The North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) holds an annual competition for postgraduate studentship funding. Candidates may apply for funding towards master’s and doctoral (1+3/2+2/2+3) study, or doctoral study only (+3/+2). The NWSSDTP does not fund standalone master’s programmes.

The NWSSDTP welcomes applications for part-time study across all competitions, institutions and pathways. The NWSSDTP awards three directed studentships annually to students from Global Majority communities. For further information, please read here.

Applications must be submitted via one of our 19 subject pathways, for one of the pathway’s eligible programmes. Details of eligible subject areas and programmes can be found on our pathway pages.

The NWSSDTP’s fully-funded ESRC studentships cover:

• payment of tuition fees for the duration of the studentship (including master’s years for 1+3, 2+2  and 2+3 studentships), at the Home tuition fee rate;
• an annual maintenance stipend (full-time: £17,668, part-time: £8,834.00 in 2022/23);
• reimbursement of research expenses via the Research Training Support Grant;
• opportunities to apply for additional funding to support internships, fieldwork and overseas institutional visits.

Studentship Application Paperwork

Master’s + PhD Applications (1+3, 2+2 or 2+3):

• NWSSDTP 1+3 / 2+2 / 2+3 Studentship Application Guidance 2023 | (Microsoft Word Format)
• NWSSDTP 1+3 / 2+2 / 2+3 Studentship Application Form 2023
• NWSSDTP Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form 2023 

PhD Only Applications (+3 or +2):

• NWSSDTP +3 / +2 Studentship Application Guidance 2023| (Microsoft Word Format)
• NWSSDTP +3 / +2 Studentship Application Form 2023
• NWSSDTP Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form 2023

From the current competition (for October 2023 entry) onwards, three directed studentships will be awarded annually to students from Global Majority communities. For further information, please read here.

The deadline for both competitions is 1st February 2023. Applications should be submitted to your local School PGR Administrator.

ESRC Priority Areas

The ESRC have awarded the NWSSDTP 12 steered awards each year in the following Priority Areas:

• Advanced Quantitative Methods (4 awards)
• Use of Datasets (4 awards)
• Interdisciplinary research, which straddles other research council remits (4 awards)

If you think your research may fit within one of these priority areas, please see here for further details of how to apply.