Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Postgraduate Student Funding

Welcome to the University of Glasgow guide to ESRC Postgraduate studentship funding. The webpages below contain information for prospective and current students and staff with details about the previous scholarship application rounds:

  1. SGSSS Student-led Open Competition 2024/25
  2. SGSSS Supervisor-led Steers Studentship Competition 2024/25
  3. SGSSS Supervisor-led Open Collaborative Studentship Competition 2024/25
  4. SGSSS Supervisor-led Skills Development Scotland Collaborative Studentship Competition 2024/25

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funds research and training in social and economic issues including issues of importance to business, the public sector and government.  The ESRC is an independent organisation, established by Royal Charter, but it receives most of its funding from the Government.  More information on the ESRC can be obtained from the ESRC website.

The PGR Service provides central administration, monitoring and reporting for ESRC studentships in conjunction with the College Graduate Schools.  The College Graduate Schools provide general administration and day-to-day support to ESRC funded postgraduate students.

ESRC Scotland Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) Studentships

The DTP, Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS), replaced the previous ESRC Doctoral Training Centre and the first cohort of students started on 1 October 2017.  The Scottish DTP is the biggest in the UK, and maintains Scotland's share of UK studentship funding.  Each year there are multiple opportunities for studentship funding through the DTP.

Students may also be interested in learning more about the UK Data Service, funded by the ESRC or the National Centre for Research Methods.  Both organisation offer events, webinars and workshops:

 

ESRC Scotland Doctoral Training Partnership

The University of Glasgow is a member institution of the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS), at the heart of the SGSSS is the ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership (ESRC DTP).  The DTP offers ESRC-accredited training involving collaboration across a number of Scottish universities to make sure the best expertise gets to the right students. For information on the other institutions involved in the DTP, please see the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science website.

ESRC Studentships are avilable in collaboration with the Scottish Government and other partner organisations.  For current studentship opportunities and application deadlines please visit the following webpages:

The Scottish Graduate School of Social Science awards ESRC-funded PhD studentships annually across the Student-led Open Competition and the Supervisor-led Steers and Collaborative Competitions. 

If you have any questions after consulting the application procedure, please contact your prospective graduate school office:

or email pgr@glasgow.ac.uk