MPhil/PhD Studentships and Fee Waivers in Westminster Law School

Westminster Law School (WLS) at the University of Westminster is pleased to offer two WLS Studentships (home fee waiver plus stipend) and three WLS Fee Waivers for prospective full-time doctoral researchers starting in September 2025 or January 2026. 

The WLS PhD programme is set within a vibrant and supportive research environment in the heart of Central London. The School is home to a number of research centres and groups including the Centre for Law, Society and Popular Culture, the Law and Theory Lab, International Law at Westminster, the Law and Technology Hub, the Law, Development and Conflict research group, and the corporate and commercial law group. We welcome applications from candidates with exceptional research potential in these or other areas of law, including interdisciplinary approaches. The School embraces all forms of legal knowledge and a diversity of approaches to scholarship. 

We ask that you discuss your draft research proposal with a potential supervisor before you submit an application. Please see the links to research centres and groups above and our ‘Find a Supervisor’ page for information on our academic staff and their research interests. For guidance on writing a research proposal, please see: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/entry-requirements/how-to-write-your-research-proposal.

WLS doctoral students follow a comprehensive personal and professional development training and mentoring programme provided through the University of Westminster Graduate School. Westminster Law School is fully committed to enabling a supportive and safe learning and working environment which is equitable, diverse, and inclusive. We particularly encourage applications from students from under-represented backgrounds.

WLS Studentships will consist of a fee waiver at the home fee rate and an annual stipend of £21, 237 (2024/25 rate, including London weighting) for three years. WLS fee waivers will consist of a fee waiver only at the home fee rate for three years. Overseas students are welcome to apply for studentships and fee waivers but please note that successful overseas applicants will need to pay the difference between home and overseas fees. For current information on fees, please see: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/fees-and-funding. Minimum full-time enrolment before submission is 33 months. Fee waivers and maintenance are in place for the three-year studentship. Following that there is a six month no fee period for writing up. Should a doctoral research student not have submitted by the end of the no fee period then a £1,500 fee is applicable.

Entry requirements and how to apply

MPhil/PhD applicants to Westminster Law School should normally have a minimum upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent and a Masters degree (or Masters degree pending). Applicants who are required to provide evidence of English language proficiency must have a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in each component.

You can read more about our entry requirements here: http://westminster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/entry-requirements.

For general queries about the application process, or informal enquiries about areas of research, please contact the WLS PhD Admissions Tutor, Dr Alexandra Fowler, a.fowler@westminster.ac.uk.

Applications should be submitted by 5pm on 9 March 2025. Interviews will likely take place through online video communication in the week commencing 31 March 2025.

It is essential you include the title of the studentship in your application i.e. “WLS Studentship/fee waiver”.

Link for submitting applications:

September 2025 admission – apply here

January 2026 admission – apply here

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