Arts and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Landscape Awards at the University of Essex

About the project

• Course Finder
• Undergraduate Undergraduate Undergraduate study Undergraduate courses Foundation years
• Undergraduate study
• Undergraduate courses
• Foundation years
• Postgraduate Postgraduate Postgraduate study Masters courses Research degrees Doctoral and Postdoctoral College Postgraduate events
• Postgraduate study
• Masters courses
• Research degrees
• Doctoral and Postdoctoral College
• Postgraduate events
• CPD and short courses
• Fees and funding Fees and funding Fees and funding overview Scholarships and bursaries Support with the cost of living
• Fees and funding overview
• Scholarships and bursaries
• Support with the cost of living
• International students
• Apprenticeships
• Study abroad
• Study online
• Enhance your skills
• Life at Essex
• Our campuses Our campuses Colchester campus Loughton campus
• Colchester campus
• Loughton campus
• Accommodation
• Sport Sport Essex Sport Memberships Fitness classes Essex Rebels Facilities Essex Sport Arena Performance sport and scholarships Child activities and holiday clubs
• Essex Sport
• Memberships
• Fitness classes
• Essex Rebels
• Facilities
• Essex Sport Arena
• Performance sport and scholarships
• Child activities and holiday clubs
• Student community
• Careers and employability
• Religion and faith
• Student support
• Chat to our staff and students
• Take a virtual tour of our campus
• Our research
• Centres and Institutes
• Groups, areas and networks
• Research projects
• Research Excellence Framework (REF)
• Research blog
• Repository
• Showcase
• About Essex
• Our University Our University Our key statistics Our history Faculties Schools and departments Key dates Global engagement
• Our key statistics
• Our history
• Faculties
• Schools and departments
• Key dates
• Global engagement
• Our values Our values Our Manifesto Equality, diversity and inclusion Academic freedom Modern slavery and human trafficking
• Our Manifesto
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Academic freedom
• Modern slavery and human trafficking
• Governance Governance Our governance structure Executive Committee Vice-Chancellor Regulations Policies
• Our governance structure
• Executive Committee
• Vice-Chancellor
• Regulations
• Policies
• University strategy University strategy Our University strategy Executive Summary Key performance indicators
• Our University strategy
• Executive Summary
• Key performance indicators
• Sustainability
• Wivenhoe Park
• We Are Essex
• Support us
• Graduation
• Event series
• Venue hire with Event Essex
• Wivenhoe House Hotel
• Essex Sport Arena
• Student blog
• Staff blog
• Open days
• Campus tours
• How to get here
• Visitor information
• Visit virtually

Arts and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Landscape Awards at the University of Essex

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funds outstanding original research across the arts and humanities. We have funding for three AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards, per year, for PhD cohorts in 2026 – 2030. There is one Collaborative AHRC DLA studentship and two student-led AHRC DLA studentships available. Applications are welcome for both full-time and part-time doctoral study. Part-time funding (and doctoral study) is offered at 0.5FTE of the standard full-time duration.

The Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) programme is part of our inclusive environment for Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs), enabling us to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, and to advocate for the ability to reach one’s potential through PGR study and training. Both the AHRC and the University of Essex have a shared commitment to increasing the diversity of AHRC-funded doctoral students and actively encourage applicants from underrepresented groups or address gaps in strategically important arts and humanities subject areas. Please see notes Widening Participation, below.

As well as covering the cost of PhD tuition fees(for the funded period), the studentship also includes a maintenance stipend to support living costs (the 2026/27 UKRI stipend rate is £21,805 for example), as well as funding for development opportunities and research activities, and collaborative projects that will enhance the research environment regionally.

The AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards also support the creation of regional training hubs, through which universities can offer joint training and students can benefit from a range of collaborative engagements and activities across the hub. Essex is part of the LEAH Doctoral Landscape Awards Hub, which includes 11 other institutions across the region, each with their own separate funding allocation.

Participating departments

Our AHRC DLA studentships are available to PhD candidates applying across our arts and humanities subjects. You will need to be researching within the AHRC subject coverage areas

Participating schools and departments at our University include:

• School of Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies
• Essex Law School
• East 15 Acting School
• Edge Hotel School
• Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
• Department of Sociology and Criminology
• Department of Government
• School of Language, Literature and Media

Collaborative PhD studentship: Fabric of Everyday Life: Marianne Straub, Textile Innovation and Design, 1950-1970

The School of Philosophical, Historical, and Interdisciplinary Studies in partnership with the Warner Textile Archive is offering a fully funded Collaborative Doctoral Award studentship examining post-war British design through the life and legacy of Marianne Straub (1909 - 1994), one of the most influential textile designers of the twentieth century. The studentship is open to both Home and International students. Find out more .

What does the AHRC DLA studentship provide?

You will receive subject-specific and advanced training, whilst undertaking your research in an innovative, ground-breaking and empowering research environment, amongst our thriving postgraduate community.

You will also be provided with opportunities to attend world-class training, attending and presenting at conferences and events, academic publishing and work placement opportunities.

The University of Essex will award two student-led AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award studentships for October 2027 entry. Student-led studentship funding is for a duration of 3.5 years (pro-rata for part-time study) and includes:

There will also be one Collaborative Doctoral Award – further information about the CDA will be added to this webpage once the CDA studentship competition is launched.

• An annual Stipend at the UKRI minimum rate (e.g. £21,805 for academic year 2026/27).
• Payment of your PhD tuition fees (regardless of whether Home or International status).
• Access to funding from the Research Training Support Grant fund (to support the costs of your research training and some direct costs of research).
• Access to funding from the Collaborative Support fund (i.e. for placements)

Am I eligible?

AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards are open to both UK and International students (EU and non-EU students who do not have residency). To be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria and the associated residency requirements:

Irish Nationals eligibility is derived from the UK Ireland Common Travel Area Agreement

Further guidance on residential eligibility is provided in Annex B of the UKRI Training Grant Guidance .

UKRI policy places a cap of 30% on the proportion of international students that can be recruited. Therefore, the University of Essex is permitted to award one of three AHRC DLA studentships to an international student. Although the AHRC DLA student covers only the home fee, the University of Essex will waive the fee difference for the internal student who is awarded an AHRC DLA studentship.

Eligible candidates will typically hold both an undergraduate and Masters degree, or be studying for their Masters at the point of application. However, we do welcome applications from candidates who do not hold a masters-level qualification but have sustained experience (beyond their undergraduate degree) that is directly relevant to their proposed research topic and who demonstrate capacity to undertake doctoral research.

Students who have already commenced their doctoral study (doctoral students commencing ahead of October 2027) are not eligible for AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards.

AHRC DLA studentship applicants must apply for a place to study for their doctoral research in a department or school at the University of Essex, and have secured an offer, in order to be eligible for the AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards.

• Be a UK National, or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status, or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter
• be an Irish National

Widening participation

Essex is committed to its widening participation (WP) strategy and seeks to increase representation of underrepresented groups at PhD level. One mechanism we use to support our aim of having a postgraduate researcher cohort that represents the diversity in our communities is to allow each academic department to make one additional WP nomination to the institutional selection stage. We particularly invite home status applicants who meet at least one of the following criteria to apply for a studentship.

The following Widening Participation Criteria will be used for determining additional nominations:

To be considered for an additional WP nomination, applicants must ensure they complete their equal opportunities form as part of their studentship application, as this form will be used to identify their application as eligible for a possible additional nomination at the departmental assessment stage. The detailed information you provide on the EDI form is not shared with the assessors; once the assessment takes place, departments/schools are provided with a list of applicants who have met the WP criteria and are eligible to be considered for the additional nomination.

• First generation student (those whose parents/guardians/carers did not go to university);
• Black and minority ethnic groups (particularly i) of African or Caribbean origin, for example, ‘Black British’, ‘Black-African’, ‘Black-Caribbean’, ‘Other Black’ background (including people of ‘Mixed’ heritage) or, ii) ‘Asian’ background (including people of ‘Mixed’ heritage e.g. ‘Mixed Asian and White heritage’), or iii) any other minority ethnic background);
• Students from a deprived area of the UK, as indicated by data collected for the home postcode where they lived the longest before first attending university (POLAR4 Quintiles 1 and 2);
• Students with a disability as defined under the Equality Act 2010;
• Students who have caring responsibilities (i.e. responsible for the long-term care and support of a child, a disabled, elderly, or sick partner, relative, or friend, who is unable to care for themselves);
• Care-experienced (students who have been in public care e.g., foster care, residential care or other arrangements outside the immediate or extended family);
• Refugee, asylum seeker or humanitarian protection status.

How to apply

• Apply to your chosen PhD course.
• Discuss your research proposal and DLA studentship application with your proposed supervisor(s) who will be required to provide you with advice and write a supporting statement for your DLA studentship application.NB: The link to the AHRC DLA studentship application form will be provided by your planned supervisor or PGR Director, if they intend to support your application.
• Apply for the DLA studentship (your planned supervisor will provide you with the AHRC DLA Application Form and the EDI Formif they support your application). Print outs and other forms of the application will not be accepted. [NB: The Application Form contains detailed guidance on how to submit your application.]This is a separate application from the one you must make to your chosen PhD course. The deadline for submitting your DLA studentship application is Midday (12pm) Monday 16 February 2026 . In drafting your application, we advise you to read the Guidance for Applicants , and refer to the assessment criteria below, as your application will be judged according to these criteria.
• Request a supporting statement from your planned supervisor (please refer your planned referee to the Guidance for Supervisors )

How is my application assessed?

AHRC DLA studentship applications will be judged against the criteria listed here .

Indicative timeline for application and selection

Date/time | Activity

Available from 12 October 2026 | Recorded presentation for AHRC DLA studentship applicants to be shared via Panopto --please email laura@essex.ac.uk

Wednesday 28 October 2026 11am - 11.45 am | Applicant drop-in session on Zoom

Tuesday 10 November 2026 2pm - 2.45pm | Applicant drop-in session on Zoom

Midday (12pm) Monday 15 February 2027 | Deadline by which applicant must have applied for their doctoral studies and submitted their AHRC DLA Studentship Application Form and EDI Monitoring Form

Midday (12pm) Monday 15 February 2027 | Deadline by which supervisors must have submitted their Supervisor Supporting Statement Form.

Meetings held between Tuesday 16 February - Friday 12 March 2027. Nominations confirmed by 12pm Monday 15 March 2027 | Department/school assessment and shortlisting of AHRC DLA studentship applications, with nomination of top applicant (plus an additional WP candidate) to Essex DLA Selection Panel [NB: PHAIS and SLLaM will be able to make nominations per distinct disciplinary area].

W/C Monday 15 March 2027 | Departments/schools to inform applicants not shortlisted for nomination to next stage (notify unsuccessful applicants).

Wednesday 17 – Wednesday 7 April 2027 | Essex DLA Selection Panel assessment of shortlisted applications.

By 12pm Thursday 8 April 2027 | Essex DLA Selection Panel scoresheets returned

Monday 12 April 2027 | Essex DLA Selection Panel makes offer to top 2 applicants and informs reserve candidates of their status as reserves. [NB: if there is no Collaborative Doctoral Awards selected for funding, a total of 3 student-led awards can be made]

By Friday 16 April 2027 | All applicants informed of studentship selection outcome

A presentation for applicants and supervisors is available – please email Laura Ruddick ( laura@essex.ac.uk ) for copies.

• Course Finder
• Undergraduate study
• Postgraduate study
• Doctoral and Postdoctoral College
• Short courses and CPD
• International students
• Study online
• Apprenticeships
• Summer Schools
• Our campuses
• Student accommodation
• Essex Sport
• Colchester Campus
• Loughton Campus
• Careers and Employability
• Student support
• Research excellence
• Research showcase
• Media requests
• Research Excellence Framework (REF)
• Research institutes and centres
• About us
• Departments
• Contact us
• How to pay your fees
• Sustainability
• Jobs
• Students
• Alumni
• Staff
• Business
• General - enquiries@essex.ac.uk
• Undergraduate - admit@essex.ac.uk
• Postgraduate - pgadmit@essex.ac.uk
• +44 (0) 1206 873333
• University of Essex
• Wivenhoe Park
• Colchester CO4 3SQ
• Disclaimer
• Accessibility
• Manage communication preferences
• Our privacy statements
• Making a complaint
• Our transparency return
• Modern slavery and human trafficking

Research areas