Leicestershire Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Doctoral Training Programme (LHIIP)

Funding

The Leicestershire Healthcare Inequalities Improvement DTP (funded by Wellcome) will provide each Research Fellow:

• Matched salary for all years on the programme
• Postgraduate research fee waiver at the standard College of Life Sciences UK rates
• Experimental research costs
• Training opportunities in themes covering: researcher training; science and communications; contribution to the community; health inequalities; career training

Entry requirements

Applicants must meet all of the following academic criteria in order to be eligible to apply to the programme:

You must be a practising Allied Health Professional, Nurse or Midwife and registered with a national professional regulatory body in the UK/Republic of Ireland (e.g. HCPC, NMC).
While we require you to be clinically active, your clinical work does not need to be your primary occupation. For example, a lecturer working on bank with the NHS is eligible to apply

You must be a UK applicant 
This programme is not open to international applicants. Further information on our Home/UK student criteria can be found in the Eligibility section of this studentship page.

You must hold a Bachelor’s degree
The minimum entry requirement for a research degree programme is an upper second-class honours degree (or an equivalent overseas qualification) in a relevant subject. This criterion must be met at the point of application; current final year Bachelor’s students (or equivalent oversees qualification) are not eligible unless they already meet this criterion from a prior qualification.

However, in exceptional circumstances, a special case for admission may be made based on one or more of the following criteria:

• other qualifications held
• training and experience
• published works
• upper second-class strengths demonstrated in relevant modules of first degree

Special cases for admission to a research degree programme will be subject to approval from the Dean of the Doctoral College.

Your English level must meet our English language requirements
To check whether you fulfil English language requirements or whether you may need to prove English language proficiency and what documentation you will need to do this. Find out more about our English language requirements.

Informal enquiries

Project enquiries – Once you have identified the project(s) you will be applying for, we encourage you reach out to the First Supervisor for the project(s) in advance of your application submission. You will find their contact details within their project.

Programme enquiries – Our PhD Programme Coordinator Kate Westlake can support applicants with queries regarding the Leicestershire Healthcare Inequalities Improvement DTP: lhiip@le.ac.uk

Application enquiries – Our PGR Admissions team are able to support applicants with queries related to the application form and process: pgrapply@le.ac.uk

How to apply

Browse our webpage for full application help and advice.

Please use the Apply Button at the bottom of the page to complete an application before our deadline on Wednesday 18 February 2026 

You will need to select September 2026 from the dropdown menu, but this intake will commence on 1 October 2026. 

You must provide all of the following with your application:

• An up-to-date CV including details of your registration to a national professional regulatory body in the UK/Republic of Ireland.
• Degree Certificates and Transcripts of study already completed and, if applicable, transcripts to date of study currently being undertaken.
• Personal statement (1000 words) explaining your interest in the project, your experience and why we should consider you.
• If required and available, evidence of meeting our English Language requirements.
• References: We require two academic and/or professional references – you can either enter their contact details in the boxes provided, or upload reference letters if already obtained. Referees cannot be project supervisors.
• Complete the Widening Participation Questionnaire and upload to the Research Proposal section. (you do not need to upload a research proposal)
• Supervisor section (on the proposal page) - Include the name of the supervisor and project you are applying.  You can list up to 2 projects, making clear which is your first and second choice.
• In the Funding section - please state Wellcome LHIIP DTP.

Incomplete applications may not be considered so please check your application carefully before submitting.

Eligibility

Please ensure you have thoroughly read our Entry Requirements section of this studentship page as this will enable you to determine whether you meet our programme’s eligibility criteria.

You must be a UK applicant 
This programme is not open to international applicants. If you are unsure whether you qualify as a UK applicant, please email PGRAdmissions@le.ac.uk with details of your current immigration status so that we can advise you.

Home/UK students
Generally to be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria and meet residency requirements: 

• Be a UK national or
• Irish national or
• Have EU settled status* or
• Have EU pre-settled status* or
• Have Indefinite Leave to Remain or Enter

Further fee status advice can be found at UKCISA.