PhD Opportunities
ARC NWC Doctoral Award: Round 1
The NIHR ARC NWC is delighted to announce the first call for applications to our Doctoral Research Programme.
The NIHR funds high quality, timely research that benefits healthcare, public health and social care organisations, as well as the people and communities they serve. Through the NIHR Academy, they attract, train and support the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented within the health and care research workforce.
NIHR are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do. Diverse people and communities shape our research, and we strive to make opportunities to participate in research an integral part of everyone’s experience of health and social care services. We develop researchers from multiple disciplines, specialisms, geographies and backgrounds, and work to address barriers to career progression arising from characteristics such as sex, race or disability.
We are now recruiting to the ARC NWC Doctoral Researcher Network, with funded Doctoral Award opportunities available across a range of priority research themes. These full-time awards are tenable up to 3 years full-time study (subject to satisfactory progress) and will cover the cost of tuition fees at UK Home rates. A tax-free stipend in line with the UK Research and Innovation rate is payable at £21,805 per annum, and an additional Research Training and Support Grant of up to £1000 per year will be paid for approved research and/or training costs.
Please Note: Due to funding restrictions, the ARC NWC Doctoral Award funds tuition fees at UK Home rates only. It is expected that successful applicants will commence study no later than 1st February 2027.
ARC NWC Doctoral Projects and Supervisory Teams:
Download a copy of our ARC NWC Doctoral Research Project Directory.
We support applied research which:
- Aligns with an ARC NWC Research Theme
- Addresses regional and/or national priorities
- Involves co-production with the people and communities affected by the research
- Seeks to understand and reduce health inequalities, improving outcomes for individuals, communities, and populations.
ARC NWC academic staff, in collaboration with our healthcare, public health, and social care partner organisations, have developed doctoral research projects to meet these aims.
There are 76 doctoral research projects available. Find out more about the projects available in the ARC NWC Doctoral Research Project Directory.
Each project is supported by experienced supervisory teams, experts in their field with a broad range of expertise, with demonstrated track records of successful supervision to PhD completion. In Round 1, projects are available across four of our partner universities, and successful applicants will be registered at and hosted by the university of the primary supervisor.
How to apply:
The application process comprises two stages:
Stage 1: Application for an NIHR ARC NWC Doctoral Award
Applicants are required to submit an application to the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC). The application will include:
- Applicant details
- Selection of a preferred doctoral research project and supervisory team
- A research proposal (max 1000 words)
Applicants must:
- Discuss their research proposal with the appropriate Primary Supervisor (or a member of the supervisory team) prior to application
- Contact details for primary supervisors can be found in the ARC NWC Doctoral Research Project Directory
- Consult the FOR Equity Toolkit and demonstrate its application in their research proposal
- Primary supervisors can support applicants in this process
Applications will be assessed by the ARC NWC review panel. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that interviews will be held on predetermined dates at the relevant partner university. Successful applicants will be notified of the outcome and invited to progress to Stage 2.
Stage 2: University Application, Registration and Enrolment
Successful applicants will be referred to their host university to complete local registration and enrolment requirements.
Important Notice: Applicants must meet the entry requirements of their chosen host university. It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that they meet all relevant admissions requirements prior to submitting a Stage 1 application. Eligibility for an ARC NWC Doctoral Award does not guarantee admission to a doctoral programme at the host institution. Furthermore, applications without prior consultation with the appropriate primary supervisor will not be shortlisted.
Application and submission deadline
Opening date: 11 September 2026 at 1.00pm
Download a copy of the NIHR ARC NWC Doctoral Award Application Form.
Following consultation with the primary supervisor, and completion of the application form including a fully completed research proposal, please submit your completed application to ARCNWC@Lancashire.ac.uk .
Closing date: 13 October 2026 at 1.00pm
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Status: Open
Entry requirements:
The NIHR ARC NWC Doctoral Award supports early career researchers to undertake a PhD by research. The entry requirements for doctoral study differ between partner universities.
Please check the entry requirements for your chosen university using the links provided below before submitting an application.
Applicants must have completed and been awarded any current course of study by the proposed start date otherwise they will not be shortlisted.
Applicants should have (or expect to have been formally awarded by 1st January 2027) at least a UK Bachelor honours degree at second class (upper division) level (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline. EU applicants require an English Language level of UKVI IELTS 6.5 (no sub-score less than 6.0) or acceptable equivalent qualification.
| ARC NWC Partner Universities | Links to entry requirements |
| Edge Hill University | https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/course/phd/#entry-criteria-section |
| Liverpool John Moores University | Please see the Sport and Exercise Science section Entry Requirements – PhD and MPhil Research | Liverpool John Moores University |
| University of Lancashire | How to apply for postgraduate research |
| University of Liverpool | Public Health PhD / MPhil / MD | Courses | University of Liverpool |
Interview dates
Please reserve the relevant interview date in your diary.
We are unable to offer interviews outside the scheduled dates listed below. Interviews are conducted by designated panels and scheduled to ensure a fair, transparent, and consistent process across all participating universities.
| HEI | INTERVIEW DATE |
| Edge Hill University | 25th and 26th November |
| Liverpool John Moores University | 18th and 19th November |
| University of Lancashire | 16th and 17th November |
| University of Liverpool | 23rd and 24th November |