Please read the following guidance before submitting the CASE Project Proposal.

Supervisor briefing recording to learn more about the process of submitting a LISS DTP CASE proposal.

Supervisor briefing recording with subtitles.

PowerPoint Presentation slides of briefing

A drop-in Q&A session will be held Thursday 9th October, 1-2pm on Teams

PDF of the CASE application form questions.

CASE project proposal deadline: 7 November 2025

1. Complete the CASE project proposal form within flexigrant: https://liss-dtp.flexigrant.com/startapplication.aspx?id=15296

To apply, please go to the Flexigrant application portal. You will need to register the first time you use the LISS DTP application portal. Select ‘LISS DTP CASE Studentship Project Proposal 2026’ in the ‘Available grants’ or ‘My applicaitons’ section.

You can view a PDF version of the CASE application form, and you can view the questions in full in the live system.

1. Upload the following documents to your applicaiton within the application portal:
   • Letter of support from non-academic partner: This can be uploaded to your flexigrant application, or you can send a flexigrant link to the non-academic partner.
   • Letter of support from Head of Department/ School/Institute: This can be uploaded to your flexigrant application, or you can send a flexigrant link to the Head of Department/ School/Institute.

Please note:

• Project proposals must be submitted without a nominated student.
• The project proposal must be submitted by an academic at one of our three partner institutions.
• Academic applicants are limited to ONE CASE application in which they are the named primary supervisor.  It is possible to be listed as a second supervisor on multiple CASE applications.

NOTE: Imperial College supervisors: Supervisors from Imperial College must contact liss-dtp@imperial.ac.uk to discuss match funding and international fee waivers before project submission.

Project Proposals are reviewed against other proposals submitted to determine which receive funding from the LISS DTP.

• Project proposal must be at least 50% social science.
• Primary supervisor must be based within one of the LISS DTP partner institutions (KCL, QMUL, Imperial).
• Project proposals must be submitted without a nominated student.

CASE Project Proposals are evaluated according to following criteria:

1. Quality of the project (40% weighting)
2. Quality of the collaboration proposed (30% weighting)
3. Potential for societal and/or economic impact (15% weighting)
4. Suitability of the project team (15% weighting)

Full details of the criteria are outlined in this document.

Each CASE projects is reviewed by two academics from across our partner institutions. The reviews are then sent to the CASE Review Panel which meets in early December.

CASE projects that are awarded funding will be sent for a further review by non-academic partners to feedback on impact potential

Each CASE projects is reviewed by two academics from across our partner institutions. The reviews are then sent to the CASE Review Panel which meets in early December.

CASE projects that are awarded funding will be sent for a further review by non-academic partners to feedback on impact potential

Supervisors will be informed of the outcome of their proposal in the w/c 15 December 2025.

Successful projects:

• It is the supervisor’s responsibility to recruit a student within their home department.
• Projects will be sent for a further review by non-academic partners to feedback on impact potential.

Unsuccessful projects:

• The CASE Review Panel will provide feedback on your proposal in writing.

• Non-academic partners can be private sector companies, public sector bodies or voluntary organisations based in the United Kingdom.
• In exceptional cases, organisations based overseas may be eligible, but they must make the case that they provide training that cannot be provided in the UK.
• The involvement of the partner institution should add value to the studentship (e.g. distinctive opportunities for analysis, dissemination, research management, placement, networking and/or knowledge transfer).  The PhD project should also enhance the partner institution’s activities by offering the potential for societal or economic impact.  
• The non-academic partner can contribute financially or in kind. In kind contributions include providing access to data and resources, office space, specialist training courses, placements, etc. Financial contributions are not compulsory, but can have positive benefits should it contribute to a higher stipend attracting higher quality candidates. Should the partner wish to contribute financially, arrangements for payments should be made in advance with the supervisor’s home department/school and should form part of the formal collaboration agreement.

Please note that all LISS DTP students are expected to undertake a 3-month placement during their PhD. All studentships commencing after October 2024 include three months’ funding intended to support this placement period. Any students who do not complete a 3-month placement within the first three years of their PhD will have their studentships shortened by three months accordingly.

Placements can take place with the CASE non-academic partner and be detailed in the CASE project proposal. However, the placement can also be developed during the PhD with the CASE partner, with a different non-academic organisation or a Research Assistant Internship within an academic organisation.

All placements should enable students to develop a sharper sense of the wider relevance of their research as well as professional and transferrable workplace skills in line with the LISS DTP Development Needs Analysis that students complete annually.  

• LISS DTP will list successful CASE projects on our web pages.
• Supervisor(s) should liaise with their home department/school to arrange for CASE projects to be advertised (e.g. on department web pages, on FindAPhD, Jobs.ac.uk, on social media)
• Funding for advertising successful CASE proposals should be discussed with the lead supervisor’s Department/School in advance, as LISS DTP does not have funding for advertising studentships. Academics should also utilise their own contacts, disciplinary mailing lists and social media to advertise their studentship.

• Applications from candidates should be sent directly to the supervisor(s) or their home department and should include the CASE application form, academic references and academic transcripts
• A PhD central admissions application form for the institution can also be completed at this stage.
• Applicants must meet the ESRC eligibility criteria.

• Supervisor(s) select applicants to be invited for interview and should complete the CASE Interview Form form for any shortlisted candidates.
• LISS DTP expectation is that where possible, the interview panel should consist of the supervisor(s), an independent departmental academic representative and a CASE partner representative.
• Interviews should also follow the guidance and regulations of the home institution of the first supervisor.

• Supervisor(s) should send a ranked shortlist of selected applicants, along with CASE Application Form, CASE interview form, transcripts and references, to LISS DTP by 31 March 2026.
• Applicants nominated by the supervisor(s) should also complete a PhD central admissions application for the Institution and home department/school of the academic supervisor(s).
• LISS DTP carries out ESRC eligibility and training checks on shortlisted applicants.
• The LISS DTP ratification committee makes a final selection and approval of offers in April.

The LISS DTP Ratification Committee meets in April to review all CASE and Open nominations and makes a final selection and approval.

Please note: the total number of international studentships LISS DTP is able to offer has been capped by UKRI at 30% of the total number of studentships awarded each year, and so studentships for international students will be limited in number and competitive. 

Formal studentship funding offers are made to applicants by LISS DTP after the Ratification Committee in April.

• International students (including EU students) are eligible for ESRC studentships.
• Please note: the total number of international studentships LISS DTP is able to offer has been capped by UKRI at 30% of the total number of studentships awarded each year, and so studentships for international students will be limited in number and competitive. 
• The ESRC will only fund the Home Fee, which means that the difference between the home and international fee must be found elsewhere, such as: the student’s department, institution, or another source such as self-funding. LISS DTP institutions will fund the difference between the home and international fee for a limited number of international students and at this stage we cannot guarantee that every international student offered a LISS DTP studentship will receive this funding as part of their studentship.  
• Supervisors should discuss any potential international student appointments with the LISS DTP early in the recruitment process so that the LISS DTP can advise you on the options. 
• Imperial supervisors should also discuss the international fees with their institutional LISS DTP Administrator. 

Projects can be listed as 3.5 years, 1+3.5 years or either. There is a question within the application form where this can be indicated. The final duration of the CASE award may depend on the student that is recruited to the project.

• ESRC will provide 3.5 years of funding as standard which includes time for a 3-month Research in Practice placement. 
• For students awarded 3.5 years funding it is expected that they will have a strong grounding in the core conceptual, general research and subject/field knowledge skills required to start their PhD.
• Funding for training at a master’s level will not normally be available to support students who already have a master’s degree in the social sciences. 

Students must submit their thesis within the funded period. The project must be designed in such way, that students are able to submit their thesis by the end of their funded period. 

• All LISS DTP CASE awards require a Collaboration Agreement with the non-Academic Partner covering intellectual property and any in-kind or financial contributions is signed before the studentship commences. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring this is in place.
• The supervisor should contact their home institution research contracts team to discuss this as soon as possible after the LISS DTP has approved their proposal for funding.  Signed collaboration agreements should be sent to liss-dtp@kcl.ac.uk.

While it is recommended that a financial contribution to the studentship be negotiated with the non-academic partner, this is not essential if the value of the partnership can be shown in-kind, for example through student access to partner data, office space, resources and equipment, training, field sites, research subject communities etc. 

The involvement of the partner institution should add value to the studentship (e.g. distinctive opportunities for analysis, dissemination, research management, placement, networking and/or knowledge transfer) and a financial contribution (though this is not essential).  The PhD project should also enhance the partner institution’s activities by offering the potential for societal or economic impact.  

International partners will be considered; however, they must make the case that they provide training that cannot be provided in the UK.

For a list of previous projects, please visit our CASE for Students page which lists past approved CASE projects. 

Past and current CASE Project providers include:

• The Royal Academy of Arts, London
• United Nations Environment Management Group
• Maritime UK
• London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
• Public Health England
• UK Department for International Trade
• International Institute for Environment and Development
• Universities Space Research Association (USRA) – NASA
• Natural History Museum, London
• The Environment Agency
• Cisco Systems
• Age UK
• Eastside Community Heritage
• The British Library
• Lloyds of London
• National Centre for Social Research
• Westminster City Hall
• Talking Therapies Southwark
• Runnymede Trust
• The GAVI Alliance & VIMC
• Disability Rights UK
• Army Families Federation & Navy Families Federation
• MindWave
• Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
• Entelechy Arts
• Beat – the Eating Disorders Charity
• Autistica & Meet Me At The Albany
• Canal & River Trust + Geffrye Museum
• Electronics Watch
• The National Association of Head Teachers
• East End Trades Guild (EETG)
• NHS England
• Student Minds
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Catalyst 4 Change & Black Thrive
• Rethink Mental Illness
• IOTA Foundation
• Baringa Partners LLP
• Pembroke House
• Hubbub Foundation
• Maternity Action
• Health Promotion Bureau of Sri Lanka
• Passio
• Centre for Mental Health
• Korean Cultural Centre
• Black Country Radio
• Shaping our Lives
• Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity (GSTT)
• South East London Clinical Commissioning Group
• Sanofi Pasteur
• Conservation International
• Beta Technology LTD
• The Edge Foundation
• Endeavor Egypt
• Tower Hamlets Education Partnership
• Falls-Prevention Services, University College London Hospitals
• The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
• Young Brent Foundation
• Hammersmith & Fulham Partnership
• Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
• Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI)

The LISS DTP will award up to 20 CASE Studentships for 2025-26. We received around 55 project proposals last year. For a list of previous projects, please visit our CASE for Students page which lists past approved CASE projects.

Academics may be named as the primary supervisor on one CASE proposal. They may be included as a second supervisor on multiple proposals.

Please note that CASE project proposals must be submitted without a nominated student. Successful projects should be advertised with a clear and fair recruitment process.

The LISS DTP will not vet project proposals before the submission deadline. We encourage project proposers to check against the guidance and information provided here on this webpage. Once all applications have been submitted, projects will be considered against the published assessment criteria, ranked, and the final selection will be made by the CASE Review Panel.

Yes, it is possible to return to the project proposal on flexigrant. Once you start the online form, please save your answers as you go. You can access the application you are working on and edit answers at any point before submitting it through the flexigrant application portal (by the application deadline). PDF of CASE applicaiton form questions.

Major changes to a project proposal will need to be reviewed by the LISS DTP Team to ensure it aligns to the ESRC’s research aims. 

Applicants should complete the CASE application form and send it together with listed documents to the CASE supervisor(s). They may also complete a central admissions PhD application for the Institution of the academic supervisor(s). This step may be completed after you have shortlisted applications, but should be completed before sending the shortlist of applicants to LISS DTP.

As per UKRI regulations 30% of LISS DTP awards can be made to international applicants. Please note that if your preferred candidate is an international applicant you should also submit details of a home reserve candidate in case more than 30% of the nominated CASE applicants are international. 

The deadline for supervisors to confirm the details of a student they would like to appoint to their project is 31st March 2026. If supervisors have been unable to find a suitable candidate by the deadline for student nominations, the award may be withdrawn and reallocated to the LISS DTP’s Open Competition Studentships. Please contact LISS DTP to discuss any issues in identifying suitable candidates. 

If your project is selected for funding, it is the supervisor’s responsibility to advertise the project and recruit a student. LISS DTP will list successful CASE projects on our web pages. Supervisor(s) should liaise with their home department/school to arrange for CASE projects to be advertised (e.g. on department web pages, on FindAPhD, on social media). LISS DTP cannot provide further support or funding to advertise approved projects. We expect transparent recruitment process to be followed.

The supervisor is responsible for ensuring this is in place and should contact their home institutions research contracts team to discuss this as soon as possible after the LISS DTP has approved their proposal for funding.  Signed collaboration agreements should be sent liss-dtp@kcl.ac.uk.