Funded opportunities

Please read the studentship adverts for eligibility criteria, funding and application process.

• Supervisor: Dr Robert Mahen
• Start date: 1 September 2026
• Closing date: 1 June 2026

Population Health Sciences - AI Driven Transformation of UK Aeroallergen Monitoring for Public Health Impact 

• Supervisor: Professor Anna Hansell together with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
• Start date: Sept–Oct 2026
• Closing date 30 April 2026

Population Health Sciences - From Big Data to Better Breathing: Decoding COPD Heterogeneity Through Multi-omics and Treatable Trait Clustering

• Supervisors: Dr Jing Chen, Dr Catherine John and Dr Tm Ward
• Start date: 21 September 2026
• Closing date: 24 May 2026

Cardiovascular Sciences - Machine Learning–Driven Imaging of Cardiac Microstructure in Diabetes and Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

• Supervisors: Dr Maryam Afzali, Professor Huiyu Zhou and Professor Gerry McCann
• Start date: 21 September 2026
• Closing date: 17 May 2026

Self-funded projects

Open to overseas applicants who can fund their own study or hold their own external sponsorship. For further information about the available projects please click on the subject page links. Projects open until filled unless stated.

Population Health Sciences 

• Dr Rupert Major: Patient support for decision making in relation to arterio-venous fistula formation before dialysis and ligation after a successful transplant: a mixed-methods study (open to UK and overseas
• Professor Pratik Choudhary: Evaluating the ethnic differences of physical activity on blood glucose
• Louise Hull: Identifying research priorities to advance the application of implementation science to lifestyle intervention research
• Dr Tim Lucas: To understand how women’s health during pregnancy is affected by heatwaves and how 24-hour behaviours and technological interventions can reduce these risks
• Dr Thomas Wilkinson: Optimising the measurement of muscle and physical function in clinical trials of people living with obesity
• Professor David Wright: PhD in Pharmacy Practice - Longitudinal Placements within the Undergraduate Pharmacy Degree: Defining the value

Respiratory Sciences

• Dr John E. Pearl: Survey of clinical non-tuberculous mycobacteria isolates for mycobacteriophages: their presence, diversity and potential role in disease
• Dr Natalie Garton: Rhodococcus equi lipid bodies: Targeting the pathogen’s fat reserves for infection control
• Professor Andrea Cooper: Stratification of TB risk by immunophenotyping and expression of key diagnostic markers
• Professor Galina Mukamolova: Development of novel therapeutic strategies to target Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence

Healthcare

• Professor Joseph Manning: Reducing pressure injury in critically Ill hospitalised infants, children and young people: An intervention bundle development and feasibility testing study
• Professor Joseph Manning: Paediatric to Adult intenSive care tranSition for chronicAlly critically ill younG pEople: The PASSAGE Study
• Professor David Wright: PhD in Pharmacy Practice - Longitudinal Placements within the Undergraduate Pharmacy Degree: Defining the value

Cardiovascular Sciences

Dr Katy Roach: Developing Translational Models of Fibro-calcific Remodelling to Evaluate Novel Therapies in Aortic Stenosis

Chemistry: Reclamation of critical minerals in battery and other sustainable technologies 

• Open to UK applicants only
• Supervisors: Dr Jake Yang and Professor Andy Abbott
• Start date: 21 September 2026
• Closing date: 22 April 2026

Chemistry: Direct recycling of Lithium-ion Batteries Using Novel Nanoemulsions

• Open to UK Applicants only
• Supervisors: Dr Jake Yang and Professor Andy Abbott
• Start date: 21 September 2026
• Closing date: 17 May 2026

EPSRC DigitalMetal CDT studentships

• Start: January 2026 onwards
• Closing date: open for home students and limited places for outstanding international applicants.

Museum Studies: Collabroative Doctoral Partnership studentship with the National Museums Northern Ireland:  The Ulster Museum: Northern Ireland’s Culture Lab

• Supervisor: Professor Suzanne MacLeod
• Start date: 1 October 2026
• Closing date: 20 April 2026 at 5pm (UK Time). Interviews will take place on 6 May 2026. All interviews will be online.

Archaeology: AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) studentship with the British Museum: Hoarding through time: Defining the practice of hoarding and assessing the impact of evolving legislation on its recording and interpretation.

• Supervisors:  Dr Philippa Walton (University of Leicester)   Dr Wendy Scott(British Museum)
• Start date: 1 October 2026
• Closing date: Sunday 17 May 2026

Museum Studies:  Objects of Care: The Role of Museum Collections in Supporting Young Adults’ Mental Health  

• Supervisors: Dr Nuala Morse (University of Leicester) Dr Kate Noble ( Fitzwilliam Museum)
• Start date: 1 October 2026
•  Closing date: 10 May 2026

Museum Studies: Equitable Heritage: Developing New Approaches to Creatively Embedded Access in Heritage Settings

• Supervisors: Professor Richard Sandell and Professor Suzanne MacLeod
• Start date: 1 October 2026
• Closing date:  22 May (12 midday UK time)

Museum Studies: AHRC Recovering the Relics of War: Exploring ways in which the material culture recovered from sites of conflict can be used in affective storytelling

• Supervisors: Dr Stacy Boldrick
• Start date: 1 October 2026
• Closing date: 10 May 2026

Leverhulme Centre for Humanity and Space (LCHS)

• History, Management, English, Media and Communications
• Start date: 21 September 2026
• Closing date: 26 April 2026

School of Business Tuition Fee Waivers

• Available for Economics PhD and Management PhD full time campus study

• Closing dates for applications:

  • 30 June 2026 for Economics and Management for a 21 September 2026 start.

  • Management applications received after 30 June will be considered for January or May 2027 intakes.

Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis as they are received so there is no benefit to waiting until the closing date before applying.

PhD studentships funded by Research Councils open for September 2026 entry

BBSRC MIBTP

• Closed

ESRC Midlands Graduate School

• closed

CENTA

• Closed

TARGET CDT

• Closed

STFC

• Closed

Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Landscape Awards

• Closed

MRC AIM DTP

• Closed