UCD Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship 2027 in Ireland (Fully Funded)

Applications are now open for the UCD Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship 2027 at University College Dublin in Ireland. This fully funded PhD scholarship is for students who want to study in the UCD School of Politics and International Relations, with a start date of September 2027. It covers your tuition fees and gives you a tax free stipend of €25,000 per year for up to four years.

Students from all nationalities can apply, whether they live in the EU or outside it. The deadline is Friday, 15 January 2027 at 5pm Dublin time. The official details do not mention any application fee, but it is a good idea to confirm this with the university before you apply. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Degree Level: PhD
• Host Country: Ireland
• University: University College Dublin (UCD)
• Funding Type: Fully funded
• Open to All Nationalities: Yes.
• Application Deadline: Friday, 15 January 2027

About the Scholarship

The scholarship is named after Dr Iseult Honohan, one of the first female PhD graduates from the Department of Ethics and Politics at UCD. She retired in 2015 after more than 25 years of service as a leading academic in political theory.

The scholarship aims to attract students of the highest academic level and give them the training, experience and mentorship they need for their careers. SPIRe is the oldest and largest school of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. It is ranked in the top 100 in the world in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.

What This Scholarship Offers:

• You receive full tuition fee remission, so you do not pay the programme fee, whether you are an EU or non EU student.
• You receive €25,000 every year, tax free, paid in twelve equal monthly instalments. This helps you cover your living costs while you focus on your research.
• You can receive this support for up to four years, as long as your annual progress reviews are satisfactory.
• You keep receiving the stipend even if you finish your thesis early, as long as you complete your teaching duties.
• You gain teaching experience through mentored tutorial work for up to 6 hours per week during each teaching trimester.

Please note that all students must still pay the Student Centre Levy.

Also Check: Berlin School of Economics PhD Program 2027

Eligibility Criteria:

• You must have a minimum grade of 2.1 (GPA 3.6) in a relevant Master’s degree.
• If you have not yet finished your Master’s degree, you can still apply. Your award will depend on getting a final grade of at least 2.1. The quality of your research proposal is very important in this case.
• You must apply for a full time PhD starting in September 2027.
• You can apply to only one programme.
• You must be able to do research and teach at graduate level in English.
• You must arrange your own visa to live in Ireland, so start early.
• You can apply from any nationality or country of residence.
• You do not need to find a supervisor before applying.

Who cannot apply:

• Continuing students
• Students who want to start at a time other than September
• Students whose primary supervisor is outside SPIRe
• Students transferring only part of their PhD studies to UCD

Important conditions:

• The scholarship cannot be combined with any other award.
• It cannot be combined with full time employment.

English Language Requirements

• If English is not your first language, you must provide a certificate from an approved examining body. It must be no more than 2 years old and must meet UCD’s minimum requirements.
• You do not need a certificate if you have a degree from a university in a native English speaking country.
• You also do not need a certificate if your undergraduate or Master’s degree was taught fully in English in a non native English speaking country. In this case, you must provide official verification from your university.

Also Check: TÜBİTAK 2213A Overseas Doctoral Scholarship 2026

Programs Available:

You can apply for one of these two PhD programmes:

• PhD Politics and International Relations
• PhD Quantitative and Computational Social Science (your primary supervisor must be based in SPIRe)

Research areas welcomed:

• Political Science
• Political Theory
• International Relations
• European Governance
• Computational Social Science
• Development
• International Political Economy

Documents Required:

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Do not upload extra documents such as passport pages or birth certificates.

• Cover letter explaining why you want to join the SPIRe PhD programme
• Thesis proposal of 1,500 to 2,000 words, not counting the bibliography
• Academic transcripts for your undergraduate and postgraduate studies
• CV or resumé of 2 pages maximum
• Evidence of English language competence
• Contact details of two academic referees who have agreed to support you

Your thesis proposal should include:

• A provisional thesis title
• Your research question
• A short literature review showing research gaps your project could fill
• An outline of the theoretical approaches you considered
• A short discussion of your proposed methodology

UCD English language requirements page

Also Check: SUT International Graduate Program for MS and PhD

How to Apply:

1. Read the eligibility criteria carefully and choose one programme.
2. Prepare all the required documents.
3. Contact your two academic referees and make sure they agree to support you.
4. Fill out the Google Application Form and upload your documents.
5. Submit your application before Friday, 15 January 2027 at 5pm Dublin time.

Also Check: UCC Futures PhD Scholars Programme in Ireland (Fully Funded)