ESRC White Rose DTP Studentships 2027/28 at the University of Leeds

About the Position

The University of Leeds, as part of the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership, offers a range of social science PhD studentships for 2027/28 entry. Open to UK and international applicants. Covers fees at UKRI rates plus a maintenance grant of £21,805 (2026/27 rate). Multiple award types available: +3.5, +3.75, and 1+3.5. Deadline: 20 January 2027.

Opportunity	ESRC White Rose DTP Studentships 2027/28 at the University of Leeds
Host	University of Leeds
Location	Leeds, United Kingdom
Study Level	PhD
Funding	Fully Funded, stipend provided, tuition covered
Stipend	£21,805 maintenance grant (2026/27 rate, full-time, pro-rata for part-time) plus fees at standard UKRI rates and Researc
Application Deadline	17:00 (UK Time) 20 January 2027
Apply	Official application page ↗

ESRC White Rose DTP Studentships 2027/28 Overview

The Economic and Social Research Council is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues.

The University of Leeds is part of the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership, forming a collaboration between the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, York, Bradford, Sheffield Hallam, Hull and Manchester Metropolitan. Through this, the University is able to offer a range of social science PhD studentships.

The studentship application for these awards for 2027/28 entry will open in September 2026. The deadline for Applications will be: 17:00 (UK Time) 20 January 2027.

Applicants who are interested in the WRDTP Pathway, AQM, ADA and WRDTP/SHF Awards are invited to attend an information session for guidance on the application process. The session will be held online on: Thursday 8 October 2026: 17:30 – 18:30.

Award Types

Studentships are available to UK and international (including EU) applicants in seven named Thematic Interdisciplinary Training Pathways and can be held full-time or part-time for the following award types:

• +3.5 Studentships: funding for a 3.5-year PhD (for students with a social science Masters degree, and with 60 or more credits of M-level social science research methods training)
• +3.75 Studentships: funding for an integrated PGCert/PhD (for students who already have a social sciences Masters degree but have fewer than 60 credits of M (Masters) level social science research training)
• 1+3.5 Studentships: funding for a 1 year Masters programme, followed by the 3.5 year PhD (for students without a social science Masters degree; the Masters programme will deliver the core social sciences research methods training requirements)

Available Studentships

• WRDTP Pathway Studentships: offer applicants the opportunity to develop proposals for impactful social science research that engages with the key themes and challenges identified in our thematic interdisciplinary pathways.
• Up to 2 ESRC WRDTP Advanced Quantitative Methods Studentships: for researchers who will use cutting edge quantitative research methods.
• Up to 2 ESRC Advanced Data Analytics Awards: for researchers who will use cutting edge data analysis techniques or deploy large scale or 'big' data.
• Up to 2 WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Studentships: available for Black British students.
• A number of ESRC WRDTP Collaborative Studentships will be available - information will be provided in early Spring 2027.

Duration of the Award

• 1+3.5 studentships: Full-time (4.5 years) or part-time pro rata
• +3.5 studentships: Full-time (3.5 years) or part-time pro rata
• +3.75 studentships: Full-time (3 years 9 months) or part-time pro rata

Full-time awards will be made for one year in the first instance and will be renewed each year, subject to satisfactory academic progress. Part-time awards will be made for 24 months (two calendar years) in the first instance and will be renewed each year, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Funding

• The award will cover fees at standard UKRI rates
• A maintenance grant (£21,805 in Session 2026/27 for full-time study, pro-rata for part-time study). This amount increases per annum in line with the UKRI rate
• Research Training Support Grant covers travel and research costs during the PhD part of the award
• This award is open to all applicants, whether Home or International (including EU). Please note that the award does not cover the costs associated with moving to the UK. All such costs (visa costs, Immigration Health Surcharge/medical insurance, flights etc) would have to be met by yourself, or you will need to find an alternative funding source.

Other Conditions

• Applicants applying on both a 1+3.5, +3.5 and +3.75 basis MUST in the first instance apply for a place on a research postgraduate programme and be in receipt of a Student ID Number to be eligible for an ESRC White Rose DTP Studentship. Applications without a valid ID Number will be rejected.
• +3.5 and +3.75 awards must be taken up on 1 October 2027; 1+3.5 awards must be taken up in September 2027
• Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this Scholarship
• All WRDTP programmes include an integral 3-month 'Research in Practice' placement as standard
• Applicants should read the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide and be willing to abide by the conditions and regulations therein.

Selection Process

After a School selection process, applicants will be informed as to whether they are being nominated for an ESRC WRDTP Studentship. The White Rose Academic Quality Committee will review the nominations and decide on the final list of awards. The final outcome is expected mid/end April 2027.

Contact

• Email: pg_scholarships@leeds.ac.uk

Questions about this position, eligibility or the application process should be sent to the contacts above or raised through the channel given on the official announcement page.

Official Link

Full announcement and application portal: https://phd.leeds.ac.uk/funding/470-esrc-white-rose-dtp-studentships-2027-28

Source: phd.leeds.ac.uk - the details in this listing were recorded from this official page.

About University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, England, and a Russell Group member. It offers undergraduate, master's and doctoral programmes across science, engineering, medicine, business, humanities and social sciences. Its research and teaching connect academic expertise with questions affecting health, society, technology and the wider environment.

Official website: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/

How to Apply

Stage 1: First of all apply for a research programme of study by completing the application form. In order to be considered for the scholarship you must submit all the required supporting documents for your application for study. PhD application deadline – You are strongly encouraged to submit your application for a PhD place (Stage 1) by 6 January 2027.

Stage 2: Once you are in receipt of your 9 digit Student Application ID complete the ESRC WRDTP online application form. Before completing the studentship application form, you are strongly advised to read the WRDTP Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards – Guidance for Applicants and the Assessment Criteria.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must meet the entry requirements of their nominating School. The ESRC also stipulates that for all studentships, students must have qualifications of the standard of a good honours degree at first- or upper second-class level, from a UK academic higher education institution, or through a combination of qualifications and/or experience, be able to demonstrate equivalence.

English Language Requirements

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

Contact Details

For further information please contact pg_scholarships@leeds.ac.uk

Application guides

• How to Email a PhD Supervisor: 7 Templates and Practical Tips
• How to Read a PhD Job Advert: Funding, Eligibility and Application Steps
• UK Student Visa Application: CAS, Documents and Financial Evidence

Important Notes

• Always confirm the full requirements and current deadline on the official website before applying.
• Prepare the requested documents early — competitive awards are often decided on complete, on-time submissions.
• Funding terms shown here reflect the listing at the time of publication and can be updated by the provider.