Important: you cannot apply on your own. Your application must be submitted by an eligible UCC lead supervisor who agrees to support your project, so you need to find and contact one well before the deadline.
University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland has opened the 2027 UCC Futures Scholars Programme, a doctoral scholarship funded through Research Ireland’s Empower programme. Winners are recognised as Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholars and receive a €25,000 annual stipend, fees covered (UCC waives any non-EU fee balance) and at least €5,000 a year for research costs for three to four years. The call is open to all nationalities with no age limit, in any discipline.
Deadline: 11 December 2026, 5:00 pm Irish time (18:00 WAT, 19:00 CAT/SAST, 20:00 EAT).
Key Details
- Host: University College Cork Doctoral Institute, Ireland
- Funder: Research Ireland Empower programme
- Level: full-time PhD in any discipline
- Duration: up to four years for new entrants; up to three years for those who started their first PhD year on or after 1 September 2026
- Start date: 1 October 2027
- Nationality: all nationalities eligible; no age limit
- Deadline: 11 December 2026, 5 pm (Ireland)
Benefits
- Annual stipend of €25,000
- Tuition contribution of up to €5,750 a year, with UCC waiving any remaining non-EU fee component
- At least €5,000 a year for research costs such as consumables, training, conferences, fieldwork and travel
- Possibility of extra research funding where justified
- The title of Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholar, a respected award in Ireland
Key Dates
- Call launched: 2 November 2026
- Information session on the Pure platform: 2 December 2026
- Application deadline: 11 December 2026, 5 pm
- Online interviews for shortlisted applicants: 9–12 February 2027
- Offers issued: end of February 2027
- Supporting documents due on UCC Apply: 1 April 2027
- Registration and start: October 2027 (award start 1 October 2027)
Eligibility
- Any nationality, any age
- Plan to start an eligible full-time PhD at UCC, or registered for the first year of your PhD between 1 September 2026 and 31 August 2027
- Hold, or expect to hold by 30 September 2027, a First Class or Upper Second Class (2.1) honours degree, or a master’s degree (or international equivalent)
- Meet UCC’s postgraduate English language requirements
- Have an eligible UCC lead supervisor who agrees to submit your application
- Only one application per person
- Not eligible: anyone who holds or has held a Research Ireland or any other doctoral scholarship, anyone with a PhD already, and permanent staff of a university or research organisation
How to Apply
- Read the full call document and assessment criteria on the official UCC Futures Scholars page.
- Browse UCC’s research areas and PhD application guidance, then email potential supervisors with a short research idea and your CV.
- Once a supervisor agrees, download the application form from the UCC page and develop your proposal together.
- Your lead supervisor submits the application through UCC’s Pure system before 5 pm on 11 December 2026.
- If shortlisted, attend the online interview in February 2027. Questions go to [email protected].
Tips for African Applicants
- Contact supervisors this week: they need time to review your idea and handle the Pure submission before the deadline.
- Write a focused, two-line summary of your research question in your first email; long emails often go unanswered.
- Check how UCC treats your degree class. A Nigerian second class upper or a Kenyan upper second usually maps to a 2.1, but confirm with the supervisor.
- If you will need IELTS or another English test, book it early; it must be available by the 1 April 2027 document deadline.
- A €25,000 stipend is modest for Cork rents, so budget carefully and look for shared housing early.
