Summary
The University of Aberdeen is one of the 50 leading Higher Education Institutions to receive funding by the AHRC as part of their new approach for funding doctoral study across the arts and humanities.
Description
The University of Aberdeen is offering three AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award studentships starting in 2026/27, available on a full-time or part time basis, with a maximum of 1 award available for an international fee applicant. Projects must fall within the AHRC remit and align with the research within the School of Divinity, History, Philosophy and Art History, School of Language, Literature, Music & Visual Culture, School of Geosciences (Archaeology), School of Law or School of School of Social Science.
Eligibility
AHRC DLA awards are open to both UK and International candidates. Please refer to the eligibility criteria before applying.
The funding is not open to current PhD students or distance PhD applicants.
Both home and international student must be resident in the UK for the majority of their studies and live within a reasonable commuting distance of the Research Organisation. This is to ensure that they can maintain regular contact with their department and their Supervisor. The only exceptions to these requirements are for periods of absence that are an essential part of their study such as fieldwork, study visits or attendance at conferences.
Criteria
Applicants for an AHRC doctoral studentship should demonstrate sufficient academic and/or experience to enable them to undertake doctoral study.
Students currently completing a master’s degree (or and equivalent postgraduate qualification), must have met all course requirements before commencing their AHRC-funded doctoral studentship.
Applicants without a master’s qualification may still be eligible if they can demonstrate experience beyond undergraduate level that is directly related to their proposed research topic. Applicants should provide clear evidence that the training and development they have undertaken has prepared them for doctoral research.
Application Procedure
Completed application forms should be combined with a full academic transcript (provided in English or with a certified translation) in a single PDF document using the file name “AHRC DLA – Student Surname, First name” and submitted to pgrs-studentships@abdn.ac.uk by 12 noon on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
All applicants also need to submit two recent academic references. These can either be combined within the application pdf, if references are already available, or referees may submit their references directly to pgrs-studentships@abdn.ac.uk using the file name “AHRC DLA Academic Reference – Student surname, first name”. Applicants must ensure their referees submit references by 12 noon on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
Deadline
15th of January 2026
Further Info
Watch the University of Aberdeen webinar:
AHRC DLA Information Session-20251110_140438-Meeting Recording.mp4
Watch the SGSAH DLA webinar:
Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities
Any queries in relation to the application process or eligibility, please contact pgrs-studentships@abdn.ac.uk