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Leeds Access to Research Scholarship

Up to five Leeds Access to Research Scholarships (LARS) are available to prospective postgraduate researchers from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups for study in any faculty in session 2027/28. 

These scholarships are part of our wider commitment to equity and inclusion in doctoral study as outlined by the Access and Student Success Strategy 2025-30.

Guidance for applicants

This document is a guide to the application and selection process. Please read carefully to make sure you meet all the eligibility criteria. You will also find important information about how to apply and what you should include in your application.

Key dates

  • Applications open: 30 September 2026
  • Applications close: 23 March 2027, 5pm GMT
  • Outcome: Beginning June 2027

1. Eligibility criteria

  • You must identify as belonging to one of the minoritised ethnic groups as defined by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA):
    • Asian – Bangladeshi or Bangladeshi British
    • Asian – Chinese or Chinese British
    • Asian – Filipino or Filipino British
    • Asian – Indian or Indian British
    • Asian – Pakistani or Pakistani British
    • any other Asian background
    • Black – African or African British
    • Black – Caribbean or Caribbean British
    • any other Black background
    • White and Asian
    • White and Black African
    • White and Black Caribbean
    • any other Mixed or multiple ethnic background
    • White – Gypsy, Roma or Traveller subgroups
    • Arab.
  • You must be eligible to pay fees at the Home (UK) rate or have been recognised (or be the partner or child of someone who has been recognised) as a refugee or asylum seeker, or been granted humanitarian protection status by the UK Government.
  • You must hold a First Degree at undergraduate level equivalent to at least a UK Upper Second Class Honours degree (some faculties may also require a Masters degree). You should either have graduated with the appropriate First Degree or be in the final year of study. If you have a lower mark in your undergraduate degree, you may be considered if you can demonstrate relevant alternative experience (eg in industry or business, or – for a practice-based PhD –  in the creative arts).
  • You must not have been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.
  • If your first language is not English, you must meet the University’s English Language requirements prior to or at registration. If the school/faculty to which you have applied has a higher English language entry requirement, you must meet this higher requirement. You should have a valid test result, which is no more than two years old by your official start date at the University of Leeds. 

If you are unsure whether you meet any of the eligibility criteria listed, please contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team.

2. Value and duration of award

The award provides full academic fees and a maintenance grant (£21,805 in Session 2026/27) for full-time study, part-time will be pro-rata. This amount increases per annum in line with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) rate. Full-time awards provide full fees for three years and a maintenance award for three and a half years (part-time awards are pro-rata).

3. How to apply

Step 1:

Apply for a research programme of study by completing the study application form. Supporting documents required by the relevant admissions team to process your study application may vary – visit Applying for research degrees for more information. Applicants who feel they may be unable to provide this documentation should contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team as soon as possible.

Step 2:

Once you have your nine-digit Student Application ID, complete the online LARS scholarship application form.

No other documents are required to be submitted with your scholarship application form.

The LARS application form requires you to provide:

  • Your details, including contact information.
  • Details about your research project.
  • Personal statement (600 to 900 words) – please see section five for guidance on what to include.
  • Information about your personal circumstances.

4. How your application will be assessed

Once the scholarship application deadline has passed, all submitted applications that meet the LARS eligibility criteria will be considered. The relevant Admissions team will select a shortlist of applicants who they wish to nominate for the award.

Applications are then assessed by the University of Leeds LARS Selection Panel on the basis of your personal statement.

The LARS selection process acknowledges historic awarding gaps and barriers often faced by those from minoritised ethnic groups in accessing the extra/co-curricular or professional activities by which many other doctoral scholarship applications are assessed. Your suitability for doctoral study is therefore evidenced by your offer to study and the supporting statement provided by your proposed supervisor(s) or the director of postgraduate research studies (DPGRS) in the school from which you have received an offer.

Guidance on what to include in your supporting statement will be available to your supervisor(s) and/or DPGRS. Please ensure they are aware of this guidance before writing your supporting statement. If you have any questions about the supporting statement, please email the  PGR Diversity Team at pgrdiversity@leeds.ac.uk.

Where necessary, the LARS selection panel may also use contextual information provided by your application (in particular, details that may indicate you belong to one or more groups that are underrepresented in higher education) and data related to current doctoral cohort representation to reach a decision.

5. Personal Statement

Your personal statement is an opportunity to explain how you intend to make the most of doctoral study at Leeds. It’s less about your experience to date, but rather the knowledge, skills and experience you hope to develop.

You should think about:

  • The knowledge, skills and experience you hope to gain – this could relate to knowledge and understanding in your field, interpersonal skills or technical competencies.
  • How you intend to use this experience – this could relate to your personal development, professional development and career progression, or development as a researcher.
  • How you intend to develop the knowledge, skills or experience you have identified – this could be directly through your research, co-curricular opportunities (such as presenting at conferences, publications or engaging with communities of practice), or extra-curricular activities (such as engaging with Leeds University Union).

You don’t have to cover everything in your personal statement – it’s better to pick three or four examples and make them as specific and realistic as possible. It can be helpful to structure your examples by responding to the three guidance bullet points in order, allowing 200-300 words per example. 

You won’t be assessed on the types or variety of examples you choose, but rather how you plan to utilise the opportunities available. You may wish to speak to your proposed supervisor(s) or DPGRS about the opportunities available to develop the knowledge, skills or experience you have identified, or email the  PGR Diversity Team at pgrdiversity@leeds.ac.uk for advice.

6. Application support

The Postgraduate Researcher (PGR) Diversity Team offers one-to-one advice and guidance to support your completion of the LARS application. If you have any questions, email the  PGR Diversity Team at pgrdiversity@leeds.ac.uk.

The PGR Diversity Team also offer a LARS application workshop to support applicants in preparing their personal statement. This will take place on 27 January 2027.

7. Selection conditions

The decision of the LARS selection committee is final. If your application is unsuccessful, you may email the PGR Diversity Team pgrdiversity@leeds.ac.uk for feedback. The PGR Diversity Team may contact you at some time after the application deadline to ask for your feedback on the application process, support and any interactions you have had with relevant staff at the University.

8. Post-selection

If your application is successful and you are selected for the Leeds Access to Research Scholarship, you will be provided with a scholarship award letter. You should accept or decline this offer within two weeks of the scholarship offer.

You cannot hold another scholarship providing duplication of funding.

LARS recipients are entitled to both pre-registration and on-programme support from the PGR Diversity Team. Should you accept a Leeds Access to Research Scholarship, you will receive an email with further information on what this entails.