University of Sussex ESRC SEDarc Studentships 2026

The University of Sussex is delighted to offer a number of ESRC-funded studentships via the South East Doctoral Training Arc SEDarc partnership. SEDarc scholarships (funded by the Economic and Social Research Council) are available across our Social Sciences PhD programmes commencing from September 2026. SEDarc’s vision is to offer a transformative social science training experience that combines leading-edge research skills training, high-quality placements for all, and an individual research project based in one of five interdisciplinary, challenge-led pathways.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineDecember 11, 2025
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorUniversity of Sussex
• City to studyBrighton
• School to studyUniversity of Sussex
• Course to studySocial Science
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

As a SEDarc postgraduate researcher you will:

• Conduct an independent challenge-led research project (see themes below) achievable in 2.75 years
• Follow 200 hours per year of subject specific training and wider professional development to enhance your career prospects
• Undertake a funded 3-month placement which can be completed flexibly (part-time or in several blocks)
• Receive a scholarship for 3.5 years for a PhD (3.25 years without the expected three-month placement) – and 4.5 years for a Masters+PhD programme
• Submit a new style of PhD thesis which includes reflection on your training journey, your placement and knowledge exchange activities

Scholarships cover PhD tuition fees (or MSc/MRes fees if required in year one), a stipend at UK Research Council rates (currently £20,780 pa) plus some research and training costs (e.g. conferences, participant costs, overseas fieldwork, language training, placement costs). The Scholarship does not cover relocation, visa and NHS surcharge costs.

Requirements

Academic eligibility: If you are applying for the MSc/MRes + PhD you must have at least an upper-second class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree.

If you are applying for the PhD programme you should have:

• at least an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree
• a  Social Sciences Masters degree 

The SEDarc programme offers only one start date - in the autumn - and if you have already started your PhD you are not eligible to apply,

Residential Eligibility:  ESRC studentships are open to UK and Overseas/International students and Sussex ESRC scholarships cover UK level fees and International level PhD fees. Due to visa regulations Overseas students may only apply for FT study.

Up to 30% of each cohort of students may be Overseas students.   

Part-time students are welcome to apply and in such cases scholarships are paid pro-rata - generally part-time for 6 years.

Masters :  SEDarc welcomes applications for candidates with or without a Masters qualification. 

Only 3 Sussex MSc/MRes courses can be funded as part of the SEDarc programme.  If you do not have an MSc, then make sure you apply for the combined programme (Masters + PhD listed) starting with one of the following Sussex  Masters programmes:

Selection Process

Applications will assessed against the following criteria:

1. Fit to SEDarc themes (20%)
2. Project quality and feasibility (40%)
3. The candidate's suitability for doctoral research and training (40%)

Deadline for completing Sussex PG application - 11th December 2025

18 Shortlisted Sussex applicants will be invited to submit an application to SEDarc by 30th January 2026

Successful applicants will be informed by the end of March 2026.

Application Documents

• The SEDarc application form 
• Current degree transcript(s) with full details of performance on all completed courses. 
• Two academic references.
• An up-to-date CV.

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

If you wish to apply for an ESRC SEDarc studentship you must apply for a place on a PhD course at the University of Sussex by 4pm on Thursday 11th December 2025.

If you have already applied for a PhD at Sussex (or you hold an offer that you have deferred), then please complete the application form (download attachment at the bottom of this page noting this may not work using the Chrome browser) and upload to your Sussex application via pg apply but also email [email protected] to inform us that you have applied.

You should indicate in the Sources of Funding section of the application that you are applying to SEDarc for a fully funded scholarship and upload the following attachments to the online portal:

• The SEDarc application form (available shortly to download at the bottom of this page).  The main part of this is your detailed research proposal where you must describe your proposal in a way that could be read by a general academic audience in a maximum of 2,000 words. Your proposal should follow this structure: i) research background and fit to the selected challenge-led theme; ii) research questions and aims; iii) research plan (including methods); iv) proposed impact; v) proposed timeline. Supervisors of shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete the supervisor statement so this section can be left blank.

• Current degree transcript(s) with full details of performance on all completed courses. 
• Two academic references.
• An up-to-date CV.

The deadline for SEDarc applications to the University of Sussex is 4pm on 11th December 2025. 

For more details, visit University of Sussex Scholarship webpage