ESRC PhD Studentships at Middlesex University 2026

Middlesex University is ESRC studentship funding for postgraduate studies as well as a range of other training and development opportunities. This is either a +3.5 year PhD or +4.5 year master's plus PhD which starts 1 October 2026.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirments
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineJanuary 14, 2026
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorMiddlesex University London
• City to studyLondon
• School to studyMiddlesex University London
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• Fully funded support for your research, including support for fieldwork, travel and language development if needed
• Supervision from internationally leading experts in their field
• Research methods training tailored to your needs
• A commitment to interdisciplinarity, where research addresses thematic priorities, so that every funded researcher works in an area of national and international importance
• A range of placements so that you can put your research skills into action, and share findings beyond academia, while undertaking your research.
• Successful candidates will be awarded a SENSS ESRC studentship, which pays tuition fees and stipend at standard UKRI rates.  For 2025-26 the stipend is £22,780 per year for full-time study, (including London weighting) and will be increased on 1 October 2026.

Requirements

• Both ‘home’ and ‘international’ applicants
• Applicants currently undertaking a PhD who have completed less than 50% of their programme on the day the studentship commences, 1 October 2026, or
• Applicants with qualifications or experience equal to an honours degree at a first or upper second-class level, or a master’s degree from a UK academic research organisation. 

This means:

• +4.5 master’s plus PhD applicants should have, or be expecting to receive, a minimum 2:1 honours degree or international equivalent.
• +3.5 PhD studentship applicants should have, or be expecting to receive, a minimum 2:1 honours in a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and a master’s degree in a relevant field of study.
• The length of the studentship awarded is dependent on the skills that applicants require to successfully complete their PhD project. Where additional training is deemed to require less than a full master’s year, SENSS may offer +3.75, +4 and +4.25 year studentships.  

Check also:
Wits-Edinburgh Programme in Sustainable African Futures by Mastercard Foundation 2026-2027
Department of Aeronautics MSc Scholarship at Imperial College London 2026

Application Deadline

How To Apply

There is a two-stage application process: 

1. First, you must apply for a place in the Middlesex PhD programme, indicating that you are also applying for a SENSS studentship. Applications must be submitted to Middlesex University by Monday 15 December 2025 at 12:00pm UK time.
2. Second, apply to SENSS for your ESRC studentship. Applications for SENSS ESRC Studentships open on Wednesday 1 October and must be submitted by Wednesday 14 January 2026 at 12:00pm UK time.

For more details, visit MiddleSex University Scholarship webpage