Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) studentships

Value of award (per year)

Each award covers full tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rates. 

For the academic year 2025-2026, the annual stipend (based on the UKRI rate) is £20,780. These rates are subject to adjustment in future years and will be confirmed by UKRI before the start of each year. 

Duration of award

The funding duration is 3.5 years (or up to 4 years, to include up to six months of training or placement). Students must submit their thesis by the end of the funding period.

At what stage of my course application can I apply for this scholarship?

Apply after you have submitted your application for a place at St Andrews. You do not need to wait until you have received an offer of a place before applying for the award.

Additional criteria

Within the scholarship application form, you will be required to give a series of statements about your research as well as upload your research proposal, a transcript of your qualifications, and a curriculum vitae (C.V.). Please refer to the guidance below to complete your application form.

Research proposal (1,000 words)

You should upload to your application form a research proposal that is original, innovative, clearly written, and feasible within the funded timeframe. Your methodology should be appropriate and well-supported by current research or practice. Full bibliographic referencing is not required. Please use the subheadings below to address each part of the criteria:

A) Research question(s) and problem
What is your project aiming to explore or solve? Why is this question timely and important?

B) Research context, methods, sources, originality and academic contribution
Where will your study be situated? What methods and sources will you use, and why are they suitable? How is your project original, and how will it contribute to academic knowledge?

C) Knowledge exchange, public engagement and impact
How will you identify and engage with audiences beyond academia? Why might these groups be interested, and how could they benefit? What strategies will you use to communicate and connect with them?

Preparedness to undertake Doctoral study and complete a PhD (300 words)

You are asked to provide a statement explaining how your academic or professional experience has prepared you to undertake this specific doctoral project and complete it within the designated timeframe. You may wish to refer to:

• Topics and length of successfully completed dissertations or modules
• Relevant methodological training or expertise (e.g. proficiency in a language, IT skills, etc.)
• Work-based learning or employment in a related field
• Notable achievements, whether academic (e.g. prizes, conference presentations, publications) or non-academic (e.g. professional accomplishments, personal milestones, overcoming challenges)

Relevant professional experience (300 words)

If you complete this section within the application form, it will be reviewed in place of any qualifications you have provided.  

You should only complete this statement if: 

• You do not have and are not studying towards a Masters degree or equivalent
• Or are returning to Masters study after a considerable break in higher education
• Or gained a Masters degree more than five years previously
• Or if your Masters degree is not in a relevant subject
• And you have significant professional experience, which is relevant to your research proposal.

You should use this section to provide evidence that the training and development you have received is equivalent to that obtained through a relevant Masters course and, therefore, prepares you to continue to doctoral study.  

Individual Training Plan (ITP) and engagement with the Hub and University training (400 words)

In this section, we want to hear about:

• How you plan to pursue bespoke training opportunities essential for completing your research project and achieving your professional goals (including your future career plans)
• How you will engage with cohort-wide training opportunities offered by the DLA Hub and the University of St Andrews

Please address each point under the separate sub-headings below. These plans must be discussed and agreed with your supervisor before submitting your application.

Individual Training Plan: Describe how your training plan will support the successful completion of your research and prepare you for your chosen career. This may include activities such as archival visits, language or methodological training, internships, or a visiting artist/researcher position. Briefly outline the activities you intend to undertake and explain their relevance to your project.

Engagement with the DLA Hub and HEI: Explain how you will participate in the life of the DLA Hub, including collaborative training opportunities, activities, and schemes you plan to engage with both within the Hub and at the University of St Andrews.

How to apply

As a prospective PhD student, you will apply to work with an individual supervisor or supervisory team within a School, rather than to a specific programme of study. It is therefore essential to review staff research interests within the Business School, School of Art History, School of Classics, School of Divinity, School of English, Department of Film Studies, School of History, School of International Relations, School of Modern Languages, Department of Philosophy, School of Social Anthropology, and to ensure that your proposed project aligns with an existing area of research.

1. Apply for your chosen course at the University St Andrews: Postgraduate research. Your course should meet the eligibility criteria for this scholarship (see above). After submitting your course application, you must allow up to three working days to receive login details for the My Application portal.
2. When you have received your login details, apply for the scholarship by logging into My Application, follow the links to Scholarships and Funding and then search for Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) studentship in the Scholarships and funding catalogue.

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to submit their application as early as possible.

Terms and conditions

Please read the University of St Andrews scholarships terms and conditions

If applying to this scholarship, please be aware of the following requirements:

• You must meet and agree to the Research Council terms and conditions for funding.
• UKRI handles all personal data in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• Further information is provided via the UKRI Privacy Notice.

When will I know the outcome?

The outcome of your scholarship application will be available on View or continue my funding applications in the Scholarships and Funding section of My Application during the week commencing Monday 30 March 2026.