Student-led General Competition

The first step is to find out which universities within WGSSS offer research training and supervision in the field you want to work in. There are 15 training pathways across 7 universities in the WGSSS consortium. Not all pathways are available at all universities. Our pathway pages detail the topics covered within each pathway. If you are not sure which training pathway your proposed research project fits into, please contact the named Pathway Convenor for advice. 

You should develop a general sense of the research project you want to pursue in your PhD, and then approach an academic at one of WGSSS partner institutions in a pathway that is suited to your project. The lead supervisor must be based in one of the accredited departments/schools. The academic staff pages on WGSSS partner institution websites are a great place to start, most of the academic staff pages will have a biography detailing their subject area of interest.  
If you are having difficulties locating a suitable supervisor, you can approach the admissions team or a WGSSS Pathway Convenor or link at the university you wish to apply to, who can assist you.  
We recognize that students have diverse experience of formulating research plans. As part of our commitment to widening participation, all WGSSS supervisors are encouraged to support applicants in developing proposals, building on their specific strengths and experience.   

Once you have selected your pathway and institution. Please make a formal application via the relevant university pages. Please ensure that you include all the required information and documents in your application. All documents must be sent by the application deadline, incomplete applications will not be accepted. 

Your application is reviewed by the department/university where your potential supervisor is located. This is to allow them to decide on offering you a PhD place.

If you are successful and are shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview by a pathway panel. If your interview is successful, your application will be nominated by the Pathway Lead to the WGSSS Management Board for review. Your potential supervisor will also complete an Initial DNA to assess your training experience and to assess your requirements. You will then be contacted by WGSSS to confirm receipt of your application.  

Following review by a special competition sub-group of the Management Board, WGSSS will then provide an outcome to all nominated candidates. If you are successful, you will be sent a confirmation of funding letter which you will need to accept or decline within 2 weeks. Once you have accepted the offer, you will then be asked to attend a meeting with the WGSSS Training Lead to complete your Full DNA. 

Successful applicants will meet with the WGSSS Training Lead who will use the Initial DNA to help review their training experience and needs in depth, matching this to training provision in WGSSS. This will allow completion of a Full DNA, specifying required training and establishing the length of award.

Once the length of award has been confirmed, you will then be sent your formal award letter and funding letter by the institution you have applied to.