NINE DTP PhD Scholarships

Apply and key information

Summary

Ulster University, as a partner in the ESRC Northern Ireland and Northeast England Doctoral Training Partnership of (ESRC NINE DTP), is pleased to offer postgraduate studentships in the following areas of enquiry across the social sciences:

Conflict, Security and Justice (contact Brandon Hamber)

Criminology, Prisons and Policing (contact Kris Lasslett)

Education (contact Clionagh Boyle)

Health, Well-being and Society (contact Nicole Blackburn)

Law and Society (contact Mark Simpson)

Management, Business and Economics (contact Martin McCracken)

Psychology (contact Mark Shevlin)

Sport and Society (contact Paul Darby)

Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work (contact Michele Gazzola)

For more information about this competition for postgraduate funding with the ESRC NINE DTP please visit the ESRC NINE DTP website.

For information about eligibility criteria, see here. (opens in new window)

There are multiple types of awards available, including studentships which will fund a Master’s qualification and a PhD at Ulster University. Candidates must register to complete the PhD at Ulster, but if Ulster doesn’t have an appropriate Master course in the candidate’s area, candidates register for the Masters component at any of the universities in the ESRC NINE DTP, including Durham University, Queen’s University Belfast, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Teeside University and the University of Sunderland.

We especially welcome candidates who envisage a collaborative element with a non-university partner in their doctoral studies.

Irrespective of the pathway you take, the ESRC NINE DTP offers a strong training programme to PhD researchers, who will acquire a valuable set of skills in the course of their study, equipping them for a high-profile career as social scientists in academia or in other commercial, government, industrial, and third-sector organisations.

An ESRC NINE DTP studentship will cover fees and provide a tax-free stipend of £21,805 (2026-27). DTP students also receive a personal allowance for additional training costs, and can apply for further funding to pursue fieldwork, academic exchange, and collaboration with non-academic partner organisations.

What next? If you are interested in making an application, please contact Dr Conor Murray to discuss.

Key dates

Submission deadline
Stage One 27 October 2026

Preferred student start date
13th September 2027

Applying

To apply for an ESRC NINE DTP studentship you must 1) apply to the university at which you intend to study and 2) work with your proposed primary supervisor to submit a Stage 1 nomination form. Note that the initial deadline for submission of a Stage 1 nomination form is 27 October 2026. However, a submission is not complete until the supervisor has completed and submitted the supervisor approval form. Therefore, you should complete nomination material in advance of the deadline.

Once you click ‘submit’ on your Stage 1 nomination it will trigger an email to your primary supervisor to complete the supervisor approval form. It will also trigger emails to your nominated referees and collaborative partner (if applicable) requesting supporting letters. Although the supporting letters from referees and collaborators do not need to be received by the 27 October deadline, the supervisor’s form must be submitted by that date.

Applicants whose Stage 1 nominations are successful in the department and pathway competitions will then be invited to provide Stage 2 applications for the final, studentship panel competition.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

First Class Honours (1st) Degree

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.