UAL postgraduate research studentships 2025

The University of the Arts London (UAL) is offering a prestigious PhD studentship designed for creative and socially driven researchers passionate about arts, design, and communication. This opportunity reflects UAL’s mission to embed social purpose into research, empowering doctoral students to make a meaningful difference through creativity. The studentship project, Resonances of Empire: Reclaiming subaltern Indian cultural memory through embodied creative practice, is a collaborative, practice-led research initiative hosted at Chelsea, Camberwell, and Wimbledon Colleges of Art, in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum Research Institute.

Table of Content

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

Summary

• Application DeadlineSeptember 15, 2025
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorUniversity of the Arts london
• City to studyLondon
• School to studyUniversity of the Arts london
• Course to studyArt , Art and Desgin , Communication , Design
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• Full tuition fee coverage at the UK Home rate (£6,620 for 2025/26)

• Annual tax-free stipend of £22,780 (UKRI full-time rate for 2025/26)

• Open to international applicants, who must cover the fee difference between Home and Overseas rates (£26,310 for 2025/26)

• Flexible study duration: 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time

• Access to expert supervision, specialist facilities, and a structured researcher development programme

• Opportunity to collaborate with the Victoria and Albert Museum Research Institute

• Student Support Fund available to assist with research-related costs

• International students must reside in the UK for the duration of the PhD

Requirements

• Open to applicants from all backgrounds, including international students (must reside in the UK during the PhD)

• Must apply for the specific project: Resonances of Empire: Reclaiming subaltern Indian cultural memory through embodied creative practice

• Applicants must submit a tailored personal statement, project proposal (max 1,000 words), CV, and complete UAL’s online PhD application

• Proposal must align with the themes outlined in the project brief and demonstrate relevant skills, experience, and research direction

• Commitment to engaging with UAL’s doctoral research community and training is required

• Applicants must be willing to collaborate with the external partner (Victoria and Albert Museum Research Institute)

Interview Dates and Process

Application deadline: 15 September 2025
Interviews: Mid October 2025
Offers: Late October 2025
Student enrols with UAL: 6 January 2026

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Applicants for this studentship should first read the project brief and selection criteria. In selecting applicants, the panel will be looking for skills and experience that directly address the themes and concerns outlined.

Deadline for sending applications for these studentship awards: 15 September 2025

Applications should include:

• completed UAL online PhD Application submitted to the College where the project is based
• the project title
• personal statement demonstrating what you can bring to the project, how it fits with your skills, previous experience and interests (up to 1 side of A4 sheet of paper)
• project proposal that addresses the ‘project brief’ as set out and articulates your particular emphasis or approach (no more than 1,000 words). This proposal should include the following:
  • your focus/emphasis to the research question(s)
  • research context: how your proposed research relates to existing research on the subject
  • methodologies/methods that will be used
  • your potential research contribution to your discipline and area of study
  • a short bibliography of any sources/publications you refer to in your proposal (a full bibliography of works to be consulted in the course of the proposed PhD is not required)
• CV to be uploaded to the UAL online application system.

For more details, visit UAL Scholarship webpage