Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine
King's College London

The Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHoSTM) at King's College London invites applications for Hans Rausing Scholarships to begin in October 2025. The scholarships are available to students from overseas, the EU and the UK to study the history of science and/or technology at Masters and PhD-level at the Centre (please note that research projects in the history of medicine are not eligible). Candidates are expected to have, and in some cases to develop, masters level expertise specifically in the history of science and/or technology.

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Scholarships are available as:

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• a one-plus-three year award (“1+3 award”), which funds the student to take one of the KCL MA History programmes, with progression to doctoral study at CHoSTM subject to satisfactory completion of the MA; or

• a three-year award (“+3 award”), to fund doctoral study only, for students who already have a Master’s degree in the history of science, technology, or related discipline, or a Master’s degree in History or a related humanities or social science field with an strong history of science and technology taught component or history of science and technology research experience.

 

Applicants should have an exceptional academic track record and outstanding research potential in the history of science and/or technology. The award covers fees (at home or overseas rates) and a maintenance grant equivalent to that offered by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for the duration of the award (indicative previous year maintenance rates can be found here: https://www.ukri.org/publications/maintenance-and-fee-rates/).

 

Applicants for either award are advised to contact a prospective supervisor to discuss research interests and proposal. Staff at KCL working in the history of science and technology and related fields are listed here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/history/research-expertise

 

Clearly some topics in the history of medicine overlap with the history of science and technology. Please consult with your prospective supervisor as to whether your project is within scope. One way to think about it is the degree to which you are formally trained in the history of science and technology, and whether the intellectual resources for your project need to come  from history of science and technology, and whether your project would be publishable in journals of history of science and technology. Topics in life sciences and technologies allied to medicine are in scope if so addressed.  

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Application procedure for +3 award

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Applicants for the +3 award should apply for the History Research MPhil/PhD via the King's College London application system.  All the information on this is here:https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/areas/history-research-mphil-phd

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There is no separate form for the Rausing Scholarship. To be considered for the +3 award, applicants must submit with their electronic application a sample of written work, a brief personal statement of academic interests and reasons for undertaking doctoral research, and a research proposal. The research proposal should be around 1,000-1,500 words plus bibliography and should outline the historical questions being addressed and their significance, relevant historiography, and sources. Please indicate to your prospective supervisor that you wish to be considered for the Rausing scholarship.

 

Applications are invited for +3 award applications for entry in October 2025 (or exceptionally in January 2026). Applicants may be called for interview. Please send your applications in by the 15th of April, 2025. Applications received after this date may not be considered. Rausing awards will be announced by mid-May 2025.

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Application procedure for 1+3 award

 

Applicants for a 1+3 award for entry in October 2025 should apply to one of the MA programmes via the King's College London electronic application system. All the information on this is here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/history/masters 

 

We will potentially support applicants taking any of our MA programmes, although applicants should discuss with their prospective supervisor which would be most appropriate for their research project and interests.

 

There is no separate form for the Rausing Scholarship.  To be considered for the award, applicants must submit with their electronic application a sample of written work and a 1-2 page personal statement of academic interests, reasons for undertaking postgraduate study in history of science and technology, and possible areas of doctoral research. If they wish, they may also produce a research proposal of around 1,000-1,500 words plus bibliography and should outline the historical questions being addressed and their significance, relevant historiography, and sources. Please indicate to your prospective supervisor that you wish to be considered for the Rausing scholarship.

 

Applications for the MA programme are currently being reviewed as they are received. Applications received after 14 April 2025 may not be considered for a Rausing studentship. Awards will be announced by mid-May 2025.