SENSS student-led ESRC PhD studentships

UEA is a member of the South and East Network for Social Sciences (SENSS), which is a research and doctoral training partnership funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The SENSS consortium, comprised of eight universities engaged in internationally recognised social sciences research, offers ESRC studentship funding for postgraduate studies as well as a range of other training and development opportunities. 

The six themes are:

Advanced Methods for Social and Economic Research

Digital Social Sciences

Health Wellbeing and Social Care

Justice Institutions and Social Change

Resolving Uncertainty and Addressing Crises

Sustainability and Climate Emergency

From December 2026, there will also be some collaborative, project-led SENSS doctoral studentships available for an October 2027 start. For more information on this scheme, please visit the SENSS Collaborative Studentships(opens in a new window) webpage.

Funding

Successful candidates will be awarded a SENSS ESRC studentship, which pays tuition fees and a stipend, to cover your living costs, at standard UKRI rates (currently set at £21,805 per year for the 2026/7 academic year).

Additional funding is available to help students with disabilities meet additional costs in relation to their studies.

International students in receipt of a SENSS studentship will receive an exemption from the higher international tuition fees. This means that, whether home or international, no SENSS-funded student will have to pay any university tuition fees for the duration of their funding award.

SENSS-funded postgraduate researchers are also able to access funds to cover research and training costs linked to their PhD.

Each SENSS studentship includes three-months of funding dedicated to undertaking a mandatory placement with a collaborative partner, for example a business, charity or think tank. Applicants do not need to have identified where they will do their placement at the point of applying for a SENSS studentship. Please visit the SENSS Student-Led Studentships(opens in a new window) webpage for further information. 

Unfortunately, SENSS is not able to provide any additional assistance with costs associated with relocating to the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.

Who can apply

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria

Be a UK or international student (full residential eligibility guidance is available here(opens in a new window))

Propose your own research project, with a clear rationale for study at UEA

Have a primary supervisor based in one of the schools mentioned above (co-supervisors may be from other UEA schools and faculties, or from SENSS partner institutions)

To apply for a Masters plus PhD: hold, or be able to demonstrate suitability for, Masters level study (a Bachelor’s degree or other equivalent preparation).

To apply for a PhD: hold, or be able to demonstrate suitability for, doctoral level study (a Masters degree or other equivalent preparation)

Hold a PhD offer to study at the University of East Anglia

How to Apply

The application process involves two main stages:

Apply for a place to study at UEA – deadline 7 December 2026.

Apply to SENSS for studentship funding – deadline 11 January 2027 at midday via the SENSS online application platform

For the UEA application, applicants for the Masters plus PhD must submit both a standard Masters application and a standard PhD application. Applicants for the PhD only must submit a standard PhD application.

The PhD application should be via the "A postgraduate research programme with my own research proposal (includes CHASE and SENSS)" route on https://www.uea.ac.uk/apply/postgraduate/research(opens in a new window) by 7 December 2026. Indicate clearly which funding scheme you wish to be considered for:

SENSS DTP Studentship

Include with your PhD application:

A research proposal (approx. 1,500 words). This does not need to be the final proposal submitted to SENSS – there is additional time to work on this.

A personal statement (approx. 500 words)

Evidence of your academic qualifications

Two academic references, from referees who are not your proposed supervisor(s). Once you've applied, your referees will be asked to submit their references. At least one reference must be received for your application to be reviewed. However, both references must be received by 14 December 2026 for your application to be considered for the studentship(s) you have applied for.

Where applicable, evidence of your English language proficiency for postgraduate research study in the Faculty of Social Sciences, as published on https://www.uea.ac.uk/apply/our-admissions-policy/english-language-equivalencies(opens in a new window). If you do not hold this evidence at the time of application, please state this clearly in your application - this does not exclude your application from being considered for the studentships.

A separate application to SENSS for studentship funding must be made by midday on 11 January 2027, via the SENSS online application platform(opens in a new window). Your supervisor’s supporting statement must also be completed and submitted by 13 January 2027. We recommend that the SENSS application guidance is consulted as early as possible and followed when drafting the research proposal for both the UEA PhD and SENSS applications.  Please contact senss.dtp@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window) if you have any questions about the SENSS funding or application process.

Frequently asked questions

Current students: Candidates who have already started their PhD are eligible to apply for SENSS funding, but only if you have 50% or more of your studies remaining. Current students only need to submit an HEI Apply application.(opens in a new window)

Previous applicants: Candidates who have applied previously for this studentship scheme are welcome to apply again. We would encourage a thorough discussion with your supervisor beforehand, to help strengthen your new application.

Deferred offer holders: If you hold a deferred offer of a place for PhD study at UEA and would like to be considered for the studentships, email PGR.Admissions@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window) with your updated proposal before 7 December 2026. Deferred offer holders will also need to complete a new HEI apply application(opens in a new window) by 11 January 2027. Further details can be found here: Student-Led Competition — South and East Network for Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership(opens in a new window)

Further information

For questions about the SENSS Studentships, contact senss.dtp@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window)

For general enquiries about the application process, contact PGR.Admissions@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window).

SENSS student-led ESRC PhD studentships

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