Economic and Social Research Council

Funding available from The Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS).

The University of Edinburgh is part of a consortium of Universities in Scotland which have been awarded funding from the Economics & Social Research Council (ESRC) to support postgraduate studentships and training in the Social Sciences in Scotland.

The Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS) hosts this Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) and considers applications for doctoral studentship awards. Further details about the Doctoral Training Partnership can be found at Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

There are two types of PhD studentship available from the SGSSS - Student led studentships available through the Open competition and also Supervisor led studentships.

In the Supervisor led competition, students are recruited to a defined PhD project and the SGSSS will advertise all available Supervisor led PhD projects from late February 2027.

A Student led studentship is one where the PhD applicant proposes a project which can be supervised by the University of Edinburgh and funding for this is offered through the Open competition.

The following information relates to the Open competition that offers funding beginning in September 2027.

SGSSS Applicant Webinar
30September 2026 12pm BST
Teams link
Meeting ID: 365 832 286 263 014
Passcode: hf3pW7qY

University of Edinburgh Online Information Session
7 October 2026 10am BST
The Dean of Postgraduate Research is hosting a one-hour online information session about the SGSSS Open PhD competition for prospective applicants. Please join this link for the start time.
https://eu.bbcollab.com/guest/8db5a5592dcf4ec98242a6fd24d9a3f5

SGSSS Drop-in Session
6 November 2026 12pm BST
Teams link
Passcode: jA9zB9mb

We also recommend you watch the helpful applicant information videos created by the SGSSS.

Each award will cover the PhD tuition fee and a stipend at the UKRI level for 3.5 years although the award length will vary depending on your training needs.

If you are an international fee applicant, the University of Edinburgh will cover the difference in tuition fee between the home and international fee rates however there is no funding to cover the NHS surcharge, visa or relocation costs.

Where applicants do not already meet the minimum MSc ESRC training requirements the SGSSS may ask you to undertake before the PhD, a week-long foundational methods course or an ESRC approved Master’s programme or elements of an ESRC approved Master's programme covering identified core methods gaps.

Depending on your previous training the SGSSS could award funding for:
a PhD (3.5-year award) or
an ESRC approved MSc then the PhD (1+3.5-year award) or
a PhD with additional time for required training in the first year of the PhD (1+3.75 or 4-year award).

You can indicate on the SGSSS funding application form the length of training that you think you require but each applicant is assessed by SGSSS to determine the most appropriate length of award based on your previous study and experience. You can select either option on the SGSSS funding application (either PhD or MSc and PhD) and your choice does not disadvantage your funding application.

The SGSSS training pathways will be organised around a set of key societal challenges. These challenges were developed so that they represent the kinds of social science research that our students do and to reflect the themes of the Scottish Government’s National Performance Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Full guidance about this is available in the SGSSS Open Competition student guidance.

Awards are available to Home applicants and limited awards are available for International applicants. Please check the full UKRI eligibility criteria here.

To qualify for Home status an applicant must:

Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
- Have settled status, or
- Have pre-settled status AND meet residency requirement (3 years residency in the UK/EEA /Gibraltar/Switzerland immediately before the start of their programme) or
- Have indefinite leave to enter or remain

You must also secure an SGSSS funding nomination from the University. The University will use the SGSSS scoring criteria and the information from the SGSSS Open competition application form to determine which candidate will receive a university nomination.

Candidates must meet University of Edinburgh PhD entry requirements and all ESRC eligibility requirements. Candidates who require MSc and PhD funding must meet the relevant MSc entry requirements and must have secured PhD supervision for the following year.

PhD students who are currently in their first year of study and within eligible subject areas are welcome to apply. However, current PhD students who already hold University PhD funding or other funding which also offers UKRI stipend rates are not eligible for SGSSS funding.

Candidates will normally hold a relevant First Class Honours degree (such as BA, BMus, BSc, or LLB) and preferably a similar calibre of Masters degree but the SGSSS do consider a ‘whole person approach’ when considering applicants for funding.

As part of the funding application, the SGSSS are interested in each applicant as a ‘whole person’. Rather than solely looking at your academic achievements (for example, it is not necessary to have a first-class degree to be assessed as an excellent PhD student and to receive funding), they will consider what each applicant can bring to a PhD through work and life experiences too (including challenges and resilience).

The SGSSS want applicants to be able to demonstrate and articulate potential to undertake and complete a PhD, to flourish as a result of PhD funding and to be a proactive contributor to a positive research culture. The SGSSS application form will ask you to tell them about your preparedness to undertake and complete a PhD and to flourish as a result of PhD funding.

Step 1

Contact and seek advice from the relevant Unit of Assessment Lead and potential PhD supervisor at the University. Unit of Assessment contact details are listed within the School webpages below.

You must also register on the SGSSS Apply system and please read the SGSSS guidance for applicants.

Step 2

For applicants looking for PhD funding, you must apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme at the University of Edinburgh by 19 November 2026. If the School PhD application deadline is earlier than 19 November 2026, you must meet their earlier admission deadline. Please check the relevant School web link below because there are early deadlines in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences and in the School of Health in Social Science.

Full admissions requirements can be found on the University Degree Finder page. Schools may advertise a later PhD admission deadline generally on the University Degree Finder page, however for this funding, you MUST apply for admission no later than 19 November 2026 or the School’s earlier admission deadline.

All applicants will need to secure at least a conditional offer of admission before 8 January 2027 to be considered for this funding.

For applicants looking for MSc and PhD funding, you must apply for a University of Edinburgh ESRC approved MSc by 19 November 2026. You must also secure confirmation by 8 January 2027 that your PhD can be supervised by the School in 2028/29.

For applicants who are a first year PhD student at the University, please see Step 3.

Step 3

By 24 November 2026 5pm, you must prepare and submit the SGSSS Open Competition application form, academic transcripts and C.V to the SGSSS Apply system. Please note these transcripts and C.V must be made anonymous before uploading them to the SGSSS.

Step 4

In mid-February 2027, we will notify applicants whether or not they have been nominated by the University to the next stages of the SGSSS funding competition. University nominated applicants will then be asked to submit a final funding application to the SGSSS by 17 February 2027 to proceed to the next stage of the competition.

Applications will then be considered by the SGSSS Challenge Led Pathway Review Stage. The SGSSS will then announce the final award decisions in early May 2027.