SGSSS Open Competition — Edinburgh Law Studentships 2027-28
ESRC-funded SGSSS studentships for socio-legal and criminology doctoral research at Edinburgh Law School, as MSc plus PhD (1+3.5) or PhD (+3.5) awards.
| Amount / funding | Tuition fees (UK or international) + stipend at UKRI rates (approximately £21,805 per year) |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 24 November 2026, 17:00 GMT (SGSSS application; programme admission application by 19 November 2026, 17:00 GMT) |
| Start date | Academic year 2027-28 |
| Level | PhD |
| Funding type | full |
| Field |
About this scholarship
ESRC-funded SGSSS studentships for socio-legal and criminology doctoral research at Edinburgh Law School, as MSc plus PhD (1+3.5) or PhD (+3.5) awards.
Minimum requirements
Normally a First Class Honours degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject (e.g. BA or LLB); for the PhD award, a relevant masters degree or current study towards one (otherwise 1+3.5 route via MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice); research with a social-science perspective; first supervisor must be a research-active social scientist; awards available to UK fee-status applicants and a limited number of international applicants
Application checklist
- Support of an academic supervisor before applying (first supervisor must be a research-active social scientist)
- Application for admission to the Edinburgh programme by 17:00 GMT 19 November 2026
- SGSSS Open Competition application form via the SGSSS online system by 17:00 GMT 24 November 2026
- Transcripts, CV and two references uploaded by 24 November 2026
- Check SGSSS guidance for eligibility of the proposed project
- Contact the Unit of Assessment Lead (Dr Anna Souhami) to check eligibility before applying
Application tips
- Check eligibility with the Unit of Assessment Lead before applying — projects mainly about procedure, theory, philosophy or history of law are unlikely to be eligible; socio-legal and criminological projects are likely eligible
- Secure supervisor support first: no supervisor support means no application
- Both deadlines bind (admission 19 November, competition form 24 November 2026) — missing either ends the application
- If you lack a relevant masters, consider the 1+3.5 route (one-year MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice followed by the PhD)
Always verify deadline, amount and eligibility on the official page before applying. Values marked ESTIMATE are based on a previous cycle and are not confirmed for the current round.
Tags: socio-legal studies, criminology, social science of law