Up to 48 fully-funded PhD studentships for entry in September 2023 with the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership. 

The AHRC-funded South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership 2 consortium (SWW DTP2) is a collaboration between the universities of Aberystwyth, Bath Spa, Bristol, Cardiff, Cranfield, Exeter, Reading, Southampton, and UWE, and the Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum of Wales. 

SWW DTP2 is offering up to 48 fully funded doctoral studentships (39 student-led and 9 Collaborative Doctoral Awards), and training and development opportunities across the full range of the AHRC’s disciplines, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between the members of the consortium and 23 cultural, arts, heritage and industry partners including Aardman Animations, Arts Council South West, Cornwall Museum Partnerships and Historic England.

The funding will also offer joint supervision of students, sharing of resources from across the consortium, further activities such as student events, placements, conferences and the fostering of peer support networks.

We invite high-quality applications from prospective students who wish to propose their own research project. In order to apply, your preferred supervisors must have agreed to supervise your project. Supervisors can be identified via the DTP 'Find a Supervisor' portal  or Exeter discipline Staff profiles.  

At Exeter, prospective students will be able to apply with projects from the following range of disciplines as well as with interdisciplinary projects across these subjects:

• Archaeology
• Art History and Visual Culture
• Classics and Ancient History
• Creative Writing
• Cultural Geography
• Drama and Theatre Studies
• English
• Film history, Theory and Criticism
• History
• Law and Legal Studies
• Middle Eastern and African Studies
• Modern Languages
• Philosophy
• Political Science and International Studies
• Theology, Divinity and Religion

Awards are for three years eight months duration (or part-time equivalent) as standard. Once their studentship has begun students can apply to extend their studentship to up to 4 years, should they wish to undertake a placement opportunity with an external organisation or undertake significant training that is essential to their project.  

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion amongst our Applicants

SWW DTP2 continues to actively increase the diversity of students to whom awards are offered. SWW DTP2 therefore encourages applications from individuals who respond to any of the nine protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010. SWW DTP2 aims to make at least 5 awards to students from Global Majority backgrounds, and an additional 3 awards to students with other equality characteristics. These are targets to encourage applications, not set quotas; only applications that meet the stringent quality expectations will be offered awards. SWW DTP2 operates in line with all relevant legislation governing positive action and do not make positive discrimination.

To apply, please submit your application by completing the form at https://www.sww-ahdtp.ac.uk/prospective-students/apply/. The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Monday 16th January 2023. 

For more information please visit the South, West and Wales Consortium website.

Please note that only those applications submitted via the SWW DTP application system will be assessed for funding. Applying directly to your chosen programme of study at the University of Exeter will not constitute an application for funding.

Entry requirements

UKRI have opened up UKRI studentships to International students from 2021/22 entry onwards. Successful students will receive a full award, to include a stipend and fees at the home level. Exeter will cover the difference between the UK home fee and the International fee. The proportion of international students appointed each year through individual doctoral training programmes is limited to 30 percent of the total.

To be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

If you do not meet the criteria above you would be classed as an International student.

Successful applicants normally will have achieved at least a 2:1 or equivalent in an undergraduate degree and will be working towards or have completed a master’s qualification (or an alternative programme of research preparation) with Distinction.

Applicants who wish to study part-time may do so. Part-time awards should not be less than 50% of full time. Students who have already commenced doctoral study are eligible to apply for AHRC funding, provided that, at the start of the AHRC award, they will have at least 50% of their period of study remaining (excluding the ‘writing up’ period).

How to apply

Applications for the SWW DTP studentship competition are open via the SWW DTP website.  The deadline for applying to these awards is 11.59pm on Monday 16th January 2023.

To apply for funding you must do so via the online application form on the SWW DTP website.

Please note that only those applications submitted via the SWW DTP application system will be assessed for funding. Applying directly to your chosen programme of study at the University of Exeter will not constitute an application for funding.

Once an application form is submitted, you will not be able to edit the contents. ‘Submission’ means you are willing for the SWW DTP2 to log the application as complete.

Likewise, please make sure all the documents required are uploaded to your application at the point of submission. You will be unable to edit your application after submission.

Please make sure you have the agreement of your proposed supervisors before including their names in your application.

More information

If you have any questions relating to the consortium, please contact the SWW DTP here

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