Scholarships & funding

SCADR PhD Scholarship – Studying work and welfare through linked administrative data

Please note that this is restricted to UK residents (i.e. those eligible for the Home fee rate).

The Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR) is delighted to invite applications for a University-funded PhD scholarship (+3), commencing in October 2022. Established in 2013, the Centre is a consortium of Scottish universities, led by the University of Edinburgh. This scholarship will be based at the University of Glasgow where the team focuses on the analysis of welfare benefit systems and the labour market in particular, but also on wider areas including health and housing.

SCADR (https://www.scadr.ac.uk) is an international centre-of-excellence in the research use of linked administrative data. Administrative data are those collected in the process of delivering public services or related activities. They include records related to health services, education, employment and earnings, and welfare benefit receipt, for example. Records for the same individual can be linked to provide greater insights into social outcomes and the effectiveness of public policies. The scale of these data and their ability to provide a historical picture mean they have huge potential to generate new insights. At the same time, they also pose distinctive challenges for the researcher, not least in terms of negotiating access and ensuring the privacy of data subjects is protected.

Working with a supervisory team from SCADR, the successful applicant will develop a project aligned with the Centre’s objectives. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a keen interest in developing advanced skills in quantitative social research, and in applying these to real-world social and public policy problems.

The scholarship provides an unrivalled opportunity to develop cutting-edge expertise and experience in this fast-growing field. SCADR offers a vibrant, multi-disciplinary and collegiate base in which to develop as a researcher. You will enjoy excellent supervisory support from leading researchers in the field as well as the ability to develop connections with our wider community of 40+ researchers across the Scottish consortium and beyond. You will have access to a wide range of advanced training opportunities as well as the Centre’s dedicated infrastructure for administrative data research.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Be eligible to be considered a 'Home' student (please refer to the UKCISA website for details)
• They should have a good first degree (2.1. or higher) in an appropriate discipline including, but not limited to: social sciences, economics, or statistics.
• They should be able to demonstrate quantitative or data-driven research skills appropriate to their level of qualification.
• They should be able to demonstrate an interest in and appreciation of the challenges of research using administrative data.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Urban Studies, PhD. 

Number of Scholarships

1

Value

Stipend at the UKRI level (£16,062 in 2022/23); 100% tuition fee waiver at the standard Home or International rate; access to Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) funds

How to apply

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal, uploading the following documentation:

• SCADR PhD Scholarship application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
• 2 references (where possible your references should include an academic familiar with your work. Both references can be from academics but you may include a work reference, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years).
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable).

Closing Date: 09 May 2022

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants will be requested to attend a remote (online) Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme within the Urban Studies subject area of the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

For more information contact: Professor Nick Baile (Nick.Bailey@glasgow.ac.uk)