Fully Funded SENSS Scholarships in the UK 2026

Summary:

Applications for the 2025/26 South and East Network for Social Sciences competition are now open.

SENSS will offer these studentships each academic year, over our 6 interdisciplinary themes across 8 universities.

What is a SENSS student-led studentship?

Students work on a research project that they have come up with themselves.

They will be guided in this work by an expert academic supervisory team.

The project may involve working with a collaborative partner (for example, a business, charity or think tank) that provides researchers with access to data, equipment or participants for a study, additional funding for their studentship, an additional supervisor, and/or a placement.

Eligibilities:

To be considered for the SENSS ESRC Studentship, note the following criteria:

• Residential criteria: studentships are available to all applicants, regardless of nationality or residency, across all 8 SENSS universities and 6 SENSS interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary Pathways. However, there are a limited number of studentships (approximately 10 each year) available to international applicants.

• You can view the full residential eligibility guidance here.

• To apply for a Master's plus PhD (+4.5-year award), you will need: qualifications or professional experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree (Honours).

• To apply for a PhD only (+3.5-year award), you will need: qualifications or professional experience equivalent to a Masters degree, or a Masters degree and already have the research skills needed to successfully complete your research project.

• If you have already started your PhD, you are eligible to apply for SENSS funding, but only if you have not already completed a substantial proportion of your studies.

  
  
  
  

Benefits:

Studentships include the following for the duration of the award:

• A tax-free maintenance stipend to cover your living costs: this is set at £20,780 per year. For those studying at universities based in London, there is an additional £2,000 per year paid as London Weighting, given that the cost of living is higher for those living in London. If you are not studying at a London-based university, but still choose to live in London, you will not receive the London Weighting payment;

• Fees: whether home or international, no SENSS-funded student will have to pay any university tuition fees for the duration of their funding award.

• Access to research training support funds; and,

• Access to other funds to support overseas fieldwork, overseas institutional visits, and language training.

• Access to additional funding to support your research, UK or overseas fieldwork, international study visits, and language training.

Deadline:

January 14, 2026

To learn more, click here.