The CROCUS NERC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) at the University of Reading and Swansea University invites applications for up to 23 fully funded PhD studentships starting in September 2025 via two routes:
(1) The 61 exciting projects to choose from can be found on our available projects page, including projects in atmospheric and ocean sciences, the cryosphere, aquatic sciences, hydrology and soil science, and ecology and biodiversity. International candidates are eligible for this route; up to 6 studentships may be awarded to international candidates. The deadline for applications is Monday 20 January 2025, 1200 GMT.
(2) For candidates eligible for Home fees (please see section 5.2.5) who identify as being from a Black, Asian, or Minoritised Ethnic background, we offer up to 2 scholarships across our partnership. Instead of applying to a pre-existing project, you project will be formulated as part of the interview process. If you are shortlisted, you will meet with potential supervisors to identify and develop a suitable project in any of our environmental science disciplines. For further details, see our dedicated BAME scholarships page. International candidates are not eligible for this route. The deadline for applications is Monday 20 January 2025, 1200 GMT.
How to Apply
Applications are made through our online portal, Good Grants.
You’ll find a step-by-step guide to the application process in these Application Flow Charts:
Crocus DLA Project Applications – Process Flow
Crocus DLA BAME Scholarship – Process Flow
We aim to let you know the outcome of your application on Wednesday 5 February. To help reduce unconscious bias, applications are anonymised before being assessed.
Key Dates for Applications for Autumn 2025 Entry
Application Deadline: Monday 20 January, 2025
We aim to let you know whether you will be invited to interview on Wednesday 5 February.
If you have applied for more than one project and/or the Crocus BAME Scholarship, you will be contacted separately for each.
There will be an in-person interview day at the University of Reading and Swansea University on Wednesday 19 February 2025 and online interviews on or around this date for those who cannot attend in person.
The Crocus Selection Board will meet in early March and we will let you know the outcome of the interviews as soon as possible. NERC Universal Acceptance Deadline is Wednesday 19 March 2025.
Get in touch
If you have any questions, please email crocus-dla@reading.ac.uk
Studentships
Our studentships comprise:
- stipend – a tax-free maintenance grant, the amount is set annually by UKRI.
- university fees, for both home and international students
- a Research Training and Support budget to cover costs such as conferences, workshops and equipment.
Studentships are funded for 4 years. It is possible to study for a Crocus PhD on a part-time basis.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We aim to increase the number of applications we receive from under-represented groups. To help reduce unconscious bias, applications will be anonymised before they are reviewed by potential supervisors.
Eligibility based on Academic Performance and/or Relevant Previous Experience
1st or upper 2nd class degree is required in a subject appropriate to the PhD projects applied for (see the project description for more info). Candidates with a lower class of Bachelors degree, but a good performance at the Masters level (“merit” or above) will also be considered.
We will also consider candidates with different academic paths but with experience acquired from a research position, or equivalent, that is relevant to the topic of the PhD project.
Many applicants will still be studying for their undergraduate or Masters degree, so it is fine to provide a projected or target grade for your current degree course – offers are then generally made conditional on the class of the degree actually achieved.
Funding Eligibility
Funding for PhD studentships from NERC is only available to successful candidates who meet the eligibility criteria set out in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) harmonized training grant terms and conditions – see Terms and conditions for training funding for more information.
Crocus funding is not open to students who have already started their PhD research.
International Students
There is an upper limit set by UKRI on the number of international applicants we can fund each year so competition is very strong.
Information about whether you qualify as a Home or International student can be found on the UKRI webpage EU and international eligibility for UKRI studentships.
Due to Tier 4 visa restrictions,
- international students must be based at either the University of Reading or Swansea University, and not at one of our other host partner institutions
- international students can take Masters modules at their home institution only.
- placements will be assessed on a case by case basis to ensure they comply with visa regulations.
International applicants are also required to meet the eligibility criteria for Academic Performance and/or Relevant Previous Experience. Please check the following resource to see whether your degree and grade are equivalent to a 1st or upper 2nd class degree in the UK:
Language Proficiency
Candidates must show the necessary levels of English proficiency described on the University of Reading’s Doctoral and Researcher College webpage and the Swansea University English Language Requirements webpage. Please contact the universities directly if you have any questions.
What happens next?
After you’ve submitted your application and supporting documents via Good Grants, you’ll receive a confirmation email from us.
Referees are automatically contacted when your application is submitted.
Your completed application will be assessed by different panels. The time it takes to consider and process your application varies for each panel.