Arts and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Landscape Award (AHRC DLA)

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Key facts

  • Number of scholarships: 3
  • Value: Home tuition fee & stipend for eligible candidates
  • Opens: 15 September 2025
  • Deadline: 21 November 2025
  • Helps with: Internship work placement or project costs, Living costs, Tuition fees
  • Duration: 3.5 years, with potential for 6 months additional training.

Summary

The University of Strathclyde is offering 3 PhD scholarships for 2026/27 entry through an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA).  These highly competitive scholarships will be awarded to excellent candidates following a rigorous application and selection process. We particularly welcome interdisciplinary project proposals (for example projects that draw on our expertise across departments and faculties).

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Eligibility

Academic qualifications

A relevant Masters degree with Merit/Distinction (or working towards this), and a good honours degree at First Class or Upper Second Class level, or equivalent, from a recognised academic higher education institution.

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) Studentship Eligibility

All Home and International students are eligible to apply for UKRI funding, which will cover the full stipend and Home tuition fees. The international portion of the tuition fee cannot be funded by the UKRI grant, but will be covered for successful applicants by the University of Strathclyde.

UKRI have stipulated that a maximum percentage (30%) of students recruited each year against individual training grants can be International.

To be classed as a Home student for fee purposes, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have settled status, or
  • Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

The residency requirements are based on the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations 2007 and subsequent amendments. Normally, to be eligible for Home fees, a student must have no restrictions on how long they can stay in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship (with some further constraint regarding residence for education).

If a student does not meet the criteria above, they will be classed as an International student.

International applicants must check that they meet the English Language requirement for their chosen programme before applying.

Please note that Part Time Study is only available to candidates who do not require a study visa. 

Subject eligibility

Architecture, Design manufacture & engineering management, English, History, Journalism, Languages, Law, Marketing, Politics, Product design

Levels eligibility

Postgraduate Research

Study modes eligibility

Full Time, Part Time

Fee Status

England or N. Ireland or Rep. Ireland or Wales, Home (Scottish), International

Student type

Applicant

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Further information

The University of Strathclyde is offering 3 PhD scholarships for 2026/27 entry through an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA). These highly competitive scholarships will be awarded to excellent candidates following a rigorous application and selection process. We particularly welcome interdisciplinary project proposals (for example projects that draw on our expertise across departments and faculties)

The standard scholarship consists of fees + stipend for 3.5 years, with the potential for a further 6 months fees + stipend for additional training or internship opportunities. International students are eligible, but under funding council rules, a maximum of 1 scholarship will be available to international applicants in session 2026/27.

The competition is expected to be of an excellent standard, and the selection panel will consider the highest calibre of applications in relation to the university’s strategic priority areas.

For further information on the application process for a scholarship at the University of Strathclyde please see the "How to Apply" section below. Please note that these processes may differ from other universities offering AHRC DLA scholarships.

 

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How to apply

You should reach out to the relevant PhD Pathway lead with a brief description of your project. The PhD Pathway lead will direct you to an appropriate supervisor to discuss your project proposal prior to submitting to the competition. The table below lists our PhD Pathways and the contact person.

PhD Pathway Contact information
  • Creative Writing
  • English
  • Gender Studies
  • History
  • Journalism, Media and Communications
  • Modern Languages and Translation Studies
 Dr Eleanor Bell
hass-hum-pgr@strath.ac.uk 
  • Law and Legal Studies
 Professor Jane Scoular
jane.scoular@strath.ac.uk  
  • Political Science and International Studies
 Dr Sebastian Delepianne Avellaneda
sebastian.dellepiane@strath.ac.uk  
  • Information and Communication Technologies
 Professor Ian Ruthven
ian.ruthven@strath.ac.uk  
  • Architecture
 Dr Ombretta Romice 
ombretta.r.romice@strath.ac.uk  
  • Design
 Professor Paul Rodgers
paul.rodgers@strath.ac.uk  
  • Heritage Management
 Dr Derek Bryce
derek.bryce@strath.ac.uk  

Can I apply without an identified supervisor?

No. We do not accept any applications if there is no identified supervisor who has agreed to work with you.

What is involved in the application process?

Your application should be sent by email to the email address on the application form no later than 12noon (GMT) Friday 21st November 2025.

Your application should include the following documents:

  1. AHRC Student Led Competition Application cover document
  2. AHRC Student Led Competition EDI Monitoring form 
  3. AHRC Student Led Competition Research Proposal form
  4. Academic transcript(s) for your previous degree award(s)
  5. Degree certificate(s) for your previous degree award(s)
  6. A maximum 3 page CV
  7. 2 Academic References

Candidates who do not provide all the relevant information will not be eligible for consideration.

Where can I access the application forms?

Once you have identified and are working with a potential supervisor, they will provide you with the application forms for you to complete.

What happens after I submit my application?

All applications are reviewed and scored anonymously by the appropriate subject discipline (stage 1). The top candidates in each pathway will be considered at the next stage of the competition, by a university panel (stage 2).

All candidates will be notified of the outcome of stage 1 of the competition by 23rd December 2025.

 

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Contact us

Please refer to the appropriate Pathway lead

PhD Pathway Contact information
  • Creative Writing
  • English
  • Gender Studies
  • History
  • Journalism, Media and Communications
  • Modern Languages and Translation Studies
 Dr Eleanor Bell
hass-hum-pgr@strath.ac.uk 
  • Law and Legal Studies
 Professor Jane Scoular
jane.scoular@strath.ac.uk  
  • Political Science and International Studies
 Dr Sebastian Delepianne Avellaneda
sebastian.dellepiane@strath.ac.uk  
  • Information and Communication Technologies
 Professor Ian Ruthven
ian.ruthven@strath.ac.uk  
  • Architecture
 Dr Ombretta Romice 
ombretta.r.romice@strath.ac.uk  
  • Design
 Professor Paul Rodgers
paul.rodgers@strath.ac.uk  
  • Heritage Management
 Dr Derek Bryce
derek.bryce@strath.ac.uk