Competition for Northern Bridge studentships is intense, and we require evidence of academic excellence at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as evidence that the candidate has sufficient research skills to undertake the project.

This generally means a first-class or good upper-second undergraduate degree and performance at or around distinction level in a masters degree.

In exceptional cases, candidates with lower qualifications may be considered if they can demonstrate that relevant professional practice or work experience has equipped them with equivalent academic and research skills.

As of 2020/21, all international students will be eligible to apply for Northern Bridge Consortium studentships, including EU and non-EU citizens. We currently have no specific guidance as to how this will work in practice and the exact level of financial support or number of studentships we will be able to offer students in this category. Please check back here regularly for updates on this as we release them.

Further details about the AHRC's residency requirements, which Northern Bridge is required to follow, can be found in UKRI's Terms and Conditions of Research Council Training Grants.

To be eligible for a studentship in the next recruitment round you must be applying to commence a programme of doctoral study in the 2021/22 academic year, which starts 1 October 2021.

Applicants who have already commenced their doctoral studies are eligible to apply providing they will have completed no more than 18 months of full-time or 36 months of part-time study by 1 October 2021.

Awards cannot be deferred and selected candidates will be assumed to be starting their studies on 1 October 2021 unless there are exceptional circumstances. No award can begin later than January 2022.