CHASE AHRC Studentships

Key Details

Start date: 1 October 2025
Location: UEA Campus
Mode of study: Full and part time applications equally welcomed
Programme type: PhD
Application deadline: UEA deadline - Friday 13 December 2024 (midnight UK time), CHASE deadline - Monday 27 January 2025 (midday UK time)

Scroll For More

POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH WITH US

UEA is one of nine leading institutions engaged in collaborative research as part of the Consortium for Humanities and Arts South-East England (CHASE) Doctoral Training Partnership, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). 

CHASE awards over 50 AHRC PhD studentships to funding for postgraduate researchers across the Arts and Humanities, as well as providing a huge range of training, employment, and networking opportunities. In addition to the main studentship competition CHASE also offers five defined Collaborative Doctoral Awards.

UEA CHASE studentship holders, as well as being embedded in a vibrant research and training environment at UEA, will also benefit from a huge network of peers at CHASE institutes; training events; the CHASE Encounters conference; student networks; placements; and funding to assist with research and training costs.

Entry Requirements

Applicants for CHASE studentship funding must hold a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent experience in their area of interest, and meet the entry requirements for the relevant School of study.

To start an application for CHASE funding, students will need the support of a prospective supervisor.

Funding

Successful candidates will be awarded a CHASE AHRC studentship, which pays tuition fees and stipend at standard UKRI rates. 

Additional funding is available to help students with disabilities meet additional costs in relation to their studies.

International students in receipt of a CHASE studentship will also receive an exemption from the higher international tuition fees, meaning that they will have no tuition fees to pay.

In addition to the funding above, CHASE-funded postgraduate researchers are able to access funds to cover research and training costs linked to their PhD. 

Unfortunately, CHASE is not able to provide any additional assistance with relocation or visa costs.

How to Apply

It is strongly recommended that early contact with potential supervisors is made, so that you can discuss and refine your research proposal before the deadline. You will need the support of a supervisor before you can start the CHASE application, and a supporting statement from a supervisor before you can submit a CHASE application.  

If you would like help identifying possible supervisors for your research please send an outline of your research proposal to chase.dtp@uea.ac.uk, indicating the School of Study you wish to apply to. 

Application  

 Two applications are required from candidates wishing to be considered for CHASE studentship funding: 

1. The application to UEA for a place to study for a PhD 

All students who wish to apply for CHASE studentship funding must use the University of East Anglia online application form to apply to study for a PhD here by Friday 13 December 2024.

We recommend that students use the CHASE guidance (including headings and word counts) for structuring their research proposal – this will save the need to rewrite the proposal for CHASE. 

(Current PhD students do not need to submit this application but must submit a CHASE application as below).

You do not need to know the outcome of pending applications to UEA to apply for a CHASE studentship.

2. The application to CHASE for studentship funding 

Having secured the agreement of a supervisor to support your application, you should ask them to send a brief email to chase.dtp@uea.ac.uk with cc to you, requesting that you be given access to the CHASE application form. The support team will then send you the access code. 

Your complete CHASE application, which must include a statement of support from your supervisor and two references, must be submitted by the deadline of midday on Monday 27 January 2025.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the supervisor statement and references are submitted in time for the deadline. 

Institutional review 

Submitted CHASE applications will first be considered at UEA, within one of the four Schools of study making up UEA’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Highly rated applications will be put forward by their School to a Faculty panel for consideration. The Faculty panel will then select 17 applications from UEA to go forward in the CHASE competition. Up to five of these 17 nominees can be international applicants.

All UEA CHASE applicants will be notified of the outcome of the institutional review by 21 March 2025.

CHASE review

Nominated candidates’ applications will then be assessed by one of four CHASE panels made up of representatives from across the consortium. Scores and comments from these panels will be used to produce a ranked list of candidates for studentship awards. The CHASE Management Board will discuss this ranking, and an initial list of candidates for studentship funding will be agreed, with other applications ranked and listed as ‘reserves’ for funding or deemed not to be fundable on this occasion. 

CHASE will notify candidates of the outcome of their application by 14 May 2025. Those on the reserve list may be offered a studentship after this date.

Contact us at chase.dtp@uea.ac.uk if you have any enquiries about CHASE funding or the application process, or otherwise require any assistance with your application.