Did you know that it’s possible to study a Doctorate (PhD) through the medium of Welsh?
Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol gives funding to around 10 PhD students every year. You will receive funding for three years when studying for a doctorate.
You can research all sorts of subjects.
The aim of the scheme is to develop researchers of the highest standard who can work through the medium of Welsh.
A list of the theses the Coleg has funded, and links to many of those that have been completed, can be seen through the link below.
The application period for Research Scholarships 2025-26 is now open!
Click on the links below to see more information and the application form.
Closing date: 31 January 2025
Common Questions
Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol invites applications for Research Scholarships from the middle of October every year, and the closing date is usually the end of January. Further details on how to apply and the application form can be found in the documents below.
Universities are responsible for submitting applications to Coleg Cymraeg. If you have an idea about a research question for a PhD, contact the academic department of one of the universities in Wales first to convey your interest. The Coleg Cymraeg Branch Officer at that university will put you in contact with the right people.
Also, look at the websites of universities in Wales during the summer (May-August). This is when universities usually advertise for individuals to join research projects that are supported by Coleg Cymraeg, and where Research Scholarships will be available.
Coleg Cymraeg welcomes applications for research projects within any subject.
At least one supervisor of the research project must be able to supervise in Welsh, so it’s important that the department has staff who can do this in Welsh. We want to develop specialists in subjects where staff will be needed in research and lecturing posts in the future.
If you are successful, whoever receives the Research Scholarship will be given funding for three years that matches the postgraduate scholarships of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
The Coleg fully funds some Research Scholarships and pays 100% of the student’s learning fees and maintenance grant. We also fund some Research Scholarships jointly with the university or another organisation. There is no expectation for the students to pay their own way.
We also give an additional £500 a year to students to help to cover any costs associated with conducting the research, or to pay to attend conferences.
Students who receive the Research Scholarship from Coleg Cymraeg will conduct the research and write their PhD thesis in Welsh.
Students who receive the Research Scholarship are required to sit the Coleg Cymraeg Welsh Language Skills Certificate during their time as a research student there. The Certificate is a great way of improving language skills and achieving an additional qualification. Coleg Cymraeg offers interactive resources and face-to-face sessions to help students to prepare for the Certificate assessment. It is also a great idea for students who wish to improve their Welsh to follow a formal training course at their university.
Only students who wish to follow a doctorate at one of Wales’s universities can receive the Research Scholarship. But Coleg Cymraeg wants undergraduate students from beyond Wales to come to one of Wales’s universities to study towards a doctorate.
A warm weclome is given to students in universities beyond Wales to come to us in order to receive all the support and other opportunities that the Coleg offers to undergraduate students.
Click on the link below to find more information about the Research Skills Programme and the other training and development opportunities that are available through Coleg Cymraeg to any Welsh-speakers who are undertaking academic research.
Remember also to follow us on Twitter @olraddccc and look for the Postgraduate Community on Facebook.
The Coleg welcomes applications to undertake a PhD on a full-time or part-time basis (0.5).
We want students to start teaching undergraduates from the second year of their PhD. You will be expected to teach up to 5 hours a week in Welsh (up to a maximum of 60 hours a year) by conducting tutorials or demonstrating in laboratory sessions, and so on.
Training and resources
The Research Skills Training Programme supports Welsh-medium research students and early career academics. A number of workshops are held across the year. The research skills training is provided by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol in partnership with Welsh universities.
The training is free of charge, and all are very welcome. Join the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol postgraduate community and take advantage of the opportunities available to you. Full information about the individual workshops can be found below.
Additional information for university staff
Every university is allowed to make five applications for the Research Scholarship every year, but no more than one from the same school/academic department. For 50% Research Scholarships, the university must secure the rest of the funding.
The Welsh-language director at the university or the branch officer will be able to advise regarding the university’s plans for the next round of awards.
The university is welcome to present the name of a candidate as part of the application. If there is no candidate name in the application, the university must openly advertise for an individual to undertake the research work if the application is successful.
A panel will award the Research Scholarships based on: the proposed research project, the project’s contribution towards the aims of Coleg Cymraeg, the school/department’s experience in terms of leading research work and, where there is an applicant, the academic excellence of the individual. It is very important that the applications give detailed information on all these aspects.