Available projects will be advertised below, not all universities and pathways within WGSSS will have Collaborative projects available. It advised to contact the lead supervisor for the project you are interested in to express your interest.  

If there is a project that you are interested in, please make a formal application using the instructions in the advert. Please ensure that you include all the required information and documents in your application. All documents must be sent by the application deadline, incomplete applications will not be accepted. 

Your application is reviewed by the department/university where your potential supervisor is located. This is to allow them to decide on offering you a PhD place.  

If you are successful and are shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview by a pathway panel. If your interview is successful, your application will be nominated by the pathway lead to the WGSSS Management board for review. Your potential supervisor will also complete an Initial DNA to assess your training requirements. You will then be contacted by the WGSSS to confirm receipt of your application. 

Following review by the management board, the WGSSS will then provide the outcome to all nominated candidates. If you are successful, you will be sent a confirmation of funding letter which you will need to accept or decline within 2 weeks. Once you have accepted the offer, you will then be asked to attend a meeting with the WGSSS Training Lead to complete your full DNA. 

Successful applicants will meet with the WGSSS Training Lead who will use the initial DNA to help review your existing training and complete a Full DNA to establish the length of award. 

Once the Full DNA has confirmed the length of award, you will then be sent your formal award letter and funding letter by the institution you have applied to.  

Two pages maximum 

The cover letter must include the following bullet points as subheadings: 

• Please name the collaborative studentship being applied for and set out your reasons and motivation for applying to study at XXXX University, and the XXXX pathway.  
• Please detail your understanding, and expectations of doctoral study. 

• Provide detail of your academic interests generally, and particularly of those relating to your proposed research. 
• Drawing on your own background (including your life experiences, journey to/through university, work experiences or volunteering) please provide a summary of why you are ready to undertake a PhD now and how you will flourish as a result of PhD funding. You might include, for example, personal challenges that you have overcome or achievements that you are proud of in your work, study or life experiences and how these map onto the skills required to flourish in a PhD programme. Challenges could include, but are not limited to, protected characteristics, socio-economic status and of being a prospective first-generation student or care- experienced. 
• Reflecting on your own background and/or proposed approach to PhD study and the opportunities which it will present, how will you support diversity and inclusion in the PhD community? 

Two pages maximum 

For collaborative studentships, the proposal should build directly on the outline description that has been supplied. The proposal should be up to a maximum of 1000 words, not including bibliographic references. We suggest that you use the following five headings in your research proposal:  

• Title, aims and purpose of the research;  

• Brief overview of the academic literature relevant to your field;  
• Proposed design/methods;   
• Academic contributions of your research.  
• Bibliographic References  

Candidates must approach referees themselves and include references with their application. The reference must detail the applicant’s research strengths.

Including translations if applicable 

See institutional requirements for entry