The Government of Ireland has opened applications for its 2026 Postgraduate Scholarship Programme. Administered by Research Ireland, the initiative provides financial support for Master’s and PhD students across all disciplines, allowing recipients to design and lead their own research projects.
Applications opened on September 11 2025, with a closing deadline of October 23. Supervisors must submit endorsements by November 6, while final research office approvals are due by November 13. Successful candidates will be announced in April 2026, with awards commencing on September 1 2026.
Each scholarship is worth up to €34,000 per year, covering a €25,000 stipend, up to €9,750 for tuition fees depending on nationality, and €3,250 for research costs. Funding runs for a maximum of two years for Master’s programmes and four years for PhDs.
Eligibility requires affiliation with an approved Irish research body and at least a second-class upper Bachelor’s degree. Applicants already enrolled must be within their first year of study by September 2025.
In addition to core funding, the 2026 call includes strategic partnerships with the Environmental Protection Agency, Met Éireann, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Applications will undergo international peer review and be judged on excellence, innovation and feasibility. The process is gender-blind and aligned with Research Ireland’s policies on equality and open research.
