Funding supports

Research Ireland currently funds PhD students under both student-led and funded programme-led models.

Student-led funding opportunities

Under the student-led model, prospective PhD students develop their own research idea, either independently or with a supervisor, and apply for funding under their own name. 

Research Ireland has two schemes that fall under this category, the Government of Ireland Postgraduate (GoIPG) Scholarship and the Enterprise Partnership (EP) Schemes

Government of Ireland Postgraduate (GoIPG) Scholarship

Applicants to the GoIPG Scholarships apply for funding in their own name, proposing their own research topic, and must have identified and secured a supervisor based in a Research Ireland recognised research body. 

The scheme is open to all disciplines and research categories, and to both EU and international applicants. Recipients receive both a stipend of €25,000 and a contribution to research body fees of up to €5,750 for each year of their scholarship, for a maximum of 4 years. The scholarships also provide an additional fund of €3,250 for research expenses. 

Enterprise Partnership (EP) Schemes

The EP scheme is designed to provide applicants an opportunity for industry collaboration and develop career pathways beyond academia whilst completing their PhD research programme. Applicants are based within their research body but work with a company or other organisation as the ‘Enterprise Partner’, who help to co-design the PhD research topic and programme. Successful applicants have the opportunity to gain real-world experience whilst working on applied impact-driven research. The scheme provides supports similar to the GoIPD programme.

Funded programme-led opportunities

Under the programme-led model, prospective PhD students apply for an existing, fully funded PhD position that has been created as part of a wider research project or programme. In this case, the research topic is usually predefined (or partly defined), and the funding is attached to the position rather than awarded to the student individually. PhD candidates under these schemes also receive both a stipend of €25,000 and a contribution to research body fees of up to €5,750 for each year of their scholarship, for a maximum of 4 years. A contribution to research costs may also be included, dependent on the scheme.

Research Ireland supports PhD students through a range of programme-led initiatives, including Research Ireland Centres, structured PhD programmes (such as Centres for Research Training), and investigator-led research grants. These pathways collectively represent the most common route into a funded PhD in Ireland.

Research Ireland Centres and structured PhD programmes

Research Ireland funds a network of large-scale research centres and structured PhD programmes across priority areas such as artificial intelligence, health, energy, and advanced manufacturing. These centres and programmes recruit PhD students directly through advertised positions, offering fully funded studentships that typically include a stipend, fee coverage, and a research budget.

PhD students within these environments benefit from being part of a broader research team and often participate in cohort-based training alongside other doctoral candidates. In addition to their core research, students may undertake taught modules and receive training in transferable skills such as innovation, communication, and project management. Many centres also maintain strong links with industry partners, providing opportunities for collaboration and exposure to applied research contexts.

Investigator-led research projects

In addition to centre-based programmes, many PhD students are funded through investigator-led research grants awarded to academic staff. These grants frequently include funding for one or more PhD studentships tied to a specific research project. Prospective students apply directly to these advertised positions, which are typically focused on a defined research question within the Principal Investigator’s area of expertise.

This route provides an opportunity to join an established research project from the outset, contributing to ongoing work while developing specialised expertise in a particular field.

Research Ireland is currently reviewing how it funds PhD candidates and awards that support them and as such this information is subject to change. Please see the Research Ireland Funding Programmes page here for the current list of programmes: Funding Programmes | Research Ireland

Stipend

Research Ireland currently funds postgraduate student stipends at a flat rate of €25,000 per annum for a maximum of four years. 

Research Ireland also provides a standard contribution of €5,750 towards the annual cost of postgraduate fees. This rate is applicable to all EU PhD candidates. If, prior to application the award holder has identified a named non-EU candidate for a PhD position, they may request an additional €4,000 per annum over and above this standard rate. For non-EU candidates recruited after the award has been made, Research Ireland will permit the award holder to reallocate the additional costs from within the budget in line with their flexible grant budget policy, but this is at the discretion of the award holder. Prospective PhD candidates from outside the EU are advised to clarify the position regarding any such additional costs with the award holder prior to accepting a position. 

Current and prospective PhD candidates should note that Research Ireland explicitly prohibits PhD stipend provided by them being used to contribute to Research Body fees under any circumstances and insists that the stipend should be paid in full to the PhD candidate while they are a registered student. If this is not the case, affected students are advised to contact relevant office in their institution or Research Ireland as soon as possible.

PhD Students with Disabilities

Research Ireland acknowledges that disabled researchers may require additional supports to participate fully in their research. Where funds for these supports are not available via other funding mechanisms, the agency has established a Disability Supplement for eligible Research Ireland awards, to provide additional funds to meet the costs of providing eligible reasonable accommodations for team members. Prospective and current PhD students are advised to contact the relevant Disability/Access offices in their institutions for more information on this support.

Maternity, Paternity, and Adoptive Leave

For postgraduate students funded on Research Ireland awards, Research Ireland provides additional funding for maternity, paternity, and adoptive leave, at a rate equivalent to the postgraduate stipend for up to 26 weeks. PhD students should contact the relevant department within their institutions on how to apply for this support.

For further details on Research Ireland policies relating to PhD student, please consult the Research Ireland Policy page, available here: Funding Policies | Research Ireland

General support for postgraduate researchers

Academic-based post graduate researchers are supported via a stipend in line with current government guidelines as a flat rate, which is currently €25,000 per annum for four years for PhD degrees. The stipend is tax exempt and in no circumstances the stipend can be used to support postgraduate fees.

• Health and Social Care Practitioners who are stepping out from clinical or social care delivery/services are supported via a contribution to the salary and related costs for PhD degrees typically for three years, typically via the ICAT PhD programme.
• The HRB support a maximum contribution to postgraduate fees of €5,500 annually for individuals registered for a higher degree supported by either a stipend or a salary. Reallocation of funds from post-graduate registration fees is not allowed under any circumstances. Fees are ring-fenced for this purpose and must be returned to the HRB if unused, in line with the HRB Policy on Reallocation of Grant Budgets.
• HRB Policy on the Payment of Social Benefits: Post-graduate researchers who do not satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions
  • For post-graduate researchers or employees who do not satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions for maternity, paternity and adoptive leave, the HRB will provide the salary amount (salaried staff) or stipend amount (post-graduate researchers) to persons on maternity, paternity and adoptive leave for the duration of the statutory entitlement.   
  • For paid sick leave, the HRB will provide funding, in accordance with the policies of the Host Institution, for the period and amount for which the Host Institution makes provision for paid sick leave.  
  • The Host Institution is responsible for verifying the ineligibility for social welfare maternity benefit, social welfare adoptive benefit or sickness benefit of the employee or researcher, in the form of a letter duly signed and stamped by the Host Institution.   
  • HRB payment of social benefit supplement is conditional on the institution not requiring the candidate to pay additional postgraduate registration fees for this period of leave; evidence will be required of same.

Support of PhD researchers via training opportunities under the people and skills portfolio

SPHeRE (Structured Population health, Policy and Health-services Research Education) structured PhD programme

• The SPHeRE programme provides a key national infrastructure to support health research in Ireland through a unique and innovative PhD programme expanding Ireland’s capacity to conduct population health, policy and health services research and maximise its translation into policy and practice.
• Each PhD researcher is funded for the PhD phase for 4 years.
• In terms of funding dedicated to the PhD researchers, each receive both a stipend of €25,000 and a contribution to postgraduate fees of up to €5,550 for each year of their scholarship, for 4 years. Each PhD researcher also receives additional funding for research related costs, such as running costs, training, placements, PPI, knowledge exchange and dissemination.

ICAT (Irish Clinical Academic Training) structured PhD Programme

• It is a unique all-Ireland cross-institutional PhD programme for clinician scientists in human, veterinary and dental medicine, integrated with the health services and university clinical research centres, which will prepare graduates for exciting and rewarding careers as clinician scientists. 
• ICAT is founded on the principles of providing integrated, fellow-centric clinical academic training to postgraduate clinical trainees across all disciplines of human medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry through a programme which integrates PhD research training of the highest quality with higher specialist training.
• Each PhD researcher is funded for the PhD phase for 3 years.
• In terms of funding dedicated to the PhD researchers, each receive both a contribution to their specialist training salary and a contribution to postgraduate fees of up to €5,550 for each year of their PhD, for 3 years. Each PhD researcher also receives additional funding for research related costs, such as running costs, training, international placements, PPI, knowledge exchange and dissemination.

Support for PhD research via investigator-led projects and programmes

The HRB support some PhD researcher via other funding initiatives such as project and programmes which are not intentionally designed to support PhD training. In these instances, we make clear in the guidance notes to the applicants the following: 

• This scheme is not framed as a training initiative for PhD researchers. Where individuals for a higher degree are proposed to work on projects, Lead Applicants must carefully consider:
  • The complexity, scale, objectives, and dependencies of the project.
  • The suitability of such project in terms of delivering a clearly identifiable original research project or the potential difficulties in clustering various pieces of work packages for a PhD or Masters thesis. 
  • The skills, expertise and experience level required to carry it out. 
  • Any requirements and/or restrictions relating to the PhD or Master’s researcher’s registration with the Host Institution, and this should be accounted for when determining the start date of the grant. 

Please note that the HRB does not support MD degrees.

If proposing a PhD researcher, please note the following: the Lead Applicant, 

1. Should clearly put in place appropriate supervisory arrangements with a supervisory team in place, which may include Co-Applicant(s), if appropriate.
2. With the support of the Host Institution must have a mitigation plan in case they move host institution within Ireland or leave Ireland to ensure that the training and development of the PhD researcher continues, and the successful completion of the PhD thesis is supported. This mitigation plan must be set out in the Host Institution’s letter of support.
3. Must budget for four years of funding for PhD candidates. 
4. Should support the PhD researcher enrolment in a structured PhD programme, at the Institution where they will be registered or through the SPHeRE PhD programme , which is Ireland’s national research training programme for Population Health, Policy, and Health Services Research.

In terms of funding provided to the PhD researchers, each will receive both a stipend of €25,000 and a contribution to postgraduate fees of up to €5,550 for 4 years. The grant would have also funding for the research project/programme delivery. In some occasions, the HRB may also support health and social care practitioners stepping out of practice via these types of funding, with a contribution to salary (like ICAT programme).

Benefits of employing a PhD graduate

• Strong innovation capability and ability to generate new knowledge.
• Advanced problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Expertise in research methodologies and data interpretation.
• High-quality technical writing skills for reports and grant proposals.
• Resilience and adaptability developed through research.
• Experience working independently and collaboratively.
• Transferable skills including project management, public engagement and 

Financial supports available to employers

Enterprise Ireland (EI) provide a range of supports aimed at strengthening research, development and innovation (RD&I) capacity within Irish companies, with a particular focus on connecting highly skilled PhD graduates with industry. The flagship initiative for PhD graduates is PhDStart

PhDStart is designed to help Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies recruit high-calibre PhD graduates to support innovation and RD&I activities within their business. The programme combines financial support with recruitment and match-making assistance.

Under the PhDStart programme:

• Companies can hire a PhD graduate on a full-time, 24‑month contract.
• The PhD graduate is expected to work on an RD&I project aligned with the company’s innovation and growth strategy, supported by an in-company mentor 
• Enterprise Ireland provides 50% co-funding of salary costs, up to a maximum of €62,000 over two years. The benchmark salary is based on Irish University Association researcher salary scales, though companies may pay higher salaries if desired.
• Eligible R&D expenditure may also qualify for the 30% R&D corporation tax credit, subject to independent tax advice. 

Enterprise Ireland and Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) support matchmaking between companies and suitable PhD graduates based on technical expertise and organisational needs.