Frequently Asked Questions

Home, and international (including EU) students are eligible to apply. However, the total number of international studentships a 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.

LISS DTP institutions will fund the difference between the UKRI Home Tuition Fee 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.

Nationality and residency requirements for both Home and International students can be found in EU and international eligibility for UKRI funded studentships from 2021 – UKRI guidance. Please read this document to determine whether you will be classed as a Home or International student.

If you are unsure of your tuition fee status, please contact the Admissions Team at the institution to which you have applied. LISS DTP is unable to advise on complex cases and will abide by your institution’s assessment of your status.

Please note that applicants awarded LISS DTP funding are expected to reside within a reasonable travelling distance of the research organisation where they are registered once they commence their studies.

Due to the limited number of studentships available, successful applicants are likely to have:

● a very good first degree (BA or BSc Honours or equivalent) at 1st class standard or upper 2nd with average of 65% or above,

● for +3.5 awards, an appropriate Masters degree (at distinction or at least high merit level) is expected,

● other qualifications relevant to the proposed area of study, such as professional or work-related expertise, will also be considered.

The following are NOT eligible:

● Students who will have less than 50% of their study time (usually 3.5 years for a full-time PhD) remaining when they start their LISS-funded studentship. In practice, this means that students in their first year of doctoral study can apply for funding for the second and third years.

● Students enrolled on OR applying for distance learning learning programmes.

● Applicants who have already been awarded a PhD or equivalent degree.

Please see our Open Competition webpage for further information.

CASE Competition Studentships: applicants must apply directly to the supervisor recruiting to the CASE project. All CASE studentships available for 2027 will be listed on our CASE studentships webpage, please follow the application details listed for each recruiting project.

CASE Projects are usually advertised from January each year, with recruitment and selection being handled by the supervisor. Each project listing will include details of how the student should apply and you can contact the supervisor directly for further information.  Students should be identified by March each year ready to commence study the following October. 

For the Open Competition, you must have one reference from a person other than your supervisor who can testify to your potential to undertake doctoral study. You can invite your referee to submit their reference as a collaborator in the application portal or upload the reference yourself as a part of the application submission process. The reference must be on a letterhead paper and include contact details for your referee.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the reference is submitted by the application deadline. The LISS DTP Team will not contact your referee to request their reference.

We therefore recommend starting your application well in advance of the deadline to allow your referee sufficient time to provide their reference

We expect references to at a minimum summarise:

● applicants’s suitability and preparedness for Doctoral study 

● the capacity in which they know the applicant  

● comments on the applicant’s previous performance and achievements 

● comments on the applicant’s preparedness for doctoral study

● the applicant’s predicted or actual degree result if applicable.

● Open Competition

● CASE for PhD Applicants

● Open Competition

● CASE for PhD Applicants

Students who have started their PhD and have more than 50% of their study time remaining (usually 3.5 years for a full-time PhD) when they start their LISS-funded studentship are eligible to apply for the remaining time to be funded.

In practice, this means that students in their first year of doctoral study can apply for funding for the second and third years.

Please submit any interim transcripts demonstrating progress on your Masters. 

If you are unsure of your tuition fee status, please contact the Admissions Team at the institution to which you have applied. LISS DTP cannot advise on complex fee status cases and will use the fee status determined by your institution when assessing your eligibility for funding.

Please see our Funding Eligibility webpage for further information.

Yes. LISS DTP Studentships can be undertaken on either a full-time or part-time basis. The ESRC actively encourages applications from both full-time and part-time students.

Successful applicants will be asked to accept/decline it by a given deadline (usually within two weeks of the studentship award offer).  If a successful candidate fails to respond by the deadline or declines the offer, their award will automatically be transferred to a reserve candidate who is next in line for the award.

We are unable to tell reserve candidates their position on the reserve list.

Due to the high volume of applications received, LISS DTP is regrettably unable to provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Visa applications are administered by the institution where you will be registered as a student, not by LISS DTP.

If you are offered a studentship and require a visa to study in the UK, please consult the admissions and international student advice teams at your host institution, who will provide guidance on the visa application process and any documentation required.

Please note that LISS DTP studentships do not cover student visa application fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge, or travel costs to the UK.

We understand that in rare instances circumstances do change and you may wish to decline your offer. If you do so, it is important to do the following:

1. Contact the LISS DTP Team as soon as possible at liss-dtp@kcl.ac.uk. 
2. Contact your supervisor

A LISS DTP studentship will normally start on 1 October. A later starting date may be possible in exceptional circumstances, for example in the case of illness, or if a student needs to give notice to a current employer. Please contact the LISS DTP Team as soon as possible if you would like to discuss a later start date as an option.

Your supervisor and host department/ course of study must also approve the deferral. Deferrals to the following academic year are not allowed.

If a candidate wishes to defer a full academic year, they will need to reapply for the next round of studentship funding.

Full-time students are expected to dedicate their working time to their doctoral research and should discuss any paid employment with their supervisor in advance. Any paid work should not normally exceed 6 hours per week.

Part-time students are expected to devote approximately 50% of their working time to their doctoral studies and should agree an appropriate balance between study and employment with their supervisor. Part-time students may not be in full-time employment.

Applicants requiring a visa should also ensure that they comply with any relevant visa conditions and work restrictions.

Yes! All new students will receive a ‘LISS DTP Student Essentials Series’ from the LISS DTP Team from June – September (monthly) before their studentship starts in October.

We will share updates, actions for you to complete and let you know more about what to expect when you join the LISS DTP. You can also follow our social media channels and get in touch with the team with any enquiries; visit our Team and Contacts webpage.

For October entry, new students will be invited to the LISS DTP Student Induction by the end of July. We tend to host our induction in late September/early October and our communications over the summer will confirm the date.