Starting next year, the United Kingdom will significantly cut back funding for PhD programmes in the Arts and Humanities, redirecting resources to priority areas such as the creative economy, environmental sustainability, and artificial intelligence.
As reported by Times Higher Education, this shift will mark a major change in how doctoral education is funded in the UK.
Under the new model, students may no longer have the freedom to choose their research topics independently, sparking concerns among academics about the potential impact on intellectual freedom and research diversity.
Instead, universities will have greater control over the direction of research, potentially limiting student choice.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) confirmed that only 50 institutions will receive PhD funding—down from 73 previously.
Additionally, each university will be capped at just three funded studentships per year, regardless of the institution’s size or research reputation.
A professor involved in doctoral training expressed disbelief, highlighting that even a university like University College London (UCL), with more than 50,000 students and over 6,000 research scholars, would be restricted to only three AHRC awards annually.
This rigid cap is expected to disproportionately affect mid-sized and smaller institutions that heavily rely on external funding to support research students.
Professor McRae of the University of Exeter, an expert in Renaissance studies, questioned how the academic environment and peer-to-peer learning—vital elements of doctoral research—could be maintained under such limitations.
Implications for Nigerian Students
The UK has remained a popular study destination for Nigerians, with over 44,000 enrolled in British universities in the 2021/2022 academic year, many of them pursuing postgraduate degrees including PhDs.
In 2024 alone, 82 Nigerians received prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships covering both master’s and doctoral studies.
However, PhD funding opportunities in the UK have dwindled, falling from more than 1,000 studentships in 2018-2019 to just 150 across the country.
This steep decline poses a major hurdle for Nigerian students hoping to pursue doctoral education in the UK. With limited funding available, many may be forced to pay costly tuition fees out-of-pocket or search for alternative financial support.
The rising exchange rate further complicates the situation, making self-funding an increasingly unrealistic option for students from modest financial backgrounds.
As a result, the UK may become less accessible to Nigerians seeking postgraduate education, especially in the arts and humanities.
Critics argue that the UK government’s push to align PhD training with non-academic careers and economically driven fields undermines the value of intellectual exploration and humanities-based research.
This trend may discourage international students from pursuing advanced studies in these disciplines.
Rebecca Harrison, a senior lecturer in film and media at the Open University, emphasized the need for universities to find additional funding sources to protect accessibility in arts and humanities research.
However, she acknowledged the challenge, noting that widespread financial cuts, staff layoffs, and programme closures across higher education institutions make it difficult to prioritize bridging the funding gap.
