Why these Scholarships?
Our aim is for the ethnic diversity within the Crocus DLA to reflect society. We are committed to supporting candidates from Black, Asian, or minoritised ethnic communities (sometimes referred to as BAME) that are currently under-represented in the environmental sciences. As part of our commitment, we will award up to 2 Scholarships for our Cohort 1, Autumn 2025 intake.
What does a Scholarship involve?
Like the project-based studentships, the Scholarships cover both fees and stipend – a tax-free maintenance grant. You will also receive a Research Training and Support budget to cover costs such as conferences, workshops, fieldwork and equipment.
The only difference to our project-based studentships is that you don’t apply for a specific project. You will formulate the project idea as part of the application process, guided by your potential supervisor(s).
What are the eligibility criteria?
Scholarships are available to applicants who meet the following requirements:
- You must be eligible for a Home award. International candidates should not apply. To be classed a Home student, you must meet one of these criteria, as set out by the UKRI:
- be a UK national (meeting residency requirements)
- have settled status
- have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements)
- have indefinite leave to remain or enter.
- You must identify as Black, Asian, or minoritised ethnic (BAME). We recognise that BAME is an umbrella term highlighting some groups and not others and we emphasize that people of mixed heritage should feel encouraged to apply to these scholarships.
- You must meet the criteria based on academic performance and/or relevant previous experience
How do I apply?
The following link will take you to our application portal: https://crocus-dla.grantplatform.com/
Applicants who are eligible for a Scholarship can also apply for project-based studentships at the same time.
How does the application process differ from the project-based route?
During the application process, you will be asked for similar information as for the project-based route, meaning that you can copy your application to any projects and save time writing multiple applications. Specific to the Scholarship application, you will be asked to confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria for the Scholarship. The process flow is described here.
How does the interview process differ from the project-based route?
For projects, candidates are selected for interview by the supervisors, and supervisors carry out the interviews. For Scholarships, candidates are selected and interviewed by a Panel formed of Selection Board members (normally including the Crocus DLA Director at the University of Reading and Co-Director at Swansea University).
Following the interviews, the Panel will invite two candidates to meet with potential supervisors. One of your potential supervisors must be based at the University of Reading or Swansea University, but the lead supervisor can be at any of the Crocus Host Partners. In your meeting (s) with potential supervisor(s), you will discuss project ideas and formulate a project title. The potential supervisor(s) will then inform the Panel whether they are willing to supervise you as a PhD student and provide a draft title for your project.
Following this set of meetings, you will be offered a Scholarship if one or more of the potential supervisor(s) is willing and able to supervise you as a PhD student on a project within the environmental sciences.
Do I need to design my own project?
You are not expected to come up with a project idea as part of your application or the first interview, but the Panel will ask you about the science you enjoy doing, so that we can match you to potential supervisors if you are invited to proceed.
Many supervisors will have prototype project ideas that they can discuss and develop with you, or you can suggest your own research question that they may help develop.
You can get an idea of the types of research we do in the Crocus DLA by looking at our list of advertised projects.