Applications are now open for PhD studentships for the ESRC: Economic and Social Research Council funded South and East Network for Social Sciences (SENSS) scheme.
These are student-led studentships across 6 interdisciplinary themes and 8 universities.
What is a SENSS student-led studentship?
- Doctoral researchers work on a research project they have come up with themselves.
- They will be guided in this work by an expert academic supervisory team.
- The project may involve working with a collaborative partner (for example, a business, charity or think tank) who provides researchers with access to data, equipment or participants for a study, additional funding for their studentship, an additional supervisor, and/or a placement.
The themes are:
- Sustainability and Climate Emergency
- Health, Well-being, and Social Care
- Justice, Institutions, and Social Change
- Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
- Digital Social Sciences
- Advanced Methods for Social and Economic Research
The list of SENSS partner Universities are:
- City St George’s, University of London
- Cranfield University
- University of East Anglia
- University of Essex (the co-ordinating institution)
- Goldsmiths, University of London
- University of Lincoln
- Middlesex University
- University of Roehampton
Webinars on how to write a successful application for those interested in applying for SENSS funding will happen on:
- Wednesday 4 November 2026 – 18:00 – 19:30 (Zoom registration link here)
- Saturday 5 December 2026 – 11:00 – 12:30 (Zoom registration link here)
SENSS will also organise a webinar for potential supervisors who wish to support a candidate through the application process. This webinar is for potential supervisors only. The webinar will take place on Wednesday 25 November 2026 at 13:00 – 14:00 (Zoom registration link here).
For more information and full details visit the SENSS website.