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Supervisor-led projects for the 2026 recruitment cycle (Cohort 3) will be posted here when available (from December 2025).

Up to six students will comprise each cohort. We will offer:

• 4 x studentships to UK (or UK-domiciled) students
  • fully funded for 48 months at UKRI base rates for maintenance and tuition
  • £10k (£2.5k per year) Research Support and Training Grant
• 1 x studentship to an international student
  • fully funded for 48 months at UKRI maintenance and University international tuition rates
  • £10k (£2.5k per year) Research Support and Training Grant
• 1 x “Master’s + PhD” studentship to an eligible UK (or UK-domiciled) student*
  • fully funded for 60 months at UKRI maintenance and University tuition rates for:
    • 12 months research master’s degree
    • 48 months doctoral degree
    • £10k (£2.5k per year) Research Support and Training Grant

*Note that funds for the “Master’s + PhD” track are ring-fenced for supporting students from underrepresented groups. To be eligible, applicants must be:

1. a UK domiciled student
2. not already have a master’s degree from the University of Southampton
3. be from a low-income household background evidenced by, for example, being in receipt of a full maintenance loan or Special Support loan during their undergraduate studies

and/or

4. be one of the following categories of ethnicity:
   • Black African
   • Black Caribbean
   • Black Other
   • Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
   • Mixed – White and Black African
   • Other mixed background (including Black African, Black Caribbean and Black Other)

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

You will need to have a 2:1 honours undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification. If your grade was lower than 2:1 you can still apply, but your application and narrative CV should demonstrate progression since your degree.

If you have completed a master’s degree, you should have achieved a merit or above including 60% for the dissertation. If you have not completed a master’s, you’ll need to show you can produce high quality writing and analysis.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

If English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to demonstrate that you possess a minimum standard of English language proficiency in order to be admitted to a course at the University, per University requirements. Full information on English language proficiency requirements are available here.

Selection criteria will emphasise interdisciplinarity and the applicant’s potential to undertake research.

Applications for studentships starting October 2026 will open in December 2025. Please check our site for updates.

A complete application will include:

• Programme for Interdisciplinary Resilience Studies application document
• pre-formatted CV
• narrative résumé
• academic transcript of your undergraduate degree showing modules and marks achieved, in English
• undergraduate degree certificate (if you have graduated)
• academic transcript from your master’s degree (if applicable) showing modules and marks achieved
• master’s degree certificate (if applicable, and if you have graduated)
• English Language Qualification (if required)
• project proposal if applying for a student-led project – further guidance on creating a project can be found here, or above, under “Student-led route: Propose your own project”)
• 2 academic references from your most recent place of study or details for 2 academic referees
• University of Southampton EDI form

Applications submitted without all of the necessary documents will not be shortlisted for further consideration.

All shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview.

If you are an international (non-UK) applicant – please note that PIRS cannot cover the costs of a visa and UK health-check fees associated with enrolling in a PhD programme as an international student. Nor will those costs be otherwise covered by the University. This incurred expense (should you accept an offer) may inform your decision to apply.