University College Dublin Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship 2026

The aim of the Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship is to attract applicants of the highest academic calibre to pursue a PhD in the UCD School of Politics and International Relations, and to provide them with the training, experience and mentorship necessary to their professional development.

• Table of Content
• About University College Dublin
• University College Dublin (UCD) Postgraduate Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of University College Dublin (UCD) Postgraduate Scholarship
• Requirements for University College Dublin (UCD) Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

University College Dublin (UCD) Postgraduate Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of University College Dublin (UCD) Postgraduate Scholarship

This scholarship:

• Covers full fees (EU and Non-EU)
• Provides a living stipend of €25,000 per year for up to four years
• Is open to EU and non-EU applicants

Requirements for University College Dublin (UCD) Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification

• Applications are open to candidates interested in either of the following programmes:
  • PhD Politics and International Relations
  • PhD Quantitative and Computational Social Science (only with a SPIRe supervisor)

• Continuing students, students with a non-September start, students with a supervisor outside of SPIRe or students transferring only part of their PhD studies to UCD are not eligible for the scholarship.
• Applicants must have a minimum grade of 2.1 (GPA: 3.6) in a relevant Master's degree.
• Applicants who have not yet completed a Master's degree are eligible to apply but the award will be conditional upon a final minimum grade of 2.1. For applicants not currently holding an MA degree, the quality of the research proposal is particularly important.

Documents Required for Application

• Cover letter, stating reasons for interest in the SPIRe PhD programme.  
• Thesis proposal   (1,500-2,000 words maximum, excluding bibliography) which should include the following:
  • provisional thesis title
  • a statement of the research question
  • a brief literature review that points to research gaps the PhD project could address
  • an outline of theoretical approaches considered
  • a brief discussion of the proposed methodology

• Copies of Academic Transcripts   (Undergraduate and Postgraduate)
• C.V. or Resumé   (2 pages maximum)
• Evidence of English language competence
  • Non-native English speaking applicants must provide a cert from one of the examining bodies listed on this page.
  • The certificate should be no more than 2 years old and must meet the minimum requirements as noted on the above webpage.
  • Certificates from examining bodies not on this list or that do not meet the UCD minimum requirements will not be considered.
  • If you have obtained a degree from a university in an English-speaking country, you are exempt from having to provide an English certificate.
• Two academic referees: You are required to include the contact details of two academic referees, who have agreed to provide a reference, on the google form. If your application is successful, we will be contacting your referees to obtain references. 

Note that University College Dublin may need your referees to provide a reference within a week [on short notice] if contacted during the month of February.

Check also:
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2027
Global Korea Scholarship 2027

Application Deadline

How to Apply

• Please note: You do not need to identify a potential supervisor in advance of your application. All colleagues will have a chance to express their interest in candidates, after the initial eligibility check has been completed.

For more information, kindly visit University College London scholarship webpage.