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Our ESRC eligible Units of Assessment - Who To Contact About Your Application

Applicants who have definite plans to submit an application should:

a) Read all of the guidance carefully on the SGSSS website on how to apply for an ESRC Student-led Open Competition Studentship.

b) Identify a potential supervisor.

Your are strongly advised to allow sufficient time to do this. Before applying the supervisor must have agreed to support your application and be prepared to submit a stament of support.

c) Check with the supervisor what their disciplinary unit of assessment is before completing the application form.  They must be aligned to an eligible Unit of Assesment for Glasgow (Panels A, B, C and D on the Challenge-Led Pathways and SGSSS PGR Leads refer).

More details about the Challenge-Led Pathways and SGSSS PGR Leads can be be found on the SGSSS website.

The complete application process and information on the required documentation is provided on the SGSSS Student-led Open Competition webpage.

d) You will have to create an account on SGSSS Apply - Register

The deadline to upload application documentation to SGSSS Apply is Monday, 5pm (GMT) on 24 November 2026.

Registering on SGSSS Apply in plenty of time allows your account to be verified by the SGSSS, as this is done during office hours only. 

It is of the upmost importance that you contact your two referees as soon as possible and let them know that they will also be expected to provide a reference for you, no later than Monday, 5pm (GMT) on 24 November 2026 (reference deadline).

Please read the reference section within the Guidance for Students document on SGSSS website so you are fully aware of how to manage your reference requests and the implications of missing and/or late references. It is also vital that you submit your referees details as soon as possible via your online application within SGSSS Apply.