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SEDarc

The South East Doctoral Training Arc

SEDarc Studentship Programme Structure

SEDarc offers funding for postgraduate researchers to undertake doctoral research and training. Studentships include fees and stipends at the UK home fee rate on a full-time or part-time basis (paid at 50% of full-time rates):

  • 3.25 year studentship (plus up to 3 months for a placement)
  • 1 + 3.25 years for an integrated Masters + PhD programme (plus up to 3 months for a placement)

Fees, stipend and London weighting (where applicable) for each academic year can be found in the UKRI / ESRC funding guidelines respectively. Please note that the studentship does not cover flights, visa, or health surcharge costs.

SEDarc offers up to 39 doctoral studentships, 3 of which will be for applicants who meet its widening participation criteria. Further information regarding these Ring Fenced studentships can be found below and in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion page.

SEDarc offers funding across fourteen social science disciplines that are organised into five interdisciplinary thematic pathways. Please see the Pathways Page for further information.

Please contact your institutional administrator (links in Contact Us section) for further details or to apply.

 

SEDarc Studentship Competition 2025-26

The South East Doctoral Training Arc (SEDarc) is pleased to offer Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding for 39 PhD students for September 2025 entry.

We welcome applications from talented individuals working across the social sciences to be based at one of six higher education institutions in London and the south-east:

  • University of Kent
  • Kingston University
  • University of Reading
  • Royal Holloway, University of London
  • University of Surrey
  • University of Sussex.

The world-class research and training environments of these institutions are enhanced by the partnership’s strategic relations with non-HEI partner organisations.

SEDarc’s vision is to offer a transformative social science training experience that combines leading- edge research skills training, high-quality placements for all, and an individual research project based in one of five interdisciplinary, challenge-led pathways. These include:

  • Living Sustainably
  • Healthy Thriving Communities
  • Inclusive Economic Growth
  • Secure, Effective, & Trusted Institutions
  • Transformative Technologies for Society

SEDarc is committed to principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) throughout the student journey, from application to completion of the PhD programme. The DTP will reserve up to 3 ring-fenced scholarships for home students from certain Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic groups. The eligibility criteria for these ring-fenced studentships are available on the SEDarc website.

The standard SEDarc PhD is 3.5 years full-time including a 3-month placement (or part-time equivalent). Students who do not already possess a Master’s degree in the social sciences may also be eligible for funding to undertake an approved Masters course in the SEDarc consortium (see website for details). Awards cover UK tuition fees and provide a stipend at the UKRI home rate on a full-time and part-time basis. The UKRI has not yet announced the fees and stipend for 2025/26, but for the academic year of 2024/25 the UK fees are £4,786 and the stipend is £19,237 (£21,237 if London weighting applies). The balance between home and international tuition fees will be paid by the SEDarc institutions for successful overseas applicants. 

How to apply: Students must be nominated by one of the six SEDarc institutions to apply to the doctoral programme. Please contact one of our Administrators at the SEDarc institution of your choice as each institution has a different deadline and process for the institutional stage of the application process. The deadline for applications to SEDarc is 3rd February 2025 at 16:00 (GMT).

Eligibility: These PhDs are open to UK and international students and consist of UK home fees and stipend awards.

If you have any queries about applying for a studentship award, please contact the administrator at your chosen SEDarc university in the first instance:

 

 

Please note: SEDarc are committed to identifying and awarding high quality applications and projects within our panel review process under three specific steer groups. They are:

 

  • Advanced Data Skills
  • Advanced Quantitative methods
  • Interdisciplinary Collaboration with researchers outside of the social sciences

 

Please do speak to your selected institution should your project include any of the above to ensure these are highlighted within your application.

 

Opportunity Studentships

SEDarc will ring-fence up to 3 studentships for students who meet the following:

  • Be assessed as being eligible to pay fees at the home fee rate;
  • Identify as being of one of the following ethnic groups:
    • Black or Black British – Caribbean
    • Black or Black British - African
    • Other Black background
    • Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi
    • Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
    • Asian or Asian British – Indian
  • Meet all other eligibility criteria