Funding
The Franklin PhD programme is fully funded for four years, where successful students will be offered:
- Tax-free stipend of £20,560, each year for four years
- ‘Home’ tuition fees for their entire degree*
- All associated project, conference and publication costs
- Free bus travel or free parking
- Free affiliate student societies / club membership to a college from University of Oxford (please note that this does not include access to university accommodation, nor will our students be registered at University of Oxford)
* ‘Home’ students are defined as UK and Irish Nationals, have EU-settled status, have EU-pre-settled status, or have indefinite leave to remain or enter.
Franklin Culture
It’s important for PhD students to maintain a healthy work-life balance, supporting their mental and physical health.
The Rosalind Franklin Institute is based in Harwell Campus, which boasts a number of specialist research organisations, some of which have their own PhD students, and local services including a dentist, a gym and sports leagues and teams. The Harwell Campus has a variety of interest groups that meet on a regular basis including a ‘Nxt Gen’ programme specifically for early-career researchers. We also have subsidised access to the RAL canteen and coffee outlets on campus, who provide a variety of hot and cold food options. Find out more about Life at Harwell.
The Harwell Campus is based in Oxfordshire, with frequent and direct transport links to Oxford via bus, train and the A34. Students will have access to bus travel serving Oxford and Oxfordshire towns, a cycle-friendly workplace, free electric car charging points and free parking in Harwell Campus.
As PhD students at the Franklin, successful applicants will also be eligible to join and participate in societies at a college from University of Oxford. Internally, our institute offers an active social committee and an Early Careers Lead to support students throughout their time with us. PhD students will have an annual 25 days’ entitlement to leave, not including bank holidays and extra leave at Christmas.
Training
We aim to provide an environment for students and staff to flourish personally and professionally and support our students until their next steps – in whatever field that might be. Franklin students will have training resources available to them from multiple avenues – from the Franklin community, our scientific collaborators across Harwell Campus, our Y1 partner University of Edinburgh, and our university partners for Years 2-4. We believe in a strong research culture, which our staff and students can imbibe and take with them in their future careers.
Franklin students will participate in higher-level research skills, with exciting Theme-specific activities tailored specifically to early career researchers and widening knowledge across different disciplines. Training materials will be accessible throughout their time at the Franklin.
If you have any questions, please email us at training@rfi.ac.uk.
Applications are now open
Please note, international placements for the PhD studentship programme have closed for this year and we are no longer able to accept applications from international candidates. Applications for the next academic year will open during Autumn 2024, please check back to apply at this time.