Centres of excellence in doctoral training

EPSRC Centres for doctoral training

Students at EPSRC-funded centres carry out a PhD-level research project together with taught coursework in a supportive and exciting environment. There are two types of centre:

• Doctoral training centres
• Engineering Doctorate and Industrial Doctorate centres

Further information on EPSRC Centres for doctoral training, including a list of centres

ESRC Doctoral Training Centres

The ESRC supports postgraduate training to help ensure the flow of highly qualified people into research careers, funding over 600 studentships a year through the national network of 21 Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs).

Further information on ESRC Doctoral Training Centres

BBSRC Doctoral Training Partnerships

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Partners will provide PhD training to support their strategic plan and will receive a training grant to support three cohorts of 4-year studentships.

The Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) scheme is a revision of the previous Quota Doctoral Training Grants scheme, and is one of a number of our schemes to support doctoral training.

Further information on BBSRC Doctoral Training Partnerships

NERC Doctoral Training Partnerships

The Natural Environment Research Council will reorganise its PhD funding into Doctoral Training Partnerships, following the EPSRC, the ESRC and the BBSRC in switching to such a scheme.

Under the plans, funding will be allocated in a smaller number of larger, long-term grants through a competitive process. Partnerships between institutions are encouraged, and the council will also increase the length of funding to four years.

The council will also split its PhDs into two types: "responsive training", where the topic is chosen by candidates and their supervisor, and a smaller pot for "focused training", where doctorates are directed by what NERC identifies as priority fields or skills.

Because of the scale of the changes, studentships for the next two years will continue as they are, with the first students under the new scheme starting in 2014.

Further information on NERC Doctoral Training Partnerships

AHRC - Block Grant Partnerships 2

The call for Expressions of Interest for Block Grant Partnerships 2 (BGP2) closed at the end of February 2012. BGP2 awards will be given to Research Organisations (ROs) or consortia of ROs to provide funding for postgraduate studentships from 2014. The BGP2 scheme will be the AHRC's main route for providing postgraduate research and training during this period.

Further information on AHRC Block Grant Partnerships