Please see our main Apply page for details on live studentship opportunities and how to apply.
Types of studentships
For entry in 2023, there are 3 types of PhD studentships on offer;
These are 4 year fully funded projects without specific industry affiliation. This means that you can choose where to do your 3 month PIPS. For more information see standard studentships.
These are industry-funded 4 year PhD studentships, which means you will do your 3 month internship with your industry partner. For more information see the iCASE studentship page and associated drop-down menus.
Diverse Talent Scholarships (DTS)
The DTS is a different route into either the standard studentships or iCASE studentships. It is aimed at students from diverse backgrounds, especially those who may not have previously considered a PhD as a viable option (see DTS page for more details). The DTS application deadlines are slightly later than the standard & iCASE studentships in 2023. If you are awarded a Diverse Talent Scholarship you will be fully integrated into the standard or iCASE programmes once you join the DTP.
Vision
Our vision is to train researchers of the future so that they are equipped to address and solve fundamental and strategic biological questions of national and global importance in the Biology and Biological Sciences Research Council’s (BBSRC) core areas of:
- Bioscience for sustainable agriculture and food
- Bioscience for renewable resources and clean growth
- Understanding the rules of life
- Transformative technologies
- (Reference Forward Look for UK Bioscience, BBSRC pub 2019)
Our DTP programme builds on the excellent track records of the Universities of Leeds (The Faculties of Biological Science, Maths and Physical Science), Sheffield (Faculty of Science) and York (Departments of Biology and Chemistry) as leading centres of research and training in molecular and cellular biosciences.
What is on offer?
We offer a 4-year, fully-funded programme of integrated research and skills training, with cross-disciplinary supervision and a 3 month Professional Internship For PhD Students (PIPS) with an external organisation. These projects are competitive studentships based at the University of Leeds, Sheffield or York and are funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Appointed candidates will be fully-funded for 4 years. The funding includes:
- Tax-free annual UKRI stipend (£17,664 for October 2022 starts. Awards increase every year, typically with inflation).
- UK tuition fees (Around £4,500 per year)
- Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG) (to pay for bench fees and lab costs)
- Conference and Travel allowance (~£900 for 3 years)
- Professional Internships for PhD Students (PIPS) allowance (£1000 for 3 months)
- Centrally organised training and networking opportunities
We aim to support the most outstanding applicants from inside and outside the UK. We are able to offer a limited number of bursaries that will enable full studentships to be awarded to international applicants. These full studentships will only be awarded to exceptional quality candidates, due to the competitive nature of this scheme.