Economic and Social Research Council - Economic and Social Research Council

What the ESRC studentship gives you

You will receive a sum of tax-free grant of 23,960 EUR per year (£20,780) to cover your living costs whilst undertaking your PhD in the social sciences. In addition, your total PhD fees (approx. 5,800 EUR / £5,006 per year) will be covered. The funding will run for 3 years and 3 months. This will be followed by a paid 3-month full-time placement, which forms part of the scholarship. Depending on your background, you may optionally complete an additional year of Master’s study at the outset. You may also apply separately for a supplementary grant to cover conference travel, fieldwork abroad and language courses. Students with disabilities may apply for additional support. Funding is provided by the ESRC, the UK’s largest public funder of economic and social research. The scholarship is awarded at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) as part of the South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP), a consortium of eight universities in the south-west of England.

Who can apply

• Level: You are about to start a PhD programme and have not yet begun one.
• Field: Your research falls, at the very least, within 50% of the social sciences. UWE Bristol offers degree programmes such as ‘Climate Change, Sustainability and Society’, ‘Health, Wellbeing and Society’, ‘Education’, ‘Management and Business Administration’ and ‘Social Policy’. Purely medical experiments or purely technical or mathematical modelling are not funded.
• Where you study: You are studying at UWE Bristol or another SWDTP partner university.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. British nationals, Irish nationals and those with ‘Settled’, ‘Pre-settled’ or indefinite leave to remain status will automatically receive the full scholarship amount. International students are welcome, but the number is limited to 30% students admitted each year, and the ESRC will only pay the domestic tuition fee rate for them. Please check with the university to see if it will cover the difference in fees for you.

How to apply

First, apply to UWE Bristol for your chosen PhD programme and state that you are interested in ESRC funding. Once you have received an offer, submit the separate SWDTP funding application. Before applying, please contact a potential supervisor. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview. The application deadline for the 2026 intake cycle has already passed; please therefore keep an eye out for the next cycle. The university’s internal deadline may be earlier.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a fully funded, prestigious Research Council scholarship, so competition is fierce. Both a compelling research proposal and a supervisor who is willing to support you are crucial. Your chances are best if your project clearly aligns with one of UWE Bristol’s key research areas and has a genuine social science focus. Students from the UK and Ireland have the best chances. International applicants are competing for a small, limited number of places, so a concise, well-structured research proposal and early contact with a supervisor are crucial.