SENSS ESRC Studentships 2026/27 (for an October 2026 start)

Why you should consider applying for SENSS funding?

  • You will be paid £20,780 per year (2025/26 academic year rates) to undertake postgraduate studies (plus an extra £2,000 per year if you study at a London-based university), and your tuition fees will be paid for you for the duration of your funding award.

  • You will be guided by excellent supervisors and receive high quality advanced research training.

  • You will be part of a postgraduate community spanning 8 universities and 6 interdisciplinary themes.

  • You will make connections with our influential external partners including government departments, industry, and NGOs.

  • This funding and these connections will help you launch your career.

  • Our studentships are open to both "home" and "international" applicants. 

What options does SENSS offer?

  • The structure of the studentship offered will depend on your personal training needs. However, the minimum duration of a SENSS-funded studentship will be 3.5 years (unless you have already started your PhD): this covers a PhD and a mandatory placement of approximately 3 months. The maximum duration of a studentship will be 4.5 years: this covers a Masters degree followed by a PhD, as well as the mandatory 3-month placement.

  • Full-time and part-time study.

  • Studentships include the following for the duration of the award:

    • A tax-free maintenance stipend to cover your living costs: this is set at £20,780 per year. For those studying at universities based in London, there is an additional £2,000 per year paid as London Weighting, given that the cost of living is higher for those living in London. If you are not studying at a London-based university, but still choose to live in London, you will not receive the London Weighting payment;

    • Fees: whether home or international, no SENSS-funded student will have to pay any university tuition fees for the duration of their funding award.

    • Access to research training support funds for the duration of your funding award; and,

    • Access to other funds to support UK or overseas fieldwork, placements, overseas institutional visits, and language training.

  • SENSS offers two different types of studentships:

    • Student-led studentships: create your own research proposal, and work on it with your chosen supervisor; or,

    • Collaborative studentships: work on a research project devised by a supervisor and an external partner.

Am I eligible?

  • Residential criteria: studentships are available to all applicants, regardless of nationality or residency, across all 8 SENSS universities and 6 SENSS interdisciplinary Thematic Areas. However, there are only a limited number of studentships (approximately 10 each year) available to international applicants.

  • You can view the full residential eligibility guidance here.

  • Academic eligibility

    • To apply for a Masters plus PhD (+4.5-year award), you will need: qualifications or professional experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree (Honours).

    • To apply for a PhD only (+3.5-year award), you will need: qualifications or professional experience equivalent to a Masters degree, or a Masters degree and already have the research skills needed to successfully complete your research project.

  • If you have already started your PhD, you are eligible to apply for SENSS funding, but only if you have not already completed a substantial proportion of your studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • You can only have one student-led application at one institution. However, you can apply for the student-led and collaborative studentship competition at the same time and for more than one collaborative studentship projects at the same time. 

  • The first thing to do is to thoroughly read through the information on our webpages and refer to the guidance documents provided. It is important that you identify and speak to your proposed supervisor before you start an online application. Once you have found a supervisor who is happy to work with you, you should complete your online application in HEIApply. 

  • No, SENSS cannot assist you with this but if you contact the Operational Lead for chosen university they can assist you. You must provide the Operational Lead with the SENSS theme that your project fits into, your area of research, and your topic in order for them to help identify a suitable supervisor. Once the Operational Lead has provided you with the names of some potential supervisors, it is your responsibility to contact your proposed supervisor before you start an online application with SENSS. Alternatively, our partner universities have staff directories which can also assist with finding a prospective supervisor or try Google Scholar as another path for potentially identifying a supervisor. 

  • The Student-led competition opened on Wednesday 1 October 2025 and closes on 12pm (noon) GMT on Wednesday 14 January 2026. 

  • No, you cannot use your stipend to cover visa or other associated costs. Funding cannot be provided prior to the start of the studentship and the ESRC stipulates funding cannot cover visa fees/medical surcharges etc. If successful in being awarded a studentship, applicants will need to find alternative sources of funding for these costs. 

  • If your application is unsuccessful at the institutional stage of the competition, you will be notified via HEIApply, but your chosen university is responsible for sending you any feedback on your application. 

    If your application is unsuccessful at the thematic review or Management Board stages of the competition, you will be notified via HEIApply and SENSS is responsible for sending you any feedback on your application. This feedback will be provided by the end of the academic year. 

  • You should look at the themes SENSS offers and decide if your proposed project fits into one of these. 

  • If you need to access your application to work on it, update any section, upload documents, or add information prior to submission, log into HEIApply, and from the dashboard click on the ‘finish application’ or ‘submit application’ button and this will take you back into your application. This allows you to click on each section, check, update, and save any changes. You should then be able to submit your application. You MUST remember to press the submit button. 

  • Applications submitted before the competition closing date of Wednesday 14 January 2026 (12pm GMT) cannot be reopened and edited. Please only submit your application when you are happy with it and it is complete. 

  • No, you must also apply to your chosen university and complete this application BEFORE you submit your application to SENSS for funding. 

  • SENSS is not able to provide this information due to the number of applications we receive. Applications go through a rigorous and robust review process and all applications are considered thoroughly. If you are unsuccessful one year, and eligible to do so, please consider applying in future years. 

  • No, being identified as an EDI applicant does NOT mean they will automatically progress through the phases of the review process to reach the final stage of the competition. 

  • If you have previously studied (undergraduate and/or masters) at a non-SENSS institution and wish to apply to study your PhD with SENSS than we would welcome your application. However, we cannot fund PhD study at a non-SENSS institution.