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Employment-based PhD Scholarships Programme for Health Science Professionals

Guidelines 2026

This programme provides an opportunity for Health Science Professionals to conduct research whilst in employment.

In line with UCC’s Strategic Plan 2023-2028, and the Missions of Graduate Studies in CoMH, the remit of the Employment-based PhD Scholarships Programme for Health Science Professionals is to enhance and sustain excellence in graduate education in healthcare and health sciences, to deepen collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and healthcare and health science partners, to increase PhD enrolment numbers and to develop pathways to widen access to programmes.

Projects will align with the , and will be anchored in or across one of the primary UCC Futures research themes in CoMH: Food Microbiome and Health, Children, Ageing and Brain Science, Medicines, Future of Health (Population Health, Health Services Research, Implementation Science), Cancer Research@UCC. The Scholarship Programme is open to those who are in full-time or part-time employment, who are excited by research and have a strong desire to enhance health research.

Scholarships will be offered on a competitive basis.

• Scholarships will fund annual PhD registration fees PLUS €5,000 per annum if full time or €2,500 per annum if part time for associated research costs, over a maximum of 4 years (full-time) or 6 years (part-time).
• Two scholarships are sponsored by the College of Medicine and Health
• Three scholarships are sponsored by the Office of the Regional Director of Nursing & Midwifery HSE Southwest
• The PhD candidate will remain a salaried employee and will concurrently register as a PhD student at UCC for the duration of the PhD project.

Full details about Eligibility and How to Apply are available here

Guidelines - Employment-based PhD Scholarships 2026

Employment-based MD Scholarships in partnership with the Bon Secours Hospital

Guidelines
The School of Medicine at ÍíÉϸ£ÀûÔÚÏß¹Û¿´ Cork (UCC) and the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork are pleased to announce a new partnership to provide an opportunity for registered post basic speciality training Medical Doctors either on a SpR training programme or with Registrar level experience to conduct MD research while in employment.

In line with UCC’s Strategic Plan 2023-2028 the remit of the Employment-based BRIGHT-MD Scholarship Programme is to enhance and sustain excellence in graduate education in healthcare and health sciences, to deepen collaboration between researchers and clinicians and to develop pathways to widen access to programmes.  Projects will be anchored in or across the UCC Futures research themes in the College of Medicine and Health: Food Microbiome and Health, Children, Ageing and Brain Science, Medicines, Future of Health (Population Health, Health Services Research, Implementation Science), Cancer Research@UCC.  

The Scholarship Programme is open to those who are registered to practice Medicine in Ireland either in specialist training schemes or practicing at Registrar level in the Irish healthcare system.

Integral to the role is a requirement to be employed as a medical officer by Bon Secours Hospital in Cork (details as outlined by BSH).

Two scholarships will be offered to commence in September 2026 for a 24-month period.

• Scholarships will fund MD salary, annual MD registration fees and may contribute to associated research costs following application.
• Candidates must register for a minimum of 2 years full-time.
• The MD candidate will remain a salaried employee at the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork and will concurrently register as an MD student at UCC for the duration of the MD project.

Full details about Eligibility and How to Apply are available here

Guidelines - Employment-based MD Scholarships 2026

Employment-based PhD and MD Scholarship Awardees 2025

Further details of the projects, supervisors and employment-based mentors is available here:

Employment-based PhD and MD Scholarship 2025