Are you interested in pursuing a masters and doctoral studies in the social sciences? The University of Roehampton is pleased to be part of the South and East Network for Social Sciences (SENSS), a consortium of 8 universities working as a Doctoral Training Partnership to offer Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) masters and PhD studentships.
Roehampton welcomes applications for funding in eligible disciplines which speak to SENSS core research themes:
| Disciplines |
SENSS themes |
| Business and Management Studies |
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
Advanced Methods for Social and Economic Research
|
| Communication, Cultural and Media Studies |
Digital Social Sciences |
| Education |
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
|
| Law |
Sustainability and Climate Emergency
Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
Justice, Institutions and Social Change
|
| Psychology |
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
|
| Sociology |
Digital Social Sciences
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
Justice Institutions and Social Change
|
Details of the topics covered by each SENSS Theme can be found here.
To find out more about social sciences research at Roehampton, explore the work supported by our research and knowledge exchange centres.
Funding and duration of award.
SENSS offers fully-funded PhD and Masters plus PhD studentships. For full details of the funding available please see here. Please also consult the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide, for further information on the different levels of funding available and the associated terms and conditions.
Eligibility for ESRC funding
Applicants should check that they meet the ESRC’s eligibility criteria before applying. SENSS funding at Roehampton is available only in the disciplines listed above, for projects which address the core SENSS themes and can be supported by supervisors at the University. More advice on ESRC eligibility criteria can be obtained from senss@roehampton.ac.uk.
Application Process
Prospective applicants should make contact with senss@roehampton.ac.uk by 13 December 2024 where they will be forwarded onto the relevant staff to talk informally about their proposed research, what supervision is available, and their eligibility for SENSS.
Current doctoral students AND prospective PhD and master’s plus PhD students who are encouraged to apply for a SENSS studentship at Roehampton must do so via the SENSS online application system, HEIApply. Roehampton will be notified of your application automatically via HEIApply. You will also need to complete the Roehampton online application here. If you are a current Roehampton student then you do not need to complete a Roehampton application again, only the SeNSS application on HEIApply.
Completed Roehampton applications must be received by 10 Jan 2025. Interviews will take place before February 2025.
Following the interview process, and once it has been indicated that you are going to be moved forward in the competition you will have an opportunity to discuss and refine your application and update it on HEIApply. You must then ensure that your application on HEIApply is ready for internal review by the 20th January 2025.
Your SeNSS application must then be submitted on HEIApply by 14th February 2025.
Studentship awards are likely to be made by end April 2025.
Contact
Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us at SENSS@roehampton.ac.uk
Roehampton and SENSS welcomes applications for doctoral funding which speak to SENSS core research themes. Candidates can apply through Roehampton for SeNSS studentships in six units of assessment, each of which is linked to a SENSS thematic panel: -
| Unit of Assessment |
SENSS thematic panel |
| Business and Management Studies |
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
Justice, institutions and social change
Advanced Methods for Social and Economic Research
Sustainability and Climate Emergency |
| Communication, Cultural and Media Studies |
Digital social sciences |
| Education |
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
Justice, institutions and social change |
| Law |
Sustainability and climate emergency
Justice, institutions and social change |
| Psychology |
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises
Health, wellbeing and social care |
| Sociology |
Digital social sciences
Resolving uncertainty and addressing crises |
Applications for 2024/25 are now invited.
Fully Funded Doctoral Studentships: Maintenance stipend, (including London weighting) - £20,622 and full fee-waiver (23/24 rates: 24/25 rate not yet determined).
Eligibility for ESRC funding
You must ensure that you fulfil all three eligibility criteria set up by the ESRC. These are:
- Academic: for master’s plus PhD you must have gained a 2.1 at least in your bachelor's degree; for PhD-only awards you must be in possession of a relevant, and ESRC-recognised, master’s degree.
- Residency: UK, EU and international students are eligible for a full award (fees plus annual stipend). If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact senss@roehampton.ac.uk.
- We ask that students visit the SeNSS website for a description on who is eligible for an award: https://www.senss.ac.uk/senss-student-led-competition
- Discipline: ESRC funding at Roehampton is available only in the units of assessments listed above and for projects which address SENSS research themes; research topics which do not fall under these areas are not eligible for ESRC funding. However, Roehampton can support applications in these themes which employ interdisciplinary approaches. Please check with senss@roehampton.ac.uk if you are unsure.
More advice on ESRC eligibility criteria can be obtained from senss@roehampton.ac.uk.
Please also consult the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide, for further information on the different levels of funding available and the associated terms and conditions.
Application Process
Prospective applicants should make contact with senss@roehampton.ac.uk where they will be forwarded onto the relevant staff to talk informally about their proposed research, what supervision is available, and their eligibility for SENSS. If you are seeking master’s and PhD funding candidate, you will also discuss eligible master’s programmes. Collaborative proposals (with a partner organisation) can be considered.
Prospective or eligible current doctoral students AND prospective master’s plus PhD students who are encouraged to apply for a SENSS studentship at Roehampton must do so via the SENSS online application system, HEIApply. Roehampton will be notified of your application automatically via HEIApply. You will also need to complete the Roehampton online application.
Your application will then go through a two-stage process:
- The University of Roehampton will review your application and consider whether to offer you a place to study at Roehampton. At the same time, Roehampton will consider whether to progress your application through the SENSS selection process.
- If it is decided that your application should be progressed, an internal panel will review your application and consider whether to advance your application to the external review stage of the process. If it is progressed to the external review phase, a panel of SENSS subject specialists will review your application and decide whether you should be awarded funding.
You are required to have contacted the relevant academic School to express your interest in a SeNSS studentship and to have begun both the SeNSS and Roehampton online applications by 22nd December 2023.
Completed Roehampton applications must be received by 17th January 2024 Interviews will take place before 29th January 2024.
Following the interview process, you will have an opportunity to discuss and refine your application and update it on HEIApply.
Your SeNSS application must then be submitted on HEIApply by 7th February 2024.
You will be advised whether your application is going forward to SENSS’s Final Selection Panel by 8th March. Studentship awards are likely to be made by end April 2024.
How to Apply
Roehampton online application - Details of how to apply via the Roehampton online portal can be found here.
Links and guidance for SENSS student-led competition can be found on the HEIApply portal can be found here.
Detailed guidance about using the HEIApply system can be found here. It is essential that you read through the Guidance Notes.
Contact
Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us at SENSS@roehampton.ac.uk
