The University of Sheffield is accepting applications for its AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) for 2027/28 entry, offering four fully funded PhD studentships in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.
The prestigious doctoral funding opportunity provides 3.5 years of PhD funding, including a maintenance stipend currently worth £21,805 per year at the UKRI rate for the 2026/27 academic year, together with tuition fee coverage.
Importantly, international students are eligible to apply, with up to one of the four studentships potentially allocated to an outstanding international candidate. However, competition for the international place is expected to be particularly strong.
The first application deadline is December 14, 2026, when candidates must submit their PhD study application. A separate funding application must then be completed by 5 PM GMT on February 19, 2027.
About the University of Sheffield AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award
The AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award is designed to support postgraduate researchers undertaking innovative research in the arts and humanities.
At Sheffield, the studentships are associated with the AHRC North/North West Hub, in collaboration with nine other regional universities.
The scheme will support four full PhD studentships per year for researchers joining the University for the 2027/28 academic year.
The funding is available for projects within the University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, which includes four major academic schools:
- School of English
- School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities
- School of Languages, Arts and Societies
- School of Law
The Faculty has more than 200 PhD researchers and more than two dozen research centres supporting interdisciplinary and discipline-specific research.
What Does the Scholarship Cover?
The Sheffield AHRC DLA provides substantial financial support for successful doctoral candidates.
Each studentship lasts for 3.5 years of full-time study, with funding available on a pro-rata basis for part-time study.
The award includes:
- UKRI-rate maintenance stipend, currently £21,805 for the 2026/27 academic year
- Full tuition fee coverage
- Home tuition fees where applicable
- International tuition fees where applicable
- Access to the academic and research environment of the University of Sheffield
For international students selected for the award, the studentship can therefore cover tuition fees at the applicable international rate.
The scholarship does not simply provide financial assistance. Recipients will also become members of the wider DLA North/North West Hub cohort and are expected to participate fully in cohort training and related activities.
Who Can Apply?
The scholarship is aimed at new PhD applicants seeking to begin doctoral study at the University of Sheffield in the 2027/28 academic year.
A key eligibility condition is that the scheme is not open to candidates who are already enrolled on a PhD.
International applicants are welcome to apply. However, the University states that up to one of the four studentships may be allocated to an outstanding international candidate, meaning international competition is expected to be particularly intense.
Applicants should therefore ensure that their proposed doctoral research fits within the eligible areas of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and that they meet the University’s requirements for admission to their chosen PhD programme.
Eligible Research Areas
Potential applicants can develop doctoral research within the Faculty’s participating schools.
These include research in:
English: Candidates interested in literature, language and related fields may explore doctoral opportunities through the School of English.
History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities: This school offers opportunities spanning history, philosophy, digital humanities and related interdisciplinary research.
Languages, Arts and Societies: Researchers working across languages, arts, societies and associated fields may find relevant PhD pathways.
Law: The School of Law provides doctoral research opportunities in legal scholarship and related areas.
Applicants should identify a suitable PhD project or supervisor before proceeding with the funding application.
How the Application Process Works
The Sheffield AHRC DLA application process has two separate stages.
First, applicants must submit a standard application for a PhD place at the University of Sheffield through the University’s online postgraduate application portal.
University of Sheffield PhD Application Portal
The deadline for this study application is:
Monday, December 14, 2026
After submitting the PhD application, candidates will receive an application number. This number is required for the second stage.
Applicants must then complete the separate DLA funding application form, entering their PhD study application number.
The funding application must be submitted in one sitting. The University provides a template that applicants can use to prepare their answers before completing the online form.
Important Funding Deadline
The final funding application deadline is:
5 PM GMT, Friday, February 19, 2027
Applicants should not confuse this deadline with the earlier PhD study application deadline. Candidates must first secure their PhD application number before submitting the funding application.
Following the deadline, applications will be shared with the relevant academic school for an initial assessment.
Candidates selected by their school will then be nominated to a Faculty panel, which is expected to meet in March 2027 to confirm the final selections.
The University aims to notify applicants of their final outcome by the end of March 2027.
Why This PhD Scholarship Matters
The University of Sheffield AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award represents a significant opportunity for researchers seeking funded doctoral study in the arts and humanities.
The combination of a 3.5-year studentship, UKRI-rate maintenance stipend and tuition fee coverage makes it particularly attractive to applicants who need substantial financial support to undertake a PhD in the UK.
For international researchers, the opportunity is especially notable because international applications are permitted and tuition fees can be covered at the applicable international rate for the successful international award holder.
However, because only up to one of the four studentships may be allocated to an international candidate, applicants should prepare highly competitive research proposals and carefully follow both stages of the application process.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should first explore PhD projects and supervisors at the University of Sheffield and submit their study application by December 14, 2026.
University of Sheffield AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award — Official Information
After receiving their application number, candidates should complete the separate funding application before February 19, 2027 at 5 PM GMT.
