Postgraduate & Postdoctoral Funding

The Irish Research Council (IRC) runs several national programmes offering postgraduate funding and scholarship opportunites. 
Maynooth University students have an excellent success rate in these programmes each year and we aim to support and continue to build on this momentum.

For details on the current postgraduate calls please click through to the IRC dedicated webpages. 
For example: calls for applications in August 2024 will offer successful applicants funding for their PhD starting in September 2025. 

Please contact [email protected] with any queries. 

1.  Government of Ireland (IRC-GOI) Postgraduate Scholarship Programme

This call is open to all disciplines.  The  IRC GOI scholarship is an individual, prestigious awards for excellent research in the name of the applicant. 
Please follow this link for more details and how to apply to the  IRC Postgraduate Scholarship Programme 
 

2.  Enterprise Partnership Scheme (IRC-EPS) Postgraduate Scholarship Programme

The Enterprise Partnership Scheme is a co-funded programme, where postgraduate researchers develop new, advanced knowledge and skills in an industry or employer workplace setting.  An Enterprise partner is needed.
 Please follow this link to the IRC Enterprise Partnership Scheme for more details and how to apply to the Enterprise Partnership Scheme
 

3.  Employment Based Postgraduate Programme (IRC-EBPP) 

The Employment Based Postgraduate Programme provides awardees with the opportunity to pursue research in collaboration with a higher education institution while based in, and employed by, their employment partner.
Please follow this link to the IRC Employment Based Posgtraduate Programme for more details and how to apply to the Employment Based Postgraduate Programme. 

Considering a PhD?

The academic staff at Maynooth University are eager to hear from motivated students interested in pursuing a PhD. Many supervisors are keen to support students in developing and refining their research proposals. Below, you’ll find a wide range of potential research topics that may capture your interest.
 

If any of these topics resonate with you, please feel free to reach out directly to the relevant academic supervisor. For further guidance, you can also contact the Graduate Research Academy at: [email protected]. Additionally, you can explore the Researcher Directory to learn more about our researchers and their areas of expertise.

Browse these research areas for opportunities to undertake a PhD

• PhD research areas - Find a Supervisor

Fees

Follow this link to view the Postgraduate Fee Schedule for EU and International Postgratuate Students. 
If you have any questions on any of these programmes please email [email protected]
 
 

Postgraduate Scholarships & Funding 

Full details on funding available to postgraduate students is available below:

MU Research Scholarships

• Maynooth University Teaching Studentships - Rolling Applications
• MU Doctoral Scholarships - Rolling Applications
•  

External Research Student Scholarships

• Irish Research Council Postgraduate Scholarships - see dedicated IRC section above 
• External Research Student Scholarships
• Chilean Masters and PhD Scholarship Scheme
• NUI Travelling Scholarships

Taught Masters Scholarship

• MU Taught Masters Scholarships
• 30% Club Scholarship

Additional Maynooth University Departmental Scholarships

• Anthropology: Susan Hunter Postgraduate Scholarship
• Economics: Edgeworth Graduate Student Scholarship
• Law: Doctoral Scholarship
• Nua-Ghaeilge: Oireachtais na Gaeilge
• School of Business: PhD Scholarship on Repurposing
• Sociology : New MSc Social Research Inaugural Scholarships

Maynooth University International Office Scholarships

• Maynooth University International Office Scholarships

The Postgraduate Research Travel Fund is designed to support Maynooth University research students, who wish to travel outside of the Republic of Ireland, to present a paper or poster at a conference, or take a module in another University as part of their research programme. You must apply for the fund before your event so see if you are eligible.   Please see below for the application form and Terms and Conditions.  This travel fund is managed by The Graduate Research Academy.  

How to apply for the Postgraduate Research Travel Fund

(a)  For a Paper or Poster Presentation at a Conference outside of the Republic of Ireland

Please complete this online form to apply. Applicants must upload the following documents with their application: 

• A letter indicating details of the conference you are attending, whether you are presenting a paper or a poster, the date of the conference and confirmation from the conference that you have been accepted to. This fund is only open to those that are either presenting a paper or a poster at a conference.
• A letter of support from your supervisor.

Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis.

(b)   For Taking a Module outside of the Republic of Ireland

Please complete this online form to apply.  Applicants must upload the following documents with their application: 

• A letter indicating details of the module that you will attend.
• A letter of support from your supervisor with your application.

Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis.

Terms and Conditions of the Postgraduate Research Travel Fund

The Postgraduate Travel Fund  is a discretionary fund that exists as a flexible method of facilitating the research endeavors of the Maynooth University academic community.  A central purpose of the fund is to encourage active participation by research students in the conferences of learned societies outside of the Republic of Ireland.  It is also designed to fund students to acquire accredited taught modules offered in Universities outside Ireland where they have been approved as part of their structured PhD. The conditions under which such funding is made available are outlined below.

1. Applicants must be registered for a research degree at Maynooth University.
2. Applications to the fund must be made in advance of the conference/module.  If your application meets the criteria for the travel fund you will be notified by email (eligible or ineligible).  The student will be reimbursed for costs after they have been incurred, up to the grant limits below. 
3. Applications will only be considered where the student will be presenting a paper or displaying a poster at the conference, or is attending a module accredited in their structured PhD.
4. Formal notification of the acceptance of a paper or poster by the conference organizers must accompany the application, or evidence of registration to an accredited module.
5. The applicant's supervisor must support the application by writing a brief letter of recommendation. The supervisor should comment on the significance of the conference and the efforts made by the applicant to secure funding or on the relevance of their module to their research. 
6. Students who have External Funding supporting attendance at conferences are not eligible to apply i.e. IRC. 
7. Funded students who are receiving research expenses are not eligible to apply i.e. Hume Fellow scholarships. 
8. Research students will not be funded for more than one module, conference/paper during their course of study.
9. A copy of the paper or poster must be uploaded via the online form after the conference, or in the case of taking a module a grade must be submitted on their examination record.

Grant levels 

The maximum grant amounts available under this Fund are as follows:

Presenting a Paper outside of the Republic of Ireland

Presenting a Poster outside of the Republic of Ireland

Taking a Module in a University outside of the Republic of Ireland

If you are approved for this funding, original receipts must be submitted to The Graduate Research Academy at [email protected] 

Please note that acknowledgment of financial support from the Postgraduate Research Travel Fund at Maynooth University is required on papers and posters.

Queries to: [email protected] 

IRC Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme

The Irish Research Council (IRC) offers a Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme which aims to support suitably qualified applicants to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at an eligible higher education institution in Ireland for either one or two years. 
Please follow the link to find more details details and how to apply:    Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme