Postgraduate research

Midlands4Cities Open Doctoral Awards 2025

Qualification: PhD

Departments: Archaeology and Ancient History School of Criminology Sociology and Social Policy English Geography History History of Art and Film Leicester Law School Media and Communication Modern Languages Museum Studies Politics and International Relations

Application deadline: closed

Start date: 22 September 2025

Overview

AHRC Midlands4Cities PhD funding for UK and International applicants

The AHRC-funded Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C) brings together eight leading universities across the Midlands to support the professional and personal development of the next generation of arts and humanities doctoral researchers. M4C is a collaboration between the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, University of Warwick, Coventry University, University of Leicester, De Montfort University, Nottingham Trent University and The University of Nottingham.

Through the Open Doctoral and Collaborative Doctoral Awards Midlands4Cities will fund and support outstanding research for doctoral researchers across the breadth of Arts and Humanities starting in late September 2025.

There are up to 87 PhD studentships available through an open competition and M4C is also awarding 23 Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDA) which provide diverse and unique project opportunities with national, regional, and local partner organisations. UK and International applicants are eligible for both routes for 2025 entry.  Further details on the funding provided are available on the M4C website. 

The application process is in two parts.

  1. University of Leicester PhD application. We recommend you submit your PhD application before Christmas and ideally by end of November to allow potential supervisors time to consider applications and work with you to prepare your M4C funding application. Refer to the How to Apply section below
  2. M4C funding application. The deadline for M4C funding applications and References to be received is 13th January 2025 by 12.00 hours (UTC+0).

For full details of eligibility, funding, research supervision areas and CDA projects, and for dates of our November application writing workshops, please visit the Midlands4Cities website or contact enquiries@midlands4cities.ac.uk.midlands4cities logo

Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership | AHRC Funding for UK/International Students

Birmingham Coventry Leicester Nottingham | www.midlands4cities.ac.uk

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The University of Leicester

University of Leicester is keen to receive applications from prospective research students looking to complete a PhD with research focusing around Arts and Humanities topics, which are available to receive funding from the AHRC.

Our Open Doctoral Awards are student-led, and we invite high-quality applications within any disciplinary and interdisciplinary area of the arts and humanities. You will:

  • Agree a research proposal with academic supervisors within the M4C partnership, with the potential to build cross-institutional supervisory teams to maximise fit and expertise.
  • Be accepted for study at a particular institution (your ‘home’ university).
  • Produce a quality thesis and take advantage of personal, professional, and career development opportunities through M4C’s commitment to ‘quality thesis plus’.

In addition to the Open Doctoral Award, M4C also offer an alternative Collaborative Doctoral Award in which you will work with an external partner. 

Duration of study

The normal maximum award tenure is 3.5 years (42 months) for full-time study and seven years (84 months) for part-time study. These periods can be extended if you make a case to the AHRC. You can do this as part of your AHRC M4C application.

Application writing workshops

There is advice and support to help you with your application available at one of the online writing workshops aimed at potential students who are planning to submit an application for PhD research to Midlands4Cities.  

You can register here for the joint University of Leicester/De Montfort University M4C application writing workshop.
It will be offered online, on Saturday 9th November 2024, 14:00-17:00 (GMT).

You can also register here for the Midlands4Cities Application Information Session and Q&A on 13th November 2024 from 4-6pm (GMT)

Advice and support with your application 

Doctoral training partnerships

Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) and Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) are multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional schemes designed to support the training of the next generation of world-class researchers. The University of Leicester is a lead partner in four DTPs/CDTs through which we can offer funded PhD studentships in a wide range of research areas. 

Studentships are available to highly motivated and qualified applicants and provide a generous support package usually including a full fee waiver, annual stipend, and research training support grant. Studentships are in most cases offered early in the year for September start. Enquiries outside of the main application periods are welcomed.

Funding

Funding

The studentship will provide:

  • Tuition fees at the UK rate
  • Stipend to support living costs through Midlands4Cities.

International students need to be able to provide evidence that they can fund the difference between UK and International fees.

Further information can be found on the Midlands4Cities website. 

Full-time studentships

  • Payment of approved UK fees as set and agreed by UK Research and Innovation - UKRI (UK fees currently £4,786 per year for 2024.  Fees for 2025 to be confirmed)
  • Maintenance grant / stipend for the student, (currently £19,237 per year for 2024 entry.  Stipend for 2025 to be confirmed)
  • Research Development Fund (RDF) and Engagement Fund (EF) which support UK/overseas fieldwork/archive visits, attendance at conferences and skills training
  • Collaborative Doctoral Award holders will receive an additional £600 per annum to facilitate partnership working

Part-time studentships (UK only)

  • Payment of approved pro-rata part-time UK fees
  • A pro-rata maintenance grant/stipend at 50% of the full time rate.
  • Research Development Fund (RDF) and Engagement Fund (EF) which support UK/overseas fieldwork/archive visits, attendance at conferences and skills training

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You should either hold a Master's qualification at the time of application or be able to state that you will have completed one by the time your PhD begins (even though the result may not be known and the final examination board may not yet have taken place). You can also apply on the basis of having equivalent relevant professional experience in lieu of a Master's qualification.

University of Leicester English language requirements may apply.

Informal enquiries

Informal enquiries

University of Leicester Site Directors

Leicester funding and application enquiries

Midlands4Cities 

How to apply

How to apply

We recommend you book a place on the Application writing workshop - Date to be confirmed

To apply for AHRC Midlands4Cities Open Doctoral Awards

Find a supervisor from within the following schools and make contact with them to discuss your M4C proposal:

Prepare your proposal on the Research Proposal Form for your University of Leicester PhD application

Step 1: Submit your University of Leicester application

Apply for your Leicester PhD using the Midlands4Cities Apply button at the bottom of the page and select September 2025 entry.

  • If you apply for more than one research area/proposal please only submit one University application form and include both proposals.
  • Include the supervisor's name, academic school/department and project titles in the supervisor section on the proposal page. 
  • Upload your completed Research Proposal Form  
  • Under the funding section select Studentship and in the drop-down list select AHRC Midlands4Cities.
  • In the References section, do not include your referee's email address. Instead, in the tab provided just enter pgradmissions@le.ac.uk as the email contact for both referees. References are requested as part of the AHRC M4C funding application in process Step 2 below.

We would recommend you try, where possible, to submit your PhD application to Leicester before Christmas (Ideally by end of November) or at the very latest by 3rd January 2025 as you will need your Leicester application number to apply for the Midlands4Cities funding. Your Leicester application number will be sent to you in an acknowledgement email when you submit your application.

This will allow you time to submit your M4C funding application (Step 2) in good time for your referees to submit their references before the funding deadline which is noon UK time on 13th January 2025.

Step 2: Submit your Midlands4Cities application

Complete the Midlands4Cities application form This includes your M4C application, nominating your two referees and equal opportunities information.

The deadline for your M4C application and receipt of your two references is noon UK time on 13th January 2025

For more details please refer to the M4C website and please read the M4C guidance notes.

Eligibility

Eligibility

AHRC funding is open to UK and International research students as detailed on the UKRI website.

You should either hold a Masters qualification at the time of application or be able to state that you will have completed one by the time your PhD begins (even though the result may not be known and the final examination board may not yet have taken place). You can also apply on the basis of having equivalent relevant professional experience in lieu of a Masters qualification.

Evidence of English language proficiency may apply.

International applicants

International applicants will be eligible for tuition fees at the UK rate and a stipend to support living costs through Midlands4Cities. International applicants will need to be able to fund the difference between UK and Overseas fees for the duration of study.

International students will require a student visa in order to be able to study in the UK. There are costs associated with the visa application process, which must be met by the student; approximately £2,500 for the visa and healthcare surcharge. Please ensure you have the means to meet these costs before you apply to the programme.

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