The Faculty of Social Sciences is excited to announce the launch of a new doctoral scholarship scheme for UK Black, Asian and ethnic minority students to undertake postgraduate research within the Faculty.
The Faculty of Social Sciences is committed to addressing different forms of intersecting inequalities in relation to our education, research and broader engagement with society. These scholarships will seek to address, in particular, the under-representation of ethnic minority students in postgraduate research and throughout academia, including senior roles.
The Faculty is inviting applications from candidates from UK Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities for two new awards each year. This initiative will run for up to five years, with a total of 10 scholarships available over the course of the scheme.
Scholarship holders will have access to world leading facilities and supervision and to research centres, which shape the research and innovation agenda within and beyond the social sciences. All postgraduate researchers in the Faculty are members of the Social Sciences Graduate School, bringing together a socially, culturally and intellectually diverse community of doctoral researchers, in an interdisciplinary research environment geared to addressing global challenges. Our doctoral researchers also have access to bespoke training and support via the White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership.
These scholarships are available on a three-year PhD basis. Depending on the level of research training already achieved, and where applicants don’t yet meet our entry requirements for PhD study, we can also fund an appropriate Masters degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences in the first instance, followed by the PhD.
The award will cover full fees at the University of Leeds standard rate of fees and a maintenance grant at the standard UKRI rate (£15,609 in Session 2021/22).
Full description
To find out about doctoral study in one of our Schools, see the relevant School pages:
School of Politics and International Studies
School of Sociology and Social Policy
To find out more about what it’s like to be a doctoral researcher in the Faculty of Social Sciences, see some of our PGR student and alumni profiles.
Duration of the Award
Full-time – three years (PhD only) or four years (Masters plus PhD). The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to two years, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
Funding
The award will cover full fees at the University of Leeds standard rate of fees and a maintenance grant at the standard UKRI rate (£15,609 in Session 2021/22).
Other Conditions
- Applicants must not have already been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.
- Awards must be taken up by 1 October 2022.
- The awards are available for new postgraduate researchers undertaking full-time research study leading to the degree of PhD. Students who are already registered for PhD research study are excluded from applying.
- Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.
- These scholarships are open to applicants from UK Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities only. Applicants will self-identify and sign a disclaimer to the effect that the information they provide is correct.
Application workshops
We will hold two online information sessions about these scholarships and the application process in January and February 2022. Further information about these will be updated here soon.
How to apply
Stage 1 – Apply for a place on the PhD programme
- Formal applications for research degree study should be made online. You should ensure you apply for a PhD place by 22nd February 2022 (in advance of the scholarship deadline) and have provided all supporting documentation.
- Research proposals should clearly demonstrate how they align with the research priorities and areas of expertise of one or more of the Schools of the Faculty (Education, Law, Politics and International Studies, and Sociology and Social Policy).
- We strongly encourage proposals which are interdisciplinary in nature and are relevant to more than one School, or more than one of the research centres based within our Schools.
Stage 2 – Apply for the Scholarship
- Once you are in receipt of your 9 digit Student Application ID complete the scholarship application online by the deadline 8th March 2022 at 12:00pm.
- These scholarships are open to applicants from UK Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities only. Applicants will self-identify and sign a disclaimer to the effect that the information they provide is correct.
If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University’s minimum English language requirements (below).
Entry requirements
Applicants to research degree programmes in the Faculty of Social Sciences should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in a related discipline. They should also have (or expect to obtain) a Masters degree with a Merit grade (or equivalent) in an related subject area.
Where applicants have not yet met the entry requirements for a research degree, we can support successful candidates to first undertake an appropriate Masters degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the Graduate School prior to making an application.
English language requirements
The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study in the School of Law is an IELTS of 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The minimum English Language requirement for research postgraduate study in the School of Sociology and Social Policy, School of Politics and International Studies and the School of Education is an IELTS of 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.
Contact details
For further information please contact the Graduate School Office
Key facts
- Deadline: Tuesday 8 March 2022
- Funding start date: Saturday 1 October 2022
- Number of funding places: 2
- Country eligibility: UK only
- Source of funding: University of Leeds
- Schools: School of Education, School of Law, School of Politics and International Studies, School of Sociology and Social Policy