The King’s Foundation Oxford DPhil Scholarships 2026 at Oxford University
- Omran Aburayya
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 17 hours ago
If you’re looking for a fully funded DPhil opportunity at the University of Oxford that bridges health, community, and the environment, the The King’s Foundation Oxford DPhil Scholarships 2026 are a truly exciting and timely option — here’s a detailed breakdown of this exciting opportunity.
🎓 Scholarship Summary
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
Host Institution: University of Oxford (Kellogg College, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Centre for Evidence‑Based Medicine)
Study Level: DPhil (PhD) in Primary Health Care / Primary Care Health Sciences
Target Group: Doctoral candidates with first degree in relevant disciplines (medicine, social sciences, environmental studies, public health, etc.)
Fields of Focus: Nature, health & wellbeing; social prescribing; health inequalities; environmental studies; health systems; mixed-methods; policy-making; community health; etc.
Award Coverage:
Full tuition fees (Home rate)
Annual stipend (minimum £20,000)
Research expenses allowance
Mentoring, career development, training, opportunity to run conferences / events with The King’s Foundation
Duration: Typically 3 years (duration of fee liability)
Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m. (UK time), Friday 20 February 2026
Start Date: October 2026 (academic year 2026–27)
Eligible To: Both UK (home fee) and international students, but overseas students must fund the difference between home and overseas fees.
📚 Scholarship Overview
The King’s Foundation Oxford DPhil Scholarships are a strategic initiative created through a partnership between The King’s Foundation, the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences (Oxford), the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, and the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation (GCHU) at Kellogg College.
The goal is to support research that investigates the interplay between nature, social and economic factors, and human health and wellbeing. Scholars will be encouraged to develop interdisciplinary research that spans medical, environmental, social sciences, policy, and community health spheres.
A key feature of the scholarship is the placement at Highgrove, where The King’s Foundation is establishing a Health & Wellbeing Centre. This provides a real-world context and community integration to the research: students will not only develop their projects, but also engage in practical, community-based activities.
In addition, scholars will become associate members of the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation (GCHU) at Kellogg College, giving them access to a global interdisciplinary network and additional academic support.
🎁 Benefits & Coverage
Financial Support
Tuition at the home rate is paid in full.
A generous stipend, at least £20,000 per year — above the UKRI minimum — for the duration of fee liability (typically 3 years).
Additional funding allocated for research-related expenses, which can help with data collection, travel, community engagement, or other project costs.
Academic and Career Development
Each student is mentored, receiving career development training.
Opportunities to organize and run conferences or events in collaboration with The King’s Foundation — boosting both academic and leadership experience.
Supervisory support from an interdisciplinary team drawn from The King’s Foundation, GCHU, and CEBM.
No need to name a supervisor in the application, though early engagement with potential supervisors is encouraged.
Placement Experience
A placement at the Highgrove Health & Wellbeing Centre, opening in 2027, where students will engage in community-based health initiatives.
Associate membership in the GCHU at Kellogg College, linking scholars with global health‑urbanisation research networks.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the King’s Foundation DPhil Scholarship, applicants should:
Have a first (undergraduate) degree in a relevant field (e.g., medicine, public health, social sciences, environmental studies, health economics, statistics, etc.).
Intend to apply for the DPhil in Primary Health Care / Primary Care Health Sciences at Oxford.
Be able to commit to the standard duration of the DPhil (no deferral allowed — the scholarship is not open to candidates seeking deferred start for 2027–28. )
For international students: note that only home-rate tuition is covered, so they must secure extra funding to pay the difference for overseas fees.
Demonstrate research alignment with the themes of nature, health, and wellbeing (especially in community or environmental contexts).
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ℹ️ Commission Earned
📖 Research Areas / Themes
The scholarship strongly encourages interdisciplinary research focused on:
Social prescribing and community health (e.g., linking people to local nature-based activities)
Health inequalities and policy processes related to environment and social context
Environmental health, urban health research, integrated health systems
Health psychology, health economics, mixed-method geography, and evidence-based medicine
Research that links social, economic, and environmental determinants of wellbeing.
Applicants are not restricted to a fixed set of topics: the board is open to proposals that fall under their broad thematic interest.
ℹ️ Highgrove Placement
One of the most distinctive aspects of this scholarship is the Highgrove Health & Wellbeing Centre placement:
The Centre (run by The King’s Foundation) is expected to open in 2027.
It will offer holistic, integrated health services: GP-led and patient-led, with referrals from primary and secondary services.
The program is designed to provide team-based and community-based wellbeing interventions, integrating charitable organizations, health charities, and local community services.
Through the placement, scholars will gain hands-on experience working in real-world, community-engaged settings — connecting their research directly with practice.
📙 Supervision Structure
During the first year, each student is paired with at least two supervisors.
Academic advising comes from The King’s Foundation to ensure the research stays aligned with the Foundation’s mission.
An interdisciplinary supervisory team from The King’s Foundation, GCHU, and the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine will oversee the work.
While you don’t need to identify a supervisor when applying, reaching out to potential supervisors is strongly encouraged — it may help shape your proposal.
📝 Application Process
Review the University of Oxford Graduate Application Guide for information about how to complete the graduate application form and provide supporting documents.
Apply to the University of Oxford for the DPhil in Primary Care Health Sciences by 5:00 p.m., 20 February 2026 (UK time).
Use the graduate application form (via Oxford Graduate Admissions) and include:
Research proposal aligned with the nature-health-wellbeing themes
Academic transcripts / diplomas
CV / resume
References / letters of recommendation
Proof of English proficiency (if required)
There are two online information sessions organized by the scholarship team:
20 Jan 2026, 09:00–10:00 UK time
20 Jan 2026, 16:00–17:30 UK time
You must register by 19 Jan 2026 (5pm UK time) to join.
Interviews:
First round: week of 23 March 2026 (shortlisting + academic interviews)
Second round: week of 30 March – 3 April 2026, based on King’s Foundation criteria.
Results / notifications will follow after interviews.
👌🏻 Tips for Applicants
Tailor your research proposal: Make sure your proposal clearly links nature / environment to health outcomes, and reflects the mission of The King’s Foundation.
Reach out to supervisors early: Even though it's not mandatory, contacting potential supervisors can help you shape your idea, refine methodology, and demonstrate engagement.
Attend the info sessions: They are valuable for clarifying what kinds of projects are eligible, and understanding the expectations of the scholarship team.
Budget for overseas fees (if applicable): If you are an international student, plan how to cover the difference between home and overseas tuition.
Demonstrate interdisciplinarity: Having a background (or interest) in more than one relevant field (e.g., public health + environmental science) could make your application stronger.