College of Social Sciences PhD Scholarship

The College of Social Sciences invites applications to its doctoral scholarship competitions. In 2023-24, we will be running two competitions: one for supervisor-designed projects for which a PhD researcher may not yet have been identified, and one for student-designed projects, supported by supervisors. There will be up to 22 CoSS PhD Scholarships available across the two competitions.

The basic criterion for eligibility is that an application must first have been submitted to a UKRI competition. The exception to this rule is colleagues in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies whose projects or students would usually fall within the competence of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) or Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) competitions. 

Both competitions may appoint, without constraint, international students. Scholarships will be standard 3-year PhD awards. The terms of scholarship will mirror those offered by ESRC.

Benefits

All CoSS PhD Scholarships provide a stipend at the UKRI Stipend level; a 100% Tuition fee waiver and access to a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG).

Supervisor Led Competition

Supervisor Led Competition

  • Applicants must have applied to a UKRI scholarship competition (e.g. ESRC SteersESRC Open Collaborative, ESRC SDS CollaborativeADR UK or AHRC Collaborative).  
  • Applicants from the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, whose proposed research would usually fall within the competence of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) or Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) will be required to complete the SGSSS Steers Competition Expression of Interest form and submit this directly to the Graduate School
  • Lead supervisor of the UKRI submitted proposal must be within the College of Social Sciences, where the PhD researcher will be based. Proposals where the lead supervisor is based in another College will not be considered for the CoSS PhD Scholarships.
  • The College Graduate School will obtain a list of all ESRC Steers/OpenCollaborative/SDS Collaborative, ADR UK and AHRC Collaborative applicants from the SGSSS and College of Arts respectively.   
  • The Graduate School will contact all ESRC, ADR UK and AHRC applicants and ask if they also wish to be considered for a CoSS PhD Scholarship, if yes, they will be asked to send a copy of their application (Stage 1 only if applicable) to the Graduate School.
  • The Graduate School will compile the applications and produce brief overview summaries of applications  
  • The Graduate School circulates shortlisted applications to College Selection Panel shortly after 13 February 2023  
  • College Selection Panel meets week commencing 27 February  2023 to select successful applicants.  
  • Week commencing 06 March 2023: Graduate School advises successful projects to CoSS PhD Scholarship and begins advertising and recruitment with the supervisory team.  
  • 16 March 2023: Student recruitment goes live. Adverts are published on Graduate School website, University’s Scholarships and Funding Database and findphd.com.  
  • Successful projects must have identified a suitable candidate no later than 25 May 2023, or the funding will be offered to a reserve project

CoSS supervisor-led competition timelines: 

Date 

Action 

07 December 2022

ESRC Collaborative and SDS Collaborative award outcomes notified (SGSSS)

TBC December 2022

ADR UK Studentship award outcomes notified (SGSSS)

24 January 2023

AHRC Collaborative projects to be submitted to Arts Graduate School for feedback from the Dean, if desired (this is not mandatory but strongly encouraged)

31 January 2023

AHRC Collaborative projects to be submitted to Arts Graduate School for sign off by the Dean (this is mandatory)

07 February 2023

ESRC Steers award outcomes notified (SGSSS)

09 February 2023

ESRC Collaborative and Steers, ADR UK and AHRC Collaborative projects to provide their propsals to the CoSS Graduate School

Arts Graduate School-approved AHRC Collaborative propsals lodged to SGSAH

Direct applications to CoSS Graduate School from School of Interdisciplinary Studies colleagues

10 February 2023

Applications circulated to College Asssesment Panel (Dean of Graduate Studies and PGR Directors of each School)

09 March 2023

College Assessment Panel meets to consider applications

09 March 2023

Graduate School advises successful projects and requests either PhD researcher details or advert for recruitment

16 March 2023

PhD Researcher recruitment adverts go live

TBC May 2023

AHRC Collaborative award outcomes notified (SGSAH)

26 May 2023

Successful projects must advise Graduate School by this date of the recruited PhD Researcher or the funding is forfeited and goes to a reserve project

Week commencing 29 May 2023

Graduate School advises successful PhD to CoSS PhD Scholarship funded projects.

 

Student Led Competition

 Student-Led Competition

  • Applicants proposed lead supervisor must be within the College of Social Sciences, where you will be based. Applicants whose proposed lead supervisor is based in another College will not be considered for the CoSS PhD Scholarships.
  • Applicants must have applied to a UKRI scholarship competition (e.g. ESRC Doctoral Studentships or AHRC Doctoral Scholarships).  
  • Applicants for the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, whose proposed research would usually fall within the competence of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) or Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) will be required to complete the ESRC Open Competition form and submit this, along with the same documents, on the new Scholarships Application Portal
  • The Graduate School will contact all ESRC and AHRC applicants and ask if they also wish to be considered for a CoSS PhD Scholarship, if yes, they are directed to complete an application on the new Scholarships Application Portal, giving us permission to use their AHRC/ESRC application documents.
  • When permission is granted, the Graduate School will obtain all the ESRC applications from SGSSS Apply and the applications for AHRC from School of Law and School of Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Students who are unsuccessful at the Stage 1 SGSSS applications, but who wish to be considered for a CoSS scholarship, must ask their supervisors to write a statement of support which should be provided to the applicants, to upload with their Scholarships Application Portal application by 09 February 2023.
  • Simultaneously to this, applicants will be encouraged to lodge an applicaton to the relevant PhD Programme by 09 February 2023. 
  • The Graduate School will compile the applications and produce a brief summary of all applications. 
  • Complete applications and summaries are forwarded to Schools by 17 February 2023 for assessment using the same criteria as the SGSSS Studentship Award Marking Framework 2022/23 Assessment for All Awards (+3 and 1+3) (https://social.sgsss.ac.uk/files/documents/studentship-competitions/sgsss-studentship-marking-framework.pdf)  
  • Schools provide their shortlisted applications back to Graduate School by 17 March 2023 (aligning with the SGSSS Pathway Review Stage) 
  • The Graduate School circulates shortlisted applications to College Assessment Panel by 27 March 2023 for assessment. The Graduate School advises non-shortlisted applicants that they are unsuccessful and will provide information on, and encourages seeking of, other funding opportunities. 
  • Early-mid April: SGSAH advises successful AHRC Doctoral Scholarship applicants.
  • College Selection Panel meets by 05 May 2023 to select successful and reserve applicants.
  • 12 May 2023: SGSSS advises successful ESRC Doctoral Studentship applicants.
  • Week commencing 15 May: Graduate School advises successful applicants to CoSS PhD Scholarship.
  • Graduate School advises unsuccessful applicants and provides information on, ans encourages seeking of, other funding opportunities

CoSS Student-Led competition timelines: 

Date 

Action 

28 November 2022

Applications for AHRC must be submitted to School of Law and School of Interdisciplinary Studies

08 December 2022

Applications for ESRC must be submitted to the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS) 

09 February 2023

Supervisor Support Statements for every application must be received by Graduate School 

Direct applications to Graduate School from School of Interdisciplinary Studies students 

Applicants to lodge a PhD application

17 February 2023

All applications sent to Schools for assessment by School Assessment Panels

03 April 2023

Schools to provide their shortlisted applications (and scores) to Graduate School 

TBC

Shortlisted applications sent to College Assessment Panel (Dean of Graduate Studies and PGR Director from each School)

Early-mid April 2023

Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) advises successful AHRC Doctoral Scholarship applicants 

TBC

College Assessment Panel meets to consider shortlisted applications 

TBC

SGSSS advises successful ESRC Doctoral Studentship applicants 

TBC

Graduate School advises successful CoSS PhD Scholarship applicants