Seven PhD opportunities across the Departments of Sociology and Criminology, International Politics, and Economics

City St George’s, University of London - School of Policy & Global Affairs (SPGA)

The School of Policy & Global Affairs (SPGA) at City St George's is a cosmopolitan, outward-looking, and internationally excellent centre of education and research. We pride ourselves on our links, connections, and partnerships with business and the professions as well as with the wider communities in which we live and work.

Four PhD studentships and three fee waivers are available across the Departments of Sociology and Criminology, International Politics, and Economics.

Each Department will receive ONE studentship and ONE fee waiver, for home and international students. An additional studentship will be offered to a Black and British candidate, who can apply to any of these three Departments.

Closing application date: 11 February 2026 (17:00 GMT)

What is included

Funding is available for UK, EU, and international students.

The doctoral studentships will consist of:

• an annual stipend (currently £21,237; will rise in line with UKRI guidelines) for three years full-time (pro-rata for part-time study), inclusive of London weighting
• a full UK tuition fee waiver
• and £1,500 in research expenses/consumables over the course of the award.

Eligibility

The studentships will be awarded on the basis of academic achievement and the quality of their proposal. Projects demonstrating a commitment to interdisciplinarity, social change, and equality, diversity and inclusion are particularly encouraged.

Applicants must hold, or be on course to complete, at least a good Second-Class Honours degree and a Master’s degree in a relevant subject (or international equivalent), or provide equivalent qualifications or professional/ practice-based experience that evidences their preparedness for PhD study.

Applicants whose first language is not English and whose qualifications were not completed in a majority English-speaking country must achieve at least 7.0 in IELTS (6.5 for Economics) or a recognised equivalent. Please read information on entry requirements.

Applicants must not be currently registered as a doctoral student at City St George's, University of London or any other academic institution.

How to apply

To apply for studentship funding:

• Complete an application form by selecting ‘How to Apply’ and ‘Apply Now’ via the programme’s course page. You will be asked to register before you can complete your application. Please note that registering does not commit you to studying if you are not successful in gaining funding.
• Upload your transcripts, language test results (if applicable) and research proposal (max. 2000 words exclusive of bibliography). Read guidance on preparing a proposal.
• Upload a short cover letter of no more than two sides of A4, with your application requesting that your application be considered for PhD Studentship funding. Please indicate in this cover letter if your application should be considered for the for the Black British studentship
• All applicants should identify potential supervisors (each candidate will have two supervisors) and contact them in advance to see fit and availability. When supervisors have agreed to supervise the student please indicate that in the cover letter.

Find more information here - https://www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/prospective-students/finance/funding/spga-studentships

For questions please email Dr. Elinor Carmi Associate Dean for Postgraduate Research. - elinor.carmi@citystgeorges.ac.uk