Studentship Programme Structure
SEDarc is pleased to offer funding for doctoral studentships, supporting postgraduate researchers in undertaking impactful doctoral research and training. Of these, three studentships are ring-fenced for applicants who meet our widening participation criteria, as part of our commitment to equity and inclusion. Further information regarding these Ring Fenced studentships can be found on our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion page.
You can see details of the studentship offer here, the available studentship award structures here, and the assessment criteria here.
Please contact your institutional administrator (links in Contact Us section) for further details or to apply.
Studentship Competition
SEDarc Studentship Competition 2027-2028
The South East Doctoral Training Arc (SEDarc) is pleased to offer Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding for PhD students for September 2027 entry.
How to apply: Students must be nominated by one of the six SEDarc institutions to apply to the doctoral programme. Please contact one of our Administrators at the SEDarc institution of your choice, as each institution has a different deadline and process for the institutional stage of the application process. The deadline for applications to SEDarc is 29 January 2027 at 16:00 (GMT).
Eligibility: These PhDs are open to UK and international students and consist of UK home fees and stipend awards.
If you have any queries about applying for a studentship award, please contact the administrator at your chosen SEDarc university in the first instance:
- Kingston University: hssce-research@kingston.ac.uk
- Royal Holloway, University of London: esrcdtp@rhul.ac.uk
- University of Kent: kentgrc@kent.ac.uk
- University of Reading: doctoralstudentshipsofficer@reading.ac.uk
- University of Surrey: doctoralcollege@surrey.ac.uk
- University of Sussex: pgr-scholarships@sussex.ac.uk
Please note: SEDarc are committed to identifying and awarding high quality applications and projects within our panel review process under three specific steer groups. They are:
- Advanced Data Skills
- Advanced Quantitative methods
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration with researchers outside of the social sciences
Please do speak to your selected institution should your project include any of the above to ensure these are highlighted within your application.
SEDarc ring-fences up to 3 studentships for home students who meet the following:
- Be assessed as being eligible to pay fees at the home fee rate;
- Identify as being of one of the following ethnic groups:
- Black or Black British – Caribbean
- Black or Black British - African
- Other Black background
- Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi
- Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
- Asian or Asian British - Indian
- Meet all other eligibility criteria
You can read our Assessment Criteria here.
Please note: ESRC DTPs are subject to a mid-term review in 2026, and studentship numbers may be revised based on the review findings. Allocations for the 2027 cohort are expected to be confirmed around January 2027.
