AHRC Algorithmic Grant Doctoral Landscape Award / AHRC Studentships (Lles) – Cardiff University

What you get

You get a fully funded four-year PhD at Cardiff University in the arts and humanities. The award pays your home tuition fees and gives you a tax-free living stipend (a regular payment to cover your living costs) at the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) minimum rate. That is about EUR 24,900 per year (20,780 GBP for 2025-26, rising to 21,805 GBP from October 2026). You also get a Research Training Support Grant for training and research costs. If you have a disability, you can apply for a Disabled Students' Allowance on top. The funder is the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the UK's public funder for arts and humanities research. It covers two schemes: a broad open scheme (the Doctoral Landscape Award) and a themed one about health and wellbeing in Wales (the Lles studentship). You can study full time or part time. International students get a fee discount, so you are not charged the difference between home and international fees.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You have (or expect) a UK honours degree at first or upper second class, a Master's degree, or an equivalent from another country.
• Non-traditional routes: You can also apply without a standard academic background.
• Field of study: For the open Landscape Award, any arts or humanities subject fits: design, music, English, history, philosophy, theology and more. The Lles studentship is narrower and covers film, media, literature and cultural studies linked to health and wellbeing in Wales.
• Where you study: You do your PhD at Cardiff University.
• Nationality: Anyone worldwide can apply, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.
• Language: You can show English proficiency if the university asks for it.

How to apply

For the open Landscape Award you choose one of three routes: propose your own project, apply to a project set up by a supervisor, or apply to a project run with an outside partner. The first group of students starts in October 2026. For the themed Lles studentship in the School of Journalism, Media and Culture, you apply through the school's postgraduate research pages by 27 March 2026. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed and give a short presentation, in person or by video call.

How realistic are your chances?

The open Landscape Award is tightly limited, with only three studentships a year across all arts and humanities subjects at Cardiff. Competition is high, so a strong, well-aligned proposal matters. The Lles studentship is cut to one specific project on health narratives, so the applicant pool is smaller. If your background clearly fits film, media and cultural studies and you can connect it to health policy, your prospects are better. Applying early and attending the applicant webinar helps you shape a competitive application.