PhD Opportunities

We are advertising 40 salaried PhD projects in areas that span the food chain from farm to fork: farmed animal health and welfare; food safety; lifelong health; human nutrition; one health; precision agriculture and smart technologies; reducing waste; sustainable agricultural systems; and understanding and exploiting genomics.

We will award a minimum of 19 salaried studentships through a competitive process. Studentships will be for four years full-time and will start in autumn 2026. Studentship opportunities are available at Aberystwyth University, Brunel University, Cranfield University, University of Lincoln, Queen’s University Belfast, University of Reading and University of Surrey.

We are looking for candidates from a broad range of scientific backgrounds including: alternative food systems; combatting antimicrobial resistance; farmed animal health and welfare; food science and production; lifelong health; human nutrition; one health; precision agriculture and smart technologies; reducing waste; and sustainable agricultural systems.

Timetable for applications and selection

Action Date
Projects advertised on FoodBioSystems website Thursday 11 December 2026
Online application system opens Tuesday 16 December 2026
Closing date for requesting a mentor (eligible applicants only) Friday 09 January 2026 (10:00 GMT)
Closing date for student applications Monday 26 January 2026 (10:00 GMT)
Student interview window (shortlisted candidates will be contacted by project supervisors between 20 February and 5 March 2025) 27 February – 13 March 2026
Candidates not shortlisted notified by email By 10 March 2026
Award/rejection letters sent to shortlisted applicants By 31 March 2026

Page index

How to apply

  • All applications to FoodBioSystems DTP are by online application form (CVs are not accepted). Applications will open on 16 December 2025.
  • You will be able to apply to a maximum of TWO PhD projects. Each project description indicates the name and institution of the lead supervisor and has a project ID number. You are welcome and encouraged to email the lead supervisors of projects to ask them any questions you may have or to discuss the project.
  • You will need the following documents to support your application
    • Official transcripts of your higher education qualifications, inclusive of grades
    • Evidence of your proficiency in English, if English is not your first language.
  • You will also be asked to provide the name and email address of someone who will provide a confidential academic reference letter. The DTP office will request the letter from your referee if you are shortlisted for interview.

The closing date is 26 January 2026 (10.00 GMT).

Applicant webinar (13 January 2026 17:00-18:00)

DTP Director, Lisa Methven, will give a brief talk introducing the DTP and outlining what makes a good application. She will be joined by current researchers  who can answer your questions and share their experiences of being FoodBioSystems DTP students. Please register here to attend the webinar.

The presentation from last year is available for download FoodBioSystems DTP applicant webinar 14 January 2025

The FoodBioSystems training programme

You will undertake training that leads to a PhD and equips you with extra skills and knowledge to support your future career. Your research project will be co-supervised across two institutes within our academic partnership and you will take part in our cohort training programme to gain a core understanding of food systems, data analysis and modelling. You will also follow a programme of subject specific learning, depending on your needs. You will also carry out a 3-month professional internship (generally not related to the research project).

Please explore this website to find our more about the DTP training programme, current projects at  six of the partner universities and meet some of our researchers to check out what they have said about their research and training experiences.

Studentship funding information

FoodBioSystems is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the four-year studentship covers a tax-free stipend (salary), research costs and tuition fees at the standard UK/Republic of Ireland (RoI) rate. The stipend is set by UKRI and in 2025/26 is £20,780 (or £22,780 for a studentship based at Brunel University). The pay increases slightly each year at rate determined by UKRI.

The studentship allows time to undertake the DTP training programme, complete your research and submit your thesis within a 4-year registration period.

Funding note for international students

Please note that DTP funding cannot contribute towards the following costs: visa fees, healthcare surcharge, relocation costs, guarantor services and the difference between international and Home/RoI fees. These costs must be found from other sources or met by the individual student.
At University of Reading, from autumn 2026, all new international students will be charged international rate fees. UKRI funding only covers home fees, therefore new international students will be required to pay the difference between the international and home student fees (currently ~£16000-£19000/year).
Aberystwyth University, Brunel University, Cranfield University, University of Lincoln, Queen’s University Belfast and University of Surrey will cover the difference between international and Home fees.

Projects

We advertise more projects than there are available studentships because, unfortunately, we find that not all projects receive applications from candidates who are eligible to be funded, or who meet the funding threshold.

Available projects are listed below; they are grouped by research areas (stated in the left hand column). Selecting a highlighted project title will take you to an advert with more details of the project. All project details will be added by 16 December 2025.

Please go to the end of the project summary table to read important information about applicant eligibility and our selection process. It is essential that you read this before you apply for a studentship.

Research area Project number Project title Lead Supervisor / University Co-Supervisor / University
alternative food systems / sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 29 Hood rc Working with farmers to co-design sustainable agroforestry systems Dr Amelia Hood,
University of Reading		 Prof. Paul Burgess, Cranfield University
combatting antimicrobial resistance / one health FBS2026 69 Sharp rq Iron, antibiotic resistance, and bacterial competition: what determines which pathogens can invade the gut microbiome? Dr Connor Sharp,
University of Reading		 Dr Rachel Wheatley,
Queen’s University Belfast
combatting antimicrobial resistance / one health FBS2026 70 Siggins sr Engineering next-generation bacterial vaccines that target lymph nodes to combat infection and AMR Dr Matthew Siggins,
University of Surrey		 Dr Marie Lewis,
University of Reading
combatting antimicrobial resistance / understanding and exploiting genomics FBS2026 16 Creevey qc From Genomic Context to Sensor Design: Computational Identification of AMR Biomarkers in Agriculture Prof. Chris Creevey,
Queen’s University Belfast		 Prof. Fredric Coulon, Cranfield University
farmed animal health and welfare / sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 57 Nash ar Immunomodulation to combat common inflammatory conditions in livestock using cell culture models Dr Debbie Nash,
Aberystwyth University		 Dr Kirsty Kliem,
University of Reading
farmed animal health and welfare / sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 83 WilliamsM aq Promoting positive welfare in extensively and intensively kept sheep Dr Manod Williams,
Aberystwyth University		 Prof. Niamh O’Connell, Queen’s University Belfast
farmed animal health and welfare / sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 07 Betson sa Investigating the gut parasite Eimeria in UK sheep: parasite species diversity and impacts on the gut microbiome Dr Martha Betson,
University of Surrey		 Dr Justin Pachebat, Aberystwyth University
food safety (microbial) / one health FBS2025 75 Taylor rl Bright Solutions for Safer Food: Light-Based Control of Campylobacter on Poultry Dr Aidan Taylor,
University of Reading		 Dr Bukola Onarinde, University of Lincoln
food safety (microbial) / understanding and exploiting genomics FBS2026 06 Barrett rs Insect Excretions as Microbial Ecosystem Engineers: Impacts on Phyllosphere Microbiomes and Pathogen Persistence Dr Glyn Barrett,
University of Reading		 Dr Benyi Cao,
University of Surrey
food safety (other) / alternative food systems FBS2026 51 MillsC sq New proteins, new allergens? Prof. Clare Mills,
University of Surrey		 Prof. Katrina Campbell, Queen’s University Belfast
lifelong health / biotechnology for health FBS2026 77 Tocmo rs Probiotic Modulation of the Gut–Immune Axis to Reduce Winter Upper Respiratory Tract Infections and Improve Wellbeing: A Randomised, Placebo-controlled Study in Adults Dr Restituto Tocmo,
University of Reading		 Dr Victoria Revell,
University of Surrey
lifelong health / nutrition FBS2026 61 Parker sb Pro-inflammatory diets and metabolic disruption: dissecting gene–environment interactions in zebrafish models of hyperactivity Dr Matthew Parker,
University of Surrey		 Prof. Felicity Gavins,
Brunel University
nutrition / biotechnology for health FBS2026 86 Zhang br Development of innovative, sustainable 3D-printed foods for safe, nutritious, and easy-to-swallow applications Dr Bin Zhang,
Brunel University		 Dr Stella Lignou,
University of Reading
nutrition / biotechnology for health FBS2026 02 Ahmadi sq The Paradoxical Impact of GLP-1 Agonists on Micronutrient Deficiency in Women of Childbearing Age Dr Kourosh Ahmadi,
University of Surrey		 Dr Anne Nugent,
Queen’s University Belfast
nutrition / lifelong health FBS2026 44 Lloyd ar Comparative Neuro-Nutrition: Cognitive and Biomarker Effects of Cruciferousand Basil Microgreens Dr Amanda Lloyd,
Aberystwyth University		 Dr Maria Jose Oruna-Concha,
University of Reading
nutrition / lifelong health FBS2026 49 Methven rq GLP-1 Agonists and the Consumer: what is the impact of appetite suppressors on long term sensory perception, food choice, nutrition and health Prof. Lisa Methven,
University of Reading		 Dr Hannah O’Hara,
Queen’s University Belfast
nutrition / lifelong health FBS2026 50 MillsCE rs Harnessing the cardiovascular benefits of a combined intake of nitrate- and flavonoid- rich foods Dr Charlotte Mills,
University of Reading		 Prof. Christian Heiss, University of Surrey
nutrition / lifelong health FBS2026 31 Johnston sr Chrono-nutrition: turning physiology, behaviour, and psychology into real-world interventions Prof. Jonathan Johnston, University of Surrey Prof. Christian Heiss, University of Surrey
nutrition / one health FBS2026 81 Weech ra Smart Nutrition Screening for Malnutrition, Frailty and Sarcopenia Dr Michelle Weech,
University of Reading		 Dr Thomas Wilson, Aberystwyth University
nutrition / sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 25 Girija ar AI-Guided Understanding of Nutrient and Microbe Changes in Sprouted Grains for Sustainable and Nutritious Foods Dr. Aiswarya Girija,
Aberystwyth University		 Dr. Atefeh Amiri,
University of Reading
one health  / farmed animal health and welfare FBS2025 54 Morphew aq Close encounters of the protein kind: Exploiting protein-protein interactions for liver fluke control Dr Russ Morphew,
Aberystwyth University		 Prof. Aaron Maule,
Queen’s University Belfast
precision agriculture and smart technologies / farmed animal health and welfare FBS2026 17 Del Duchetto lq BroilerBot: Autonomous Robotics for Animal Welfare and Environmental Monitoring Dr Francesco Del Duchetto, University of Lincoln Prof. Niamh O’Connell, Queen’s University Belfast
precision agriculture and smart technologies / sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 24 Gaju la Can roots plasticity improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in wheat lines with biological nitrification inhibitors (BNI) properties? Dr Oorbessy Gaju,
University of Lincoln		 Prof. John Doonan, Aberystwyth University
precision agriculture and smart technologies / sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 52 Moraru la Multi-Modal Computer Vision for Automated Insect Species Identification in Agricultural Monitoring Systems Dr Ionut Moraru,
University of Lincoln		 Dr Roger Santer,
Aberystwyth University
reducing waste FBS2026 48 Megaw qa Plastic biodegradation by compost microorganisms: a sustainable strategy to mitigate microplastic contamination in food systems Dr Julianne Megaw,
Queen’s University Belfast		 Dr Gordon Allison, Aberystwyth University
sustainable agricultural systems FBS2026 84 WilliamsP qr Biochar Interventions to Improve Soil Health Under Oil Palm : Ensuring Agronomic and Environmental Sustainability of the Fastest Expanding Equatorial Crop Dr Paul Williams,
Queen’s University Belfast		 Prof. Tom Sizmur,
University of Reading
sustainable agricultural systems / crop health FBS2026 72 Stephens ra How Plants Prevent Self-Fertilisation: Unlocking Pathways to Better Crops Prof. Gary Stephens,
University of Reading		 Dr Maurice Bosch, Aberystwyth University
sustainable agricultural systems / farmed animal health and welfare FBS2026 62 Pexas cq Balancing sustainability trade-offs in the UK livestock sector through LCA-based multi-objective optimisation Dr Georgios Pexas,
Cranfield University		 Prof. Ilias Kyriazakis,
Queen’s University Belfast
sustainable agricultural systems / farmed animal health and welfare FBS2026 13 Carroll qr Human Behaviour Change for sustainable dairy farming Dr Grace Carroll,
Queen’s University Belfast		 Prof. Sokratis Stergiadis, University of Reading
sustainable agricultural systems / nutrition FBS2025 73 Stergiadis rq AI-driven discovery of urease inhibitors to improve nitrogen use efficiency in ruminants Prof. Sokratis Stergiadis,
University of Reading		 Dr Katerina Theodoridou, Queen’s University Belfast
sustainable agricultural systems / precision agriculture and smart technologies FBS2026 09 Bosch ar Flower Power: Petal and pistil adaptations for climate resilience Dr Maurice Bosch,
Aberystwyth University		 Prof. John Hammond, University of Reading
sustainable agricultural systems / precision agriculture and smart technologies FBS2026 18 Doonan ar Biochar Interventions to Improve Soil Health Under Oil Palm : Ensuring Agronomic and Environmental Sustainability of the Fastest Expanding Equatorial Crop Prof. John Doonan,
Aberystwyth University		 Prof. Donal O’Sullivan, University of Reading
sustainable agricultural systems / reducing waste FBS2025 76 Theodoridou qr Sustainable Use of Regional Agricultural By products to Minimize Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia Emissions from Ruminants Dr Katerina Theodoridou, Queen’s University Belfast Prof. Sokratis Stergiadis, University of Reading
sustainable agricultural systems / reducing waste FBS2026 65 Ryalls rc Silicon-Improved Leafy Kale (SILK): Boosting shelf life, insect resistance, odour Profiles and consumer preference Dr James Ryalls,
University of Reading		 Dr Lembe Magwaza, Cranfield University
sustainable agricultural systems / understanding and exploiting genomics FBS2025 38 Kingston-Smith ab Understanding control of Rubisco degradation in forage ingested by ruminants Prof. Alison Kingston-Smith,
Aberystwyth University		 Dr Alessandro Pandini, Brunel University
sustainable aquacultural systems / farmed animal health and welfare FBS2026 66 Sacchi sq GRIN-FISH Green Remedies for Immunity and Nutrition in FISHeries Dr Marco Sacchi,
University of Surrey		 Prof. Brian Green,
Queen’s University Belfast
sustainable food systems / reducing waste FBS2026 43 Li br Development of a New Generation of AI Models for Food Waste Transport in Airflow Systems Dr Liang Li,
Brunel University		 Prof. Hong Yang,
University of Reading
sustainable food systems / alternative food systems FBS2026 40 Koidis qr Rational Design of Cooked Pork Aroma In Cultivated Adipose Tissue Via Targeted Intracellular Precursor Delivery Dr Tassos Koidis,
Queen’s University Belfast		 Dr Dimitris Balagiannis, University of Reading
sustainable food systems / alternative food systems FBS2026 59 Oruna-Concha ra SALTERA – Seaweed-derived Alternatives for Low-sodium Taste Enhancement and Reduction Applications Dr Jose Oruna-Concha, University of Reading Dr Jessica Adams, Aberystwyth University
sustainable food systems / reducing waste FBS2025 26 Grassby sc Sustainable pet food from potato waste: fermentation, nutrition, and consumer acceptance Dr Terri Grassby,
University of Surrey		 Dr M. Carmen Alamar, Cranfield University

Before you decide to apply, please read the following important information about the application process:

Applicant Eligibility

Funding Eligibility 

Funding for UKRI funded PhD studentships is only available to successful candidates who meet the eligibility criteria set out in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) harmonized training terms and conditions which you can find here.

  • At Aberystwyth University, Brunel University, Cranfield University, University of Lincoln, Queen’s University Belfast and University of Surrey FoodBioSystems DTP studentship awards are conditional on acceptance onto PhD programmes at home fee student rate.
  • At University of Reading, DTP studentship awards to home students are conditional on acceptance to PhD programmes as home fees students. Awards to international students are conditional on acceptance to PhD programmes and the student providing evidence that they can meet the extra cost of international fees.

Residency requirements

Residency requirements are complex and too detailed to capture in full below.  To ensure you meet the residency criteria, please check the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website which provides detailed information about eligibility for home student status in: England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Home student applicants

The majority of our funding (minimum 70%) is available to students with home student status. To be classed as a home student, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a UK or Irish National (and were ordinarily resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland for three full years before the start of the course), or
  • Have settled status in the UK and meet residency requirements (under EU Settlement Scheme), or
  • Have pre-settled status in the UK and meet residency requirements (under EU Settlement Scheme) or
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

You may also be recognised as a home student if you are ordinarily resident in the UK and

  • You are a refugee (recognised by the UK government) or the spouse/civil partner or child of a refugee.
  • You have applied for asylum and as a result have been granted Exceptional Leave or Humanitarian Protection (or you are the spouse/civil partner or child of someone who has).

International student applicants

If you do not meet the above criteria, you will be classed as an International student.

We welcome applications from international students and we receive many excellent applications each year. However, we can award a maximum of 30% of our funding to international students. Between 2022 and 2025 approximately 1/100 international student applicants were successful.

Academic Eligibility

An upper 2nd class degree (or equivalent) is required in a subject appropriate to the PhD projects applied for (see the project description for more information). Candidates with a lower class of Bachelors degree, but a good performance at the Masters level (merit or above) will also be considered.

To support accessibility to PhD training opportunities, these studentships are only available to applicants that have not previously obtained, or are about to obtain, a PhD degree (or equivalent).

If you have an international qualification, please check the degree course eligibility  information provided by the host universities before you apply to the DTP: Aberystswyth University,  Brunel University, Cranfield University, University of Lincoln,  Queen’s University Belfast, University of Reading, University of Surrey.

Language Proficiency

Candidates, whose first language is not English, must show the necessary levels of English proficiency required by the university that will be hosting the PhD Studentship (the university where the project lead supervisor works). If you have completed a degree or higher degree in a course that was taught in English this may be sufficient evidence of your language proficiency. Please check the relevant university website for further details. If the website does not provide the information you are looking for, please contact the relevant university admissions office.
Aberystwyth University, Brunel University, Cranfield University,  University of Lincoln, Queen’s University Belfast, University of Reading, and University of Surrey.

Equity Diversity and Inclusion

The FoodBioSystems DTP is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). We want to build a doctoral researcher and staff body that reflects the diversity of society, and to encourage applications from under-represented and disadvantaged groups.

 Applicants with disabilities or specific learning differences

Applicants can choose to disclose a disability or specific learning difference on the application form. The DTP office will contact shortlisted applicants who have made this disclosure so we can offer reasonable adjustments to interviews. This information is kept confidential unless the applicant chooses to share it with the interview panels.

Guaranteed interview scheme

FoodBioSystems DTP offers a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates from eligible under-represented ethnic groups. This is an opt-in process. Applicants can participate in this scheme if they meet the following criteria:

  1. Hold UK home student fee status for 2026 entry (details on UK fees status are available from UKCISA)
  2. Identify as:
    1. Black, African, Caribbean or Black British
    2. Asian or Asian British
    3. Belonging to mixed or multiple ethnic groups
  3. Hold or expect to obtain a minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent qualification
  4. Meet the essential candidate criteria for the project (these are stated in the advert)

Candidates with a guaranteed interview must also provide full written answers to all questions about research and transferable skills in the application form. Assessment of written answers and interview performance are both considered when awarding studentships (see assessment criteria).

Applicant mentoring scheme

We offer applicants, who meet GIS criteria, an opportunity to apply to our applicant mentoring programme. Applicants who are accepted onto the mentoring programme will receive four mentoring sessions, with trained DTP student mentor, during the application process.

  • Meeting one: (14-16 January 2026) A brief pre-application discussion with the mentor
  • Meeting two: (early in week of 19 January 2026) An application writing support session
  • Meeting three: (mid-late February 2026) An interview preparation session
  • Meeting four: (after 13 April 2026) A post application outcome reflection session

To be eligible to receive mentoring, applicants must:

  1. Hold UK/RoI fee status for 2026 entry
  2. Identify as:
    1. Black, African, Caribbean or Black British
    2. Asian or Asian British
    3. Belonging to mixed or multiple ethnic groups
  3. Hold or expect to obtain a minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent qualification
  4. Meet the essential criteria described in the project’s student profile (see project advert)

Priority will be given to applicants who meet the above criteria and also identify with one of the following:

  • Have ever been in receipt of free school meals
  • Are the first in their family to attend higher education
  • Have completed/are completing their undergraduate studies at a non-Russell Group university

How to request a mentor

If you are eligible to apply to the guaranteed interview scheme and would like to meet with a mentor, please complete the personal details, education information and equality, diversity and inclusion sections of the online application form. You must do this before 10:00 (GMT) on Friday 9 January 2026.

If you are eligible for the scheme, we will contact you shortly after 12 January with details of your proposed mentor. Please note: We will only share your name and email address with mentors. Other personal information will be kept confidential and used by the DTP office if we need to prioritise applications according to the eligibility scheme criteria.
Please do not request a mentor after the closing date for this scheme (10:00 on 9 January 2026). We will not be able to assign you a mentor after this date.

Part-time registration

Our studentships can be offered to home students on a part-time basis, and studentship end date and stipend payments will be amended to reflect the part-time registration. We regret that part time registration is not available to international students due to complexities of visa restrictions.

Candidates who are awarded a studentship, and wish to register part-time, must discuss arrangements with the project supervisor and DTP office before enrolment. Please note that students in full-time employment are not eligible for an award of any kind from UKRI, and we recommend that if part-time studentships are combined with paid employment, the combined time commitment does not exceed 48 hours per week.

The minimum registration for DTP funded part-time students is 0.5 FTE (studying an average of 20 hours per week over 8 years). However options for part-time study vary at different universities. If a university offers a maximum part-time registration period of six years, the DTP studentship will be awarded at 0.67 FTE (studying an average of 27 hours per week over 6 years).

How we select students

Applications received before the closing date and time are considered in two stages:

Shortlisting

Applications are checked for academic and funding eligibility. Eligible applications are anonymised and then considered by the PhD project supervisors. They mark the application answers against the assessment criteria. At this stage supervisors do not know the name, contact details or degree-awarding university of applicants. The four highest scoring candidates for each project will be invited to interview.

Interviews and selection panel assessment

Interviews

If your application is shortlisted you will receive an invitation to an online interview (on Teams or Zoom). As part of the interview, you will be asked to give a short (maximum five minutes) presentation on how you would approach the PhD project. This will be followed by five minutes for questions about the presentation. Additional questions will explore:

  • Your motivation to do a PhD with FoodBioSystems DTP
  • How your skills and experience prepare you for the specific project
  • Other questions about potential impact of the proposed research project, problem-solving skills, and how a PhD fits into your career plans

Selection panel assessment

If you are successful at interview, a panel of reviewers from the DTP Selection Committee will assess the written answers from your application form. They will not know your name, contact details or degree-awarding university at this stage.

Assessment criteria

We ask applicants to provide information about their academic qualifications, research experience and transferable skills/competencies. It is essential that all applicants (including those applying for a guaranteed interview) provide full answers in their written application, as these are assessed at least once during the selection process.
The table below shows what essential criteria the DTP is looking for in our PhD student candidates and where in the selection process we assess those criteria.

Essential Selection Criteria Stage Assessed
  Shortlisting Interview Selection Panel review of application form answers
Suitability of academic qualifications and background for the project x x
Academic and technical understanding of the PhD project and critical thinking skills. x
Suitability of project specific research experience and technical skills x x
Suitability of general research experience and technical skills for doing a FoodBioSystems DTP PhD x x
Ability to relate own skills to the proposed PhD project x x
Transferable skills/competencies (organisation, problem solving, team-working, and interpersonal/communication) x x x
Understanding of the proposed PhD project in context of the UK agri-food sector x
Motivation for undertaking PhD research with the FoodBioSystems DTP x
Awareness of how the PhD project fits into own career plans x x

How we award the studentships

The Selection Committee makes the final decision on studentship allocation, taking into account applicants’ performance at interview, reviewer assessments of written answers and previous assessment of project proposals. The Selection Committee considers each university separately, and awards studentships to projects with appointable students, up to a maximum number of studentships at that university. The DTP aims to spread the award of international studentships across the partnership, with one international studentships awarded to an individual university. Where the number of projects with appointable students exceed the number of available studentships, the candidates are placed on the reserve list for that university.

Reserve list policy

The DTP manages the reserve candidate list by the following process:

We hold a two-stage reserve list. International students will be held on both reserve lists, but we can only offer studentships to international reserve candidates if we have not reached the 30% funding cap.

  • The first-stage list at each university consists of 1-3 suitable reserve candidates for each project (where available). The reserve must be a candidate who scores above a threshold (agreed by the Selection Committee). Students are included on this list irrespective of their UK residency status.
  • If the first-choice student withdraws, we offer the studentship to a reserve candidate for that project.
  • If a project has no suitable reserve candidate, the studentship is awarded to another project with reserve candidates from the same university.
  • If there are no remaining reserve candidates within a university, the studentship may be awarded to a project from the second-stage list of fundable students.

In practice, due to the 30% funding cap, we are rarely able to offer funding to international reserve candidates unless another international student has declined their studentship offer.

Previous applicant success rates

Success rates for home and international student applicants to the DTP (2022-25) are outlined below:

Cohort Number of projects advertised Number of studentships awarded

Number of international student applicants

% international applicants awarded a studentship Number of home student applicants %  home student applicants awarded a studentship
2022 37 27 501 1.4% 86 23%
2023 50 30 774 0.9% 90 26%
2024 57 29 1176 0.9% 87 24%
2025 37 22 761 0.8% 85 18%