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.

Can I apply without identified supervisors?

No. Your application will need to provide the names of two supervisors. We will not accept any application without this information.

What is involved in the application process?

Your application should be sent by email to AHRC-DLA-Scholarship@strath.ac.uk no later than 12noon (GMT) Friday 20th November 2026.

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

Applications with any missing information from the above list of requirements will not be considered.

Where can I access the application forms?

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

Can my academic referees directly submit their references?

If your academic referee would prefer to submit their reference directly, please advise them to email this to AHRC-DLA-Scholarship@strath.ac.uk no later than 12 noon (GMT) Friday 20 November 2026. Late submissions of references will render any application incomplete and therefore ineligible for consideration.

What happens after I submit my application?

All applications are reviewed and scored 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).

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of stage 1 of the competition by 8 January 2027.

Do I need to do anything for the second stage of the competition?

If you have been notified that your application is being considered in the second stage of the competition, your supervisors must submit their AHRC Student Led Competition Supervisor Statement of Support by Friday 29 January 2027.

What happens in the second stage of the competition?

Stage 2 of the competition consists of an inter-disciplinary panel where all applications are scrutinised further. As with the stage 1, all research proposals are evaluated anonymously. This panel will meet in February 2027 to rank and confirm a shortlist of candidates who will be invited for interview.  You will be notified of the outcome of stage 2 week beginning 1 March 2027.

What is the interview?

We want to meet all the shortlisted candidates to find out more about their projects and ideas. This will help us to identify the strongest candidates for the award.

When will the interview take place?

Interviews will take place week beginning 15 March 2027. All interviews will be online using Microsoft Teams.

When will I find out if I have been successful after interview?

The outcomes of the competition will be conveyed to you by the end of March 2027.

Application form guidance

Why are there separate documents to complete?

On receipt of your application, you will be allocated an application number and your documents re-saved with that number. Panel members will review the research proposal document and your CV.

Should I include citations & references in the research proposal section?

Yes.  We have provided a separate box for the reference list so that this will not be included in the word count for your proposal.

What is the AHRC DLA Hub?

The University of Strathclyde is part of the Scotland DLA Hub with 6 other Scottish Universities who have been granted a AHRC DLA. This Hub, which will be governed by the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities, will provide training to all PGR students with AHRC DLA scholarship awards. There will be some overlap in the early years of the Hub with the current SGSAH Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP2) activities. This will allow you to meet other AHRC scholarship students and join in shared learning and development opportunities during your PhD journey.

The proposal for the new Hub is currently being evaluated by AHRC. Further information about the Hub will be released when this is available.  The plan is that the learning and development will be structured by three ‘Spokes’:

• concepts and critiques: the ideas, methods, concepts and frameworks that underpin research
• empirical enquiry: the cutting-edge skills necessary for data gathering in the Arts and Humanities
• creative practice: exploring all forms of creative practice methodologies.

You should identify in your Individual Training Plan what training needs you require for your research proposal. These training needs may be met through engagement with the Scottish AHRC DLA Hub or via alternative methods available at the University of Strathclyde.

The standard length of scholarship is 3.5 years but there is the possibility for an additional 6 months funding.  What is this for & how should I discuss this in my application?

In your Individual Training Plan you might identify the need for specific specialist training to support your project. This could include completing a specific masters level module available at the University of Strathclyde. If this is considered necessary for your project, additional time may be added to your scholarship to allow you to complete that additional training.

There may also be internship opportunities that are relevant for your research proposal.  These may be considered as part of the additional 6 months funding option.

I am an international student. Do I have to pay the difference between home and international fees myself?

No. Currently, the University of Strathclyde is committed to supporting any excellent international candidate offered this scholarship through an additional Differential Fee Scholarship. This will cover the difference in home and international fees.

Please note that we are restricted by UKRI funding regulations on how many international candidates can be offered this scholarship. For entry in 2027/28 this is limited to one scholarship.

I am an international applicant. Are there any criteria I need to meet for studying in English language?

Please check if there are any additional requirements beyond our current standard English language requirements as some disciplines have higher expectations. If your application is successful at Stage 2 we will ask you to provide us with evidence that you meet the expected English language requirements for entry to study with us.