Oxford Sociology launches Anthony Heath Scholarship for UK MSc students
19 November 2025
Oxford Sociology launches Anthony Heath Scholarship for UK MSc students
Oxford Sociology is delighted to announce the launch of the new Anthony Heath Scholarship, which will cover course fees and provide a living stipend for UK students undertaking the MSc in Sociology.
Named in honour of the Department’s first Head, Professor Anthony Heath, the scholarship is open to applicants who are ordinarily resident in the UK with Home fees status, and who are applying to the full-time or part-time MSc in Sociology. It will cover course fees at the Home rate and provide a grant for living costs for the full duration of the student’s fee liability.
Applicants who apply for the MSc in Sociology by the January admissions deadline will be automatically considered for the award. Selection will be based on academic merit, with one scholarship awarded each year.
The scholarship celebrates Professor Heath’s remarkable contributions to British sociology, as well as his pivotal role in shaping the Department of Sociology at Oxford.
When the Department was first established in 1999, Professor Heath told the Oxford University Gazette:
One of the new Department’s aims is to build on this tradition of empirical social research. We will aim to develop, and test empirically, middle-range theories that engage with real-world puzzles and problems.
That vision continues to guide the Department today, which remains committed to developing and testing theories that address real-world social challenges.
Current Head of Department Professor Colin Mills said:
The Anthony Heath Scholarship reflects our commitment to nurturing the next generation of sociologists.
We hope it will encourage students who are passionate about addressing pressing social challenges – from inequality to climate change – through rigorous and imaginative research.
Professor Heath reflected on his experience founding the Department 26 years ago, and shared his hopes for how the new scholarship will inspire students, in this video:
Read the scholarship’s eligibility criteria below, or apply to the MSc in Sociology here.
Eligibility and Details
The Anthony Heath Scholarship is open to applicants who:
Are ordinarily resident in the UK and have Home fees status, and
Are applying to the full-time or part-time MSc in Sociology at the Department of Sociology.
The scholarship covers course fees at the Home rate and provides a grant for living costs, which will be calculated in line with the UKRI living stipend. Funding is provided for the full duration of your fee liability for the agreed course.
You do not need to submit a separate application for this scholarship. If you meet the eligibility criteria and apply for the MSc in Sociology by the January deadline, you will be automatically considered as part of the standard admissions process.
Awards are made on the basis of academic merit. Only one scholarship is available each year.
Applicants must be new entrants to the MSc in Sociology (current students are not eligible).
Selection is expected to take place by late May 2026.
