Applying for a Studentship

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ESRC Funded Studentship Offers – Overview
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Applying for a Studentship
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Applying for a Studentship

Funding Application Deadline 12 Noon (GMT) Friday 9th January 2026

Application Procedures Depend on Which Institution You Are Applying To

An application for SWDTP studentship funding is a separate process from your application to a PhD programme offered by one of our Partner Institutions, although these processes can happen either sequentially or simultaneously depending on which institution you are applying to study at.

For example, the University of Bristol, an applicant needs to be accepted on to a PhD programme before they can apply for an SWDTP studentship so they may need to have applied for a PhD with that institution by early December. At other institutions, an applicant can usually apply for a PhD programme and a studentship simultaneously, but please check locally.

Please follow the application procedures of the institution at which you wish to be based, links to the relevant information for each institution are below. To apply for an SWDTP studentship funding, you will also need to complete the additional forms found below.

Bath	https://www.bath.ac.uk/guides/applying-for-esrc-funding-or-the-humanities-social-sciences-ursa/
Bristol	South West Doctoral Training Partnership \| Faculty of Social Sciences and Law \| University of Bristol and https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/
Exeter	ESRC SWDTP \| Postgraduate Study – PhD and Research Degrees \| University of Exeter
Plymouth	SWDTP opportunities – University of Plymouth and The South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) – University of Plymouth and Postgraduate research studentships – University of Plymouth
UWE	South West Doctoral Training Partnership – Studentship opportunities \| UWE Bristol
Bath Spa	Postgraduate Research Funding Opportunities – Bath Spa University
Bournemouth	ESRC Southwest Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) \| Bournemouth University
Plymouth Marjon	https://www.marjon.ac.uk/research/south-west-doctoral-training-partnership/doctoral-training-partnership-opportunities/

To be considered for an SWDTP studentship funding you will need to have:

– Followed the application procedures for the institution at which you wish to be based. Applying for an SWDTP studentship funding does not automatically mean you are also applying for and enrolling for a PhD.

– Written a research proposal and completed the Studentship Application (Annex A).

– Gained the support of a prospective PhD supervisor for your proposal, who needs to complete the Supervisor Statement (Annex B).

– Submitted your application for a studentship and all the accompanying material (listed at the end of Annex A) by no later than the funding deadline 12 noon (GMT) 9^th January 2026.

For us to offer a Studentship you will:

– Need to be accepted on to the PhD programme.

– Be able to commence your studentship in the September of the same calendar year in which you were offered a studentship. We cannot, typically, defer the funding.

Should I apply for a Masters or a PhD?

The SWDTP makes no distinction, at the point of application, between those who will be funded to do a Masters before progressing on to a PhD, and those who will not. 

The hard distinction between what were previously called ‘1 + 3’ and ‘+ 3’ studentships no longer exists. Students are now funded in a range of ways: PhD only, PhD plus ‘top up training’, or Masters + PhD. Our funding offer is based on a Training (Development) Needs Analysis at the point of application, which is then reviewed by members of our Awards Ratification Committee.

We cannot say, in advance, what your funding offer will be. We try to avoid asking people who already have a Masters to do another but many still have to do mandatory top-up training (for which they receive additional funding) to meet the funder’s (the ESRC’s) training requirements.

Completing your Development Needs Analysis

In our application form you are required to complete an initial Development Needs Analysis (DNA). Throughout the PhD, DNA is a self-assessment, a conversation – often between you and your supervisor –, and a process. DNA is concerned with supporting your developmental needs as a researcher, which includes equipping you for a career within the university sector or outside of it.

DNA begins at the point of entry to the SWDTP so we can align our funding offer with what you need to do to meet the training requirements of the ESRC. Because of this, it is important that you are honest in your self-assessment (we may ask you to provide evidence). The ESRC’s core training are mandatory for all students so we have to ensure you have undertaken all that they are looking for. Remember, they are intended to help you develop as a researcher and in your employability after the PhD.

Please be assured that we do not score this part of your application and that our interest is only in supporting and training students, regardless of their existing proficiencies, not to select those with high existing ones.