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White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership Studentships

The White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP) is a partnership of seven Universities including York. Each year, WRDTP offers a range of social sciences PhD studentships, alongside comprehensive training, to develop the next generation of social science leaders for a diverse range of careers.

Funding
ESRC stipend (£21,805 2026/27) plus full fee waiver (updated rates for 2027/28 will be published in early 2027)
Academic year
2027/28
Open to
International (including EU), International (non-EU) and UK (home) students
Qualification level
Postgraduate research and Postgraduate taught

Important information about deadlines

Although the deadline for applications is Wednesday 20 January 2027 5pm GMT, applicants must first be shortlisted by their chosen departments to be eligible. Please find details about these internal deadlines/processes below.

WRDTP has been accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to offer studentships across a range of schemes, available for taught and research students commencing their studies in Autumn 2027. The following awards will be open for application from students:

  • up to 38 Pathway Awards available across the DTP incorporating 2 Interdisciplinary Research Awards and 2 WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Awards for Black British applicants
  • up to 2 WRDTP Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) Awards
  • up to 2 WRDTP Advanced Data Analytics (ADA) Awards

About our awards

  • Pathway Awards offer applicants the opportunity to develop proposals for impactful social science research that engages with the key themes and challenges identified in our thematic interdisciplinary pathways. Pathway Awards fund candidates who have submitted their own research project, and successful students will be supervised by a team of academic colleagues who share their subject expertise.

  • Advanced Quantitative Methods Awards are available for researchers who will use cutting edge quantitative research methods to facilitate impactful research that is aligned with WRDTP thematic interdisciplinary pathways. These projects will use either primary or secondary quantitative data to answer research questions about society.

  • Advanced Data Analytics Awards are available for researchers who will use cutting edge data analysis techniques (which can be quantitative and/or qualitative), or will deploy large scale or ‘big’ data, to facilitate impactful research that is aligned with WRDTP thematic interdisciplinary pathways.  These projects are likely to use forms of secondary data that are not commonly used in social science research, and that require particular techniques to understand and interpret those data. 

  • WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Awards are available for Black British applicants. In partnership with the Stuart Hall Foundation, the WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Pathway Awards will support the next generation of Black British social science researchers conducting research aligned to the Foundation’s mission.

Information sessions

Applicants are invited to attend online information sessions via Zoom for guidance on the application process, led by the WRDTP Office and the University of York:

  • Thursday 8 October 2026, 5.30pm to 6.30pm GMT, Applicant information session by WRDTP- Book your place
  • Wednesday 21 October 2026, 5pm to 6pm GMT, Applicant information session by University of York - Book you place
  • Tuesday 3 November 2026, 5.30pm to 6.30pm GMT, Applicant drop-in session by WRDTP - Register your interest

White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership Studentships contact details

Eligibility

Open to International (including EU), International (non-EU) and UK (home) students.

  • Applicants who have already commenced a PhD are not eligible to apply for a WRDTP studentship, due to the programme’s specific requirements.
  • Remote, online or distance-learning PhD programmes are not eligible for ESRC funding.
  • Applicants must first apply online for a place on an appropriate academic programme within an eligible department/school, before applying for this funding opportunity.
  • If you are an international applicant there are some additional factors to consider as part of your application. Please see English language requirements and country-specific entry requirements.

Types of programme

These awards are applicable to various programmes of study and can be held full time or part time. 

All WRDTP programmes include an integral 3-month ‘Research in Practice’ placement as standard.

Depending on your prior academic experience and in discussion with your prospective supervisor, applicants will normally select a programme as follows:

Programme Suitable for/prior experience You'll study Full-time funding duration
+3.5 Social science Masters degree and with 60 or more credits (or equivalent) of M-level social science research training. PhD only 3.5 years
+3.75 Social science Masters degree, but have not undertaken core research training. Integrated PGCert/PhD which will include 60 credits of research methods modules 3 years 9 months
1+3.5 No social science Masters degree. Masters + PhD

4.5 years

For applicants selecting the 1+3.5 programme, they will undertake the MA in Social Research. 

For applicants selecting the +3.5 and +3.75 programme, please see the list of PhD programmes on offer.

How to apply

How to apply

The application process is managed internally by departments. You should seek out advice from your prospective supervisor in the first instance if you are interested in applying for this funding opportunity.

Stage 1

  • You must first apply online for a place on an appropriate academic programme within an eligible department/school, before applying for this funding opportunity.
  • You must apply for either the MA in Social Research (for the 1+3.5 programme) or a relevant PhD programme (for the +3.5 and +3.75 programme).
  • Each department/school has an earlier internal deadline by which prospective applicants must apply by.
  • The admissions portal for September 2027 onwards opens at the end of September/start of October 2026. Please wait until this time to make an application.
  • If you intend to apply for a 1+3.5 studentship then you must apply for both the MA in Social Research (for 2027/28 entry) and the relevant PhD programme (for 2028/29 entry).

Stage 2

WRDTP Pathway/AQM/ADA Draft Application Form

Stage 3

  • Following their internal deadline, departments/schools will select applicants going forward in the process.
  • Selected applicants will be invited by their department/school to complete a final application form by Wednesday 20 January 2027, 5pm GMT.
  • Departments/schools will share the link to the application form directly with selected applicants.
  • Some departments/schools will provide their candidates with written feedback on their draft application form. Feedback will be provided at the end of December 2026, or mid-January 2027.
  • Before completing your final application form, you are strongly advised to read the application guidance.

Stage 4 - International applicants only

Departments/schools will run an additional, highly selective internal selection process for international applicants only. This is because the ESRC limits the proportion of awards available to international applicants to 30%, which means that the WRDTP cannot offer any more than 30% of its awards to international candidates.

Stage 5

  • Departments/schools will submit nominations to the WRDTP for consideration by Wednesday 24 February 2027, 5pm GMT.
  • Please note that selection by your department/school constitutes a nomination for funding rather than a final offer.

Stage 6

  • White Rose Academic Quality Committee will review the nominations and confirm the award winners.
  • The award winners are expected to be announced by WRDTP by Friday 23 April 2027. Successful candidates will be notified by the University of York by the end of April 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Process timeline
Stage Date
Apply for an appropriate academic programme within an eligible department/school by their internal deadline

Please check your department/school’s internal deadline below

The admissions portal opens end of September/start of October 2026
Submit a draft application of the WRDTP application, if applicable, to your department/school by their internal deadline Please check your department/school’s internal deadline below
Departments/schools select candidates going forward in the process Late December 2026 – Early January 2027
Some departments/schools will provide candidates with feedback on their draft application form End of December 2026 or Mid-January 2027
Deadline for selected candidates to submit a final application form Wednesday 20 January 2027, 5pm GMT
Departments/schools will run an internal selection process for international applicants only Thursday 21 January – Wednesday 24 February 2027
Departments/schools select candidates to nominate to the WRDTP Wednesday 24 February 2027, 5pm GMT
WRDTP review nominations March – April 2027
WRDTP announce award winners Friday 23 April 2027
Successful applicants notified by UoY End of April 2027 or thereafter
Terms and conditions

Terms and conditions

  • Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of York whilst in receipt of this award.
  • All WRDTP programmes include an integral 3-month ‘Research in Practice’ placement as standard.
  • Applicants should read the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide and be willing to abide by the conditions and regulations therein.

Data protection

Any data we require will be held and used in accordance with our privacy policy.

Application guidance and documents

Department processes and eligibility

Please find below details of the internal application process of your department/school.

For applicants selecting the 1+3.5 programme, they must apply for the MA in Social Research by your department/school’s internal deadline, followed by an application for the relevant PhD programme (for 2028/29 entry).

For applicants selecting the +3.5 and +3.75 programme, please see the list of PhD programmes on offer below.

Please note if there is only one specified deadline, you must apply for both the academic programme (MA or PhD) and send the completed WRDTP draft application form by the department deadline.

Economics
Education
Environment and Geography
  • Please contact the Department for further information about their departmental process at chem-env-pgr@york.ac.uk
Health Sciences
History
Language and Linguistic Science
Law
Politics and International Relations
Psychology
School for Business and Society
Sociology