
Your full online application must include:
- a 1,500 word PhD research proposal. Please state the word count on page 1 of the document.
- a copy of your bachelor's and master's academic transcript and certificate. If your master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
- an up-to-date academic CV summarising your academic record, employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
- the names of two academic referees, including one from your most recent institution. Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following the submission of your application form.
- a certificate or evidence demonstrating your English language ability and proficiency.
Successful candidates will be chosen on the basis of:
- academic merit and preparedness for research
- quality and feasibility of research proposal
- consideration of ethical responsibility
This is a fee contribution award only. The award does not cover annual maintenance or other costs.
Offers of funding are not deferrable. If you cannot start your programme by the date mentioned in your studentship offer letter, the award will be withdrawn. You are permitted to re-apply in future.
The deadline for applications is Monday 12 January 2026.
Please note that this is a strict deadline and late or incomplete applications will not be included in the competition.
We expect to communicate the outcome to applicants by May 2026.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide feedback on individual applications, as outcomes are determined by independent panels.
If you have any questions about this studentship, please contact hums.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion are central to everything we do at The University of Manchester. We know that a diverse research community drives creativity, productivity and research quality, and strengthens our impact on society and the economy.
We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and career paths. We encourage interest from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation or transgender status.
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