Description

AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities is delighted to announce that for the academic year 2026/27 we are offering three fully funded AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards.

Each award provides funding for 3.5 years (or part-time equivalent), covering tuition fees and a stipend at the UKRI minimum rate. An optional additional six months of funding will also be available for employability-related activities such as industry placements or specialist training.

Applicants are invited to propose their own research projects. Priority will be given to innovative, well-developed proposals that engage with one of UEA’s core interdisciplinary research themes: CreativeUEA, ClimateUEA, or HealthUEA.

We invite applications across a range of doctoral pathways, including written theses, creative-critical PhDs, and professional practice doctorates.

In addition to the training and support available to all UEA postgraduate researchers, award holders will benefit from specialist opportunities provided by the AHRC Doctoral Landscape Hub, led by King’s College London.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from widening participation (WP) backgrounds, and at least one studentship will be reserved for a candidate who meets the award criteria and has declared relevant WP considerations. These may include (but are not limited to): ethnic minority background; disability; gender or sexuality; first-generation higher education; economic disadvantage (including receipt of universal credit and/or free school meals); caring responsibilities; experience of being in care; refugee or humanitarian protection status; or significant disruption to education due to illness or other personal circumstances. To be considered for a WP studentship, applicants should provide contextual information in their application form.

Faculty studentships

Alongside the Landscape Awards, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities is also offering two fully funded Faculty studentships. The stipend paid to the award-holder will be £19,814 per annum, plus a cost-of-living uplift for 2026. Stipends are not subject to tax or national insurance, and are updated each year based on the UEA’s agreed cost-of-living uplift.
Faculty studentships are open to the same range of research proposals and degree modes as the Landscape Awards, including written theses, creative-critical projects, and professional practice doctorates.

How to apply

To apply for either a Landscape Award or a Faculty studentship, applicants must submit a PhD application to UEA with a research proposal of no more than 1500 words by 6 February 2026. Further details on how to apply can be found here. Candidates should clearly indicate which funding schemes they wish to be considered for.

We operate an inclusive admissions policy. While many candidates will hold a Master’s degree, we also consider applicants who can demonstrate relevant professional experience or other skills that prepare them for doctoral-level study.

Both UK and international students are eligible to apply. We strongly encourage prospective applicants to contact a potential supervisor at the earliest opportunity to discuss and shape their research proposal. It is mandatory to nominate a prospective supervisor in the application.

Applications will be assessed by an interdisciplinary Faculty panel in the arts and humanities. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview (online or in-person by arrangement with individual applicants). Applicants can expect to receive an outcome of their application by the end of May 2026.

For further information on either the DLA or Faculty studentships, please contact Dr Chi-Hé Elder (c.elder@uea.ac.uk).

For general inquiries on the application process, please contact PGR.Admissions@uea.ac.uk.