Eligibility and residency

Residency guidelines

We fund UK and international students with evidence of exceptional promise for PhD study. Our students will have a compelling project that benefits from the expertise we offer in and across a range of subjects and from our rich archival resources and network of professional partners.

Eligibility for studentships

SWWDTP studentships are open to full-time and part-time applicants from the UK and abroad. Students in full-time employment during their PhD are not eligible for a studentship. A student in part-time employment during their PhD may be eligible for a part-time award; part-time study should not be less than 50% of full-time.

Students who have already commenced doctoral study are eligible to apply for AHRC funding, provided that, at the start of the AHRC award, they will have at least 50% of the total funded period remaining (1 year and 10 months for full-time applicants).

SWWDTP studentships entitle both UK and international doctoral students to a tuition fee award and a full maintenance award.

For international students, UKRI/AHRC – and therefore SWWDTP – will only fund fees to the level of the Home UK fee. Each consortium member determines how it manages the difference between its home student and international student tuition fees. Please check the relevant funding pages of your chosen home institution for its policy on how it manages this difference.

International research travel and placement activities must be compliant with the terms of your visa. Your supervisors and/or the international office at your prospective home institution may be able to offer advice on this. Please be aware that coming to the UK may involve additional costs which are not covered by the studentship.

Residence status

For purposes of residence requirements, the UK includes the United Kingdom and Islands (the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man).

To be classed as a home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

A candidate who does not meet the criteria above is classed as an international student. International students will need to relocate to the UK and live within a reasonable distance of their home institution for the duration of their funded period. SWWDTP is not able to fund distance-learning PhDs,

International applicants must ensure that they meet visa and residency requirements. UKRI offers further guidance for international applicants.

Download EU and international eligibility for UKRI studentships from 2021 (PDF, 195kB)

Academic eligibility

To be eligible to apply for a doctoral studentship, you must have an undergraduate degree. You should normally have, or be studying for, a Master’s degree or similar postgraduate qualification. You should also have met all the course requirements of your home institution before the start date of the SWWDTP studentship.

If you do not have experience of formal postgraduate study, you would be eligible to apply for a studentship if you can demonstrate evidence of sustained experience beyond your undergraduate degree that is specifically relevant to your proposed research topic and/or methodology that could be considered equivalent to Master’s study.