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Centre for Catholic Studies

Postgraduate Scholarships and Bursaries in Catholic Studies / Catholic Theology 

 A male and female student walking through campus

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

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

CCS Scholarships for candidates for the MA in Christian Theology (Catholic Studies), MA by Research, M.Litt, DthM, Integrated PhD, or PhD

 

The information below can also be downloaded as a pdf.

 

Eligibility 

Only candidates within, or applying to, the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University for:

MA in Christian Theology (Catholic Studies) (V8K607)

OR

MA by Research, M.Litt, DThM1, Integrated PhD2, PhD

each with a clear focus in Catholic Studies / Catholic Theology

are eligible to apply.3

Please note: All applicants must be able to commit to regular in-person participation in the academic programme of the CCS during the period of any award. [See note (e) below.]

 

Introduction 

The CCS at Durham University invites applications from full-time and part-time candidates (both existing students and new candidates) for fixed-term Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries in Catholic Theology / Catholic Studies as listed below. 

A completed Scholarships and Bursaries Application Form for 2023/24 and Scholarships and Bursaries Reference Form for 2023/24 must be returned to the CCS Senior Administrator, theresa.phillips@durham.ac.uk, by the deadline given below.  

Before submitting an application, applicants who are new candidates for a postgraduate degree within the Department of Theology and Religion must complete and submit a standard Durham University application for postgraduate admission online (citing ‘CCS Scholarship’ in the Field of Study area and in the Finance/funding section). Applicants must have been formally offered a place on an eligible course of study before their application for a CCS Scholarship/Bursary can be considered. The advised deadlines for completing the online programme application with all supporting documents are given below. For details on how to apply see Taught degrees or Research degrees as appropriate. 

Please read the notes below carefully before submitting your application for a CCS Scholarship/Bursary.

 
 

The Awards for 2023-24

 

THE CATHERINE McAULEY POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP FUND 

(one-year, renewable)

In association with the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy donated funds up to a total of £31,000 may be awarded on a competitive basis to full-time or part-time postgraduate candidates (both existing students and new candidates) in Catholic Theology / Catholic Studies within the Department of Theology and Religion and who are able to share regularly in-person in the academic programme of the CCS. These funds may be awarded as full or partial support towards tuition fees. The total amount of £31,000 need not be awarded in a given year and may be split between candidates.

The CCS encourages applications to the Catherine McAuley Postgraduate Scholarship Fund from all areas of Catholic Theology / Catholic Studies, including the area of Catholic social thought and practice.

Alongside academic excellence and potential, consideration will also be given to the applicant’s financial need. 

 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­THE ST JUDE POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

(one-year, renewable)

In association with an individual benefactor who has received many graces and favours through the intercession of St Jude, donated funds up to a total of £8,000 may be awarded on a competitive basis to full-time or part-time postgraduate candidates in Catholic Theology / Catholic Studies within the Department of Theology and Religion (both existing students and new candidates in receipt of formal offers) and who are able to share regularly in-person in the academic programme of the CCS. These funds may be awarded as a combination of one or more fixed-term Postgraduate Scholarships (full fees) and/or one or more fixed-term Postgraduate Bursaries (partial help towards fees). The total amount of £8,000 need not be awarded in a given year and may be split between candidates.

Alongside academic excellence and potential, consideration will also be given to personal financial circumstances.

 

Before applying for a Catherine McAuley Scholarship or a St Jude Scholarship new candidates for a postgraduate degree within the Department of Theology and Religion must complete a standard Durham University application for postgraduate admission with all supporting documents by Sunday 7 May 2023.

Closing date for applications for CCS Postgraduate Scholarships and Bursaries for 2023/24 is Sunday 28 May 2023.

More than one award may be made from each of the above funds in a given year.

Applicants may also be considered for other awards that become available.

In all cases, applicants are required to state their financial position and to update the CCS Senior Administrator of any changes to their financial situation after submitting their application and during the period of any award.

 

The Notes

Before applying applicants for CCS Postgraduate Scholarships and Bursaries must be aware of the following points:

(a) To be eligible for consideration, the applicant will be registered in, or applying to, the Department of Theology and Religion3 at Durham University, and the applicant’s research topic will be in the area of Catholic Theology / Catholic Studies. The following areas of Catholic Theology / Catholic Studies will be considered: 

  • Constructive Catholic Theology
  • Catholic Historical Theology
  • Interpretation of Scripture in Catholic Tradition
  • Catholic Social Thought and Practice 
  • The History of Catholicism
  • Lived Catholicism
  • Social-Scientific study of Catholicism
  • Franciscan Studies

If you are unsure whether your area of research would be considered, please do get in touch.

(b) It is important that new candidates for postgraduate programmes in the Department of Theology and Religion complete their online programme application by the deadlines given above as CCS Scholarship/Bursary applicants must have been formally offered a place on an eligible programme of study before their application for a CCS Scholarship/Bursary can be considered.

(c) Eligible current Department of Theology and Religion students who have not previously been in receipt of a CCS Scholarship or Bursary may apply for 2023-24. It is expected that these applicants will have regularly participated in CCS seminars and events during their registration in the Department of Theology and Religion.

(d) All tuition fee only scholarships and bursaries will be awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need, coupled with excellent academic performance.

(e) Receipt of any CCS Scholarship or Bursary implies that recipients will share regularly in-person in the academic programme of the CCS through participation in such things as: the thrice-termly Catholic Theology Research Seminar (CTRS), CCS Staff-Student Research Conversations, the annual Bishop Dunn Memorial Lecture, the CCS Advisory Board and Friends’ and Benefactors’ events, the Early Career and Postgraduate Conference, and other such events organised by the CCS for the CCS community. Where appropriate and where compatible with students’ other academic commitments, students may be asked to participate in the planning and delivery of such activities.

(f) Following application and during the period of any award, receipt of any other scholarship, bursary, or financial assistance towards the cost of tuition fees and/or associated living costs must be declared to the CCS Administrator and may lead to a reduction in (and in extreme circumstances total cancellation of) the level of the scholarship/bursary award.  Failure to declare any such additional assistance will automatically carry the penalty of total cancellation of any CCS Scholarship/Bursary award.  

(g) Due to the limited funding available, support cannot be given towards maintenance costs, just help towards tuition fees.  

(h) Priority will be given to applicants who are pursuing a research topic in the area of Catholic Theology / Catholic Studies, who demonstrate financial need, and who can demonstrate their ability to meet their own maintenance costs and any shortfall in tuition fees. 

(i) Awards are made for one full academic year and do not imply commitment to renewal for future years of study.  

(j) That said, priority will be given, where possible, to students who have already been in receipt of a CCS Scholarship or Bursary during the previous academic year and who have at least one further year of study to pursue. Further awards are subject both to sufficient funds being available and to a satisfactory progress report being received from the student’s primary supervisor prior to the meeting of the CCS Scholarships Committee.

 

Footnotes

[1] Applications from students on the DThM programme are only invited after the first taught phase of the programme.

[2] First year IPhD students who are undertaking the Catholic Studies pathway of the MA may apply.  Other students are only eligible to apply after the taught MA phase.

[3] In exceptional circumstances, a PhD candidate’s primary supervisor may be located in another academic department at Durham University other than the Department of Theology and Religion. However, at Masters level (including the first year of any proposed I-PhD) candidates must be pursing the MA in Christian Theology (Catholic Studies) (V8K607) within the Department of Theology and Religion to be eligible to apply.