Postgraduate Scholarships in Catholic Studies / Catholic Theology 

 

The information below is about postgraduate scholarships provided by the Centre for Catholic Studies within the Department of Theology and Religion.

‘Information for applicants, 2027-28’ can be downloaded here CCS Scholarships - Information for Applicants 2027-28.docx

The application form can be downloaded here CCS Scholarship Bursaries Application Form 2027-28.docx

A form for applicant’s referee can be downloaded here CCS Scholarship Reference Form 2027-28.docx.

Details of other scholarship schemes that might be applicable can be found here.

 

CCS Scholarships for 2027-28

The Centre for Catholic Studies (CCS) at Durham University invites applications for postgraduate scholarships for 2027–28. Awards are available to eligible full-time and part-time students undertaking postgraduate taught or research programmes in Catholic Theology or Catholic Studies within the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University.

Applications are welcome from both new applicants and eligible current students. New applicants must first apply for admission to an eligible postgraduate programme and must have received a formal offer from Durham University before their application for a CCS scholarship can be considered.

Unless otherwise stated, CCS scholarships provide full or partial support towards tuition fees. International students are welcome to apply, although some awards are limited to the UK/Home tuition-fee rate and will not cover any difference between the home and the overseas tuition-fee rates.

Applicants should read the eligibility requirements, details of the individual awards, and conditions of funding carefully before completing the application form.

At a glance

• Who can apply: Eligible new and current postgraduate students undertaking full-time or part-time study in Catholic Theology or Catholic Studies within the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University[1].
• What the scholarships cover: Full or partial support towards tuition fees.
• New applicants: You must apply for admission to an eligible Durham University postgraduate programme and receive a formal offer before your CCS scholarship application can be considered. The CCS advises submitting the programme application by Sunday 9 May 2027 at the latest.
• CCS scholarship application deadline: Sunday 30 May 2027
• Distance-learning applicants: Students on eligible Distance Learning programmes in Catholic Theology may apply for specified awards.
• International applicants: International students may apply, but some awards are limited to the UK/Home tuition-fee rate.
• How applications are assessed: All applications are considered by the CCS Scholarships Committee, taking account of academic excellence and potential, demonstrated financial need, and any fund-specific eligibility criteria.
• Contact: Mrs Theresa Phillips, CCS Manager - theresa.phillips@durham.ac.uk or +44 (0) 191 334 3952.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from new and current students undertaking full-time or part-time postgraduate study in Catholic Theology or Catholic Studies.

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must:

• be registered in, or applying to, an eligible programme at Durham University (see list below);
• normally be based within the Department of Theology and Religion; and

• demonstrate excellent academic performance or potential, alongside financial need.

New applicants must have received a formal offer of a place on an eligible programme before their application for a CCS scholarship can be considered. The scholarship application may be submitted before the formal offer of a place has been received.

Eligible current students, including those who have not previously received a CCS scholarship, may apply. Current students will normally be expected to have participated regularly in CCS seminars and events during their period of registration. This expectation does not apply to students on Distance Learning programmes.

International students are welcome to apply. Where an award is limited to the UK/Home tuition-fee rate, a successful international applicant will be responsible for funding the difference between the award and the international tuition fee.

The CCS are keen to support students from diverse backgrounds, with a special concern to support those whose backgrounds and contexts have traditionally been marginalised in academic studies. This might include, for example, prisoners and former prisoners, students with disabilities, students with experience of the care system, and students who are first generation scholars.

In certain circumstances, where PhD students studying at distance are being supervised by a CCS staff member applications will be considered for up to £5,000 per annum towards tuition fees. Receipt of any scholarship from the CCS under these circumstances implies that recipients will visit Durham at least once per annum for either the CCS Early Career and Postgraduate Conference or the CCS Friends’ and Benefactors’ event. When considering such applications the CCS Scholarships Committee will take into account the strength of the supervisor’s link to the Centre.

In exceptional circumstances, an application may be considered from a PhD student whose primary supervisor is based in another Durham University department.

Unless otherwise stated for a particular scholarship:

• Recipients must participate regularly, in person, in the CCS academic programme during the period of the award. This includes such things as: the Catholic Theology Research Seminar (CTRS), the annual Bishop Dunn Memorial Lecture, the CCS Friends’ and Benefactors’ day, the Early Career and Postgraduate Conference, and other such events organised by the CCS for the CCS community. Students may also be asked to participate in the planning and delivery of such activities.
• Recipients on Distance Learning programmes will be expected to contribute to the CCS as appropriate, specifically to help raise awareness of the Distance Learning programme, and to help nurture donor support for CCS scholarships. This might involve making a modest video or writing up a short article about their studies.

Eligible programmes

Applications will be considered from students registered on, or applying to, the following programmes in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University:

Taught programme based in Durham

• MA in Theology and Religion (V8K407)

Applicants to this programme must pursue an informal pathway in Catholic Studies. This requires applicants to take:

• Classic Texts in Christian Theology (THEO43430);

and at least one of the following modules: (DL denotes a module delivered online)

• Catholic Theology: A Preliminary Tour (DL), THEO45930
• Catholic Social Thought and Practice (DL), THEO46230
• The Theology of Thomas Aquinas: Selected Topics (DL), THEO46330
• Conceiving Change in Contemporary Catholicism (DL), THEO46030
• Conceiving Change in Contemporary Catholicism, THEO40230
• Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology (DL), THEO46130
• High Medieval Franciscan Theology (DL), THEO46530
• Faith and Reason (DL), THEO46430

and

• a dissertation with a clear connection to Catholic Theology or Catholic Studies.

Distance Learning programmes in Catholic Theology

• MA in Catholic Theology (Distance Learning), V8K807 and V8T107
• Postgraduate Diploma in Catholic Theology (Distance Learning), V8K812
• Postgraduate Certificate in Catholic Theology (Distance Learning), V8K814
• CPD in Catholic Theology (Distance Learning), V8K118
• CPD in Catholic Social Thought and Practice (Distance Learning), V8K218
• CPD in High Medieval Franciscan Theology (Distance Learning), V8K318

Research programmes

• MA by Research
• MLitt
• DThM – B. Applications from students on the DThM programme will be considered only after completion of the first taught phase of the programme.
• Integrated PhD – B. First-year Integrated PhD students may apply if they meet the eligibility requirements for the MA in Theology and Religion set out above. Other Integrated PhD students may become eligible after completing the taught MA phase.
• PhD

The applicant’s proposed research must be in an area of Catholic Theology or Catholic Studies. Eligible areas include:

• Constructive Catholic Theology
• Catholic Historical Theology
• Interpretation of Scripture in the Catholic tradition
• Catholic Social Thought and Practice
• The history of Catholicism
• Lived Catholicism
• Social-scientific study of Catholicism
• Franciscan Studies

Applicants who are unsure whether their proposed research falls within the scope of the scholarships are encouraged to contact the CCS Manager before applying.

 

[1] In exceptional circumstances, a PhD candidate’s primary supervisor may be located in another academic department at Durham University. 

Scholarship Funds

Please see the various scholarships on offer below: