2017/18 SeNSS ESRC-FUNDED STUDENTSHIP · PDF file2017/18 SeNSS ESRC-FUNDED STUDENTSHIP...

2017/18 SeNSS ESRC-FUNDED STUDENTSHIP APPLICATION: GUIDANCE NOTES

Please note that there is no single final deadline for applying for a SeNSS Studentship which starts in October 2017. Instead, your chosen university, that is, the university to

which you are applying for a PhD place, HAS SET ITS OWN INTERNAL DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION TO SeNSS FOR FUNDING. This deadline is

likely to be between 10 January and 15 February 2017, but you MUST check with this University to establish its deadline.

No late applications will be accepted.

Contents

General information about the SeNSS Doctoral Training Partnership .............................................................. 3

General information on completing the SeNSS Studentship application form ................................................ 3

Before applying for a SeNSS ESRC Studentship ............................................................................................... 3

The SeNSS Studentship competition selection criteria ......................................................................................... 5

Detailed notes on completing your SeNSS ESRC Studentship application ....................................................... 5

Question 1: Your name and date of birth ........................................................................................................... 6

Question 2: The SeNSS institution at which you propose to study, your proposed department or

school, and your proposed pathway ..................................................................................................................... 6

Question 3: Contacting you ................................................................................................................................... 7

Question 4: Residential eligibility for a SeNSS ESRC-funded Studentship ................................................... 7

Question 4.1: Award being applied for ........................................................................................................... 8

Question 5: Mode of study .................................................................................................................................... 8

Question 5.1: Type of Studentship being applied for ................................................................................... 8

Question 5.2: Applying for a SeNSS Studentship if you have already started your PhD ....................... 8

Question 5.3: Confirm your details if you have already started your PhD ................................................ 9

Question 6: Concurrent funding applications .................................................................................................... 9

SeNSS Studentship Competition Guidance Notes: Draft Version 5

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Question 7: Details of Project Partners and Collaborators .............................................................................. 9

Question 7.1: Collaborator information.......................................................................................................... 9

Question 7.2: Second Project Partner or Collaborator ............................................................................... 10

Question 7.3: Second Project Partner or Collaborator information ........................................................ 10

Question 7.4: Nature and value of the contribution your Project Partner(s) or Collaborator(s) will be

providing ............................................................................................................................................................ 10

Question 8: Relevant professional experience .................................................................................................. 10

Question 9: Relevant education and training .................................................................................................... 10

Question 10: Your research proposal ................................................................................................................ 10

Question 10.1: Description of your research proposal ............................................................................... 11

Question 11: Ethical considerations raised by your research proposal ........................................................ 12

Question 11.1: Particular ethical considerations raised by your proposal ............................................... 12

Question 12: Your proposed supervisors ........................................................................................................ 12

Question 12.1: Your proposed main supervisor’s details ........................................................................... 12

Question 12.2: A proposed second supervisor outside your chosen institution .................................... 12

Question 13: Your referees .................................................................................................................................. 13

Question 14: Past Research Methods Training ................................................................................................ 13

Question 14.1: Master’s degree information: summary .............................................................................. 13

Question 14.2: Areas of research methods training .................................................................................... 14

Question 15: Difficult Language Training......................................................................................................... 14

Question 15.1: Details of difficult language training ................................................................................... 14

Question 16: Overseas Fieldwork ....................................................................................................................... 15

Question 16.1: Details of overseas fieldwork ............................................................................................... 15

Question 17: Any additional costs your proposal may generate .................................................................... 15

Question 17.1: Estimation of additional costs ............................................................................................. 15

Question 18: SeNSS Equal Opportunities information .................................................................................. 15

Question 19: Applicant’s declaration ................................................................................................................. 16

Once you have completed the application form ................................................................................................... 16

Submitting your application ..................................................................................................................................... 17

Checklist of documents required for your application ........................................................................................ 17

Selection process, notification and acceptance of awards ................................................................................... 17

SeNSS Partner Institutions Administrators: Who to contact ............................................................................. 18


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General information about the SeNSS Doctoral Training Partnership

The SeNSS Consortium consists of the following member institutions:

City University London

University of East Anglia

University of Essex

Goldsmiths, University of London

University of Kent

Reading University

Roehampton University

Royal Holloway, University of London

University of Surrey

University of Sussex SeNSS offers Studentships across 13 pathways. Please note that not all SeNSS member institutions offer all 13 Pathways, and you will need to determine whether your chosen University offers the Pathway you want to study.

Business and Management (offered by City, UEA, Essex, Kent, Reading, Royal Holloway, Surrey and Sussex);

Development Studies (offered by UEA, Reading, Royal Holloway, Surrey and Sussex);

Economics (offered by City, UEA, Essex, Reading, Royal Holloway, Surrey and Sussex);

Education (offered by UEA, Goldsmiths, Reading, Roehampton and Sussex);

Human Geography (offered by UEA, Reading, Royal Holloway and Sussex);

Linguistics (offered by UEA, Essex, Kent, Reading and Surrey);

Politics and International Studies (offered by UEA, Essex, Kent, Reading, Royal Holloway and Sussex);

Psychology (offered by UEA, Essex, Goldsmiths, Kent, Reading, Royal Holloway and Sussex);

Science, Technology and Sustainability (offered by UEA, Kent, Surrey and Sussex);

Social Anthropology (offered by UEA, Goldsmiths, Kent, Roehampton and Sussex);

Social Work and Social Policy (offered by UEA, Kent and Sussex);

Socio-Legal Studies (offered by UEA, Essex, Kent, Reading and Sussex); and,

Sociology (offered by Essex, Goldsmiths, Kent and Sussex).

General information on completing the SeNSS Studentship application form

Before applying for a SeNSS ESRC Studentship

Please first read the RCUK Terms and Conditions for Training Grants to check whether you are eligible for funding. These Terms and Conditions are available at: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/termsconditionstraininggrants-pdf/

If you are not eligible for funding, you should not submit an application to SeNSS, as it will not be considered for a Studentship. If you are unsure as to whether or not you are eligible

http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/termsconditionstraininggrants-pdf/


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for funding, please email contact the named administrator at your chosen institution, explaining your situation, and asking for advice.

In order to be considered for a SeNSS ESRC Studentship, you must make TWO applications:

o ONE to your chosen institution, for a place at that institution to study for your PhD; o And ONE to the SeNSS DTP, for funding for studying for your PhD.

Your chosen University’s internal deadline for applying for a SeNSS Studentship is likely to be earlier than the final SeNSS application deadline, so it is essential that you establish when that internal deadline is, and meet that earlier deadline. Some SeNSS institutions have earlier SeNSS deadlines due to their particular internal SeNSS selection processes.

Once you have made, or begun making, your application to your chosen institution for a PhD place, and once you have discussed making an application to SeNSS with your supervisor and they have agreed to support you in this process, you must first contact the named administrator at your chosen institution. The administrator will provide you with the website address for making your online application, as well as the access code you will require to enable you to register to begin your application. If you do not follow this process, you will not be able to make an application for a SeNSS ESRC-funded Studentship.

You must consult with your proposed main supervisor when completing the SeNSS Studentship Application form, particularly regarding your research proposal. Your proposed main supervisor will also need to provide a supporting statement for your application. It is your responsibility to ensure that your proposed main supervisor submits this statement by the application deadline. By logging in to your SeNSS online application account, you will be able to see whether your proposed supervisor has submitted their supporting statement, or not.

You will need to provide the names and contact details for two referees for your application. Your referees will be contacted to provide references for you. It is your responsibility to ensure that your referees submit their statements by the application deadline. By logging in to SeNSS online application account, you will be able to see whether your referees have submitted their supporting statements, or not.

Your application will be judged according to the criteria outlined in the next section of these Guidance Notes. Please read them carefully, and bear them in mind when completing your application.

You must complete the SeNSS Studentship application form online. Print outs and other forms of the application will not be accepted. Please use at least 12pt font when completing the application form.

Please note that your chosen institution may ask you to attend an interview in respect of your SeNSS application (and/or your application for a place at that institution).


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The SeNSS Studentship competition selection criteria

The following three categories of criteria will be used to assess applications across all pathways and degree formats: Evidence of the quality and feasibility of the proposal (40%) – This will be based on your account of your proposed research project, your reasons for pursuing it, and its wider significance. It will also be based on the information supplied by your proposed main supervisor. The SeNSS assessors will be looking for evidence of your ability to articulate a research project, a coherent and well thought-out plan for doctoral study, a good awareness of the place of your research within the current field, and potential impact. Reference will be made to your supervisor’s supporting statement, as contained in your application.

Evidence that you are well-prepared for your proposed research and future career (40%) – This will be based on your description of how your previous experience (academic and professional) has prepared you for doctoral study and research, your referees’ evaluation of your suitability for doctoral research and your research project (thus will be done through considering evidence both you and your referees have provided about your performance at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and of any relevant professional experience), and your description of how the programme will contribute to your long-term career aims. Reference will again be made to your supervisor’s supporting statement, as well as the degree transcripts, individual module marks and degree results you have provided. Please note that 1+3/+4 applications will be assessed in a way that recognises that someone applying for a 1+3/+4 Studentship has had less training and fewer opportunities to think about and to research their proposed research project than someone applying for a +3 Studentship. In other words, the way in which the selection process is carried out will ensure that those applying for 1+3/+4 Studentships will not be disadvantaged relative to +3 applicants. Evidence of the suitability of the proposed supervision and training (20%) – This will take into account the expertise and relevance of your proposed main supervisors’ research areas in relation to the proposed project, the individual roles of the proposed supervisory team, how the particular knowledge and expertise of the proposed supervisors will work synergistically to enhance your project, and the training needs listed and how they are envisioned to supplement your research. In evaluating this, reference will primarily be made to the information provided by your proposed main supervisor.

Detailed notes on completing your SeNSS ESRC Studentship application

In order to be able to create an online application, you will need to contact the administrator at your chosen institution. Your administrator will provide you with the website link to the online application, as well as the access code. Without this information, you will not be able to apply. You can save your progress on your online application at any time, exit the application, and return to work on it later. Please click on the link your administrator has given you, and follow these instructions in order to create an account and complete your application: 1. Clicking the link will land you on the SeNSS application home page. Please read it, and then

click on “Sign up” where it asks “Need an account?”


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2. The next page is entitled “Ready to go?” Please enter your personal details, as well as the access code you have been provided with by your chosen institution’s administrator. Then click “Register”.

3. The next page you will see thanks you for registering, and informs you that you will shortly receive an email confirming your registration. Please click on the link in that email to confirm your registration and activate your account. (If the email does not appear in your inbox, please check your junk email box to see if it landed there instead.)

4. Clicking on the confirmation link will take you to a page entitled “Submissions”. In order to create a new submission – which will be your SeNSS application form – please name it and enter the access code once again. You may name your submission anything you like, e.g. give it your name, or call it “SeNSS application”. Click on “Get started”, which will take you to your application home page, where you can begin filling out your application form.

5. Complete the application form 6. Sign the declaration and submit the form 7. Upload your degree / training certificates and, if you are applying for a collaborative

Studentship, the formal collaborative agreement if you already have one. 8. Your proposed supervisor and your referees will then receive emails asking them to access

your application, and write their supporting statements / references. 9. By logging in to your application account, you will be able to see if/when your proposed

supervisor and your referees have submitted their statements. The onus is on you to follow up with them to remind them to submit their statements.

10. Once they have submitted their statements, you will be able to submit your application in full. You will receive an email confirming that you have successfully submitted your application.

Please note that it is your responsibility to monitor the progress of your application and check that all parts are completed on time. You will not be able to submit your application until both references and your supervisor’s statement have been received.

Question 1: Your name and date of birth

Please provide your first name, surname and your date of birth. If your surname has changed since birth for any reason, please could you include both your surname at birth and your current surname, as it is noted on official documents such as your passport or identity document.

Question 2: The SeNSS institution at which you propose to study, your proposed department or school, and your proposed pathway Please identify the SeNSS institution at which you propose to study. This will become your “home” institution. SeNSS permits you only to make one application to one of its member institutions, as it is highly likely that there will be one institution within SeNSS which “fits” your proposed research topic best. Please also identify the name of the Pathway your research topic falls under. A full list of the Pathways SeNSS offers is included on page 5 of this Guidance. Please provide details of the department or school of study to which you have applied. SeNSS does, however, encourage cross-institutional co-supervision - where appropriate - in order to provide the best combination of supervisory expertise. For guidance on cross-institutional co-supervision, please see Question 12, below.


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Question 3: Contacting you

Please provide your contact details for the duration of the SeNSS Studentship competition (24 October 2016 to 31 March 2017), as we may need to contact you during this period. If you know you will be changing address during this period, please provide both addresses you will use during this time, and tell us when you will be living at each of these addresses. Please also provide the email address and telephone number (including country and area code, if relevant) so that we can contact you using these methods if need be.

Question 4: Residential eligibility for a SeNSS ESRC-funded Studentship

SeNSS ESRC funding is only available to Home or EU students. Both Home and EU students must satisfy the standard Research Council eligibility criteria, which are available at: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/termsconditionstraininggrants-pdf/ These criteria are also set out below. To be eligible for a full award you must have:

Settled status in the UK, meaning there are no restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK; AND

Been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK for 3 years prior to 30 September 2017, when the Studentship starts. 'Ordinarily resident' means that you must have been normally residing in the UK (apart from any temporary or occasional absences; AND

Not been residing in the UK wholly or mainly for the purpose of full-time education. However, this criterion does not apply to UK or EU nationals.

A full SeNSS ESRC-funded Studentship award includes the following for the duration of the award:

your University tuition fees: these are paid in full directly to your University;

a tax-free maintenance stipend to pay your living costs: this is currently set at £14,296 per year. For those studying at universities based in London, there is an additional £2,000 per year paid as London Weighting, given that the cost of living is higher for those living in London. If you are not studying at a London-based University, but still choose to live in London, you will not receive the London Weighting payment;

a research training support grant;

access to other funds to be used for overseas fieldwork, overseas institutional visits, difficult language training etc.

Students from EU countries other than the UK are generally eligible for a fees-only award. To be eligible for a fees-only award, you must be ordinarily resident in a member state of the EU, in the same way as UK students must be ordinarily resident in the UK. A fees-only award includes the following for the duration of the award:

your University tuition fees will be paid in full directly to your University;

a research training support grant; and,

access to other funds to be used for overseas fieldwork, overseas institutional visits, difficult language training etc.

However, you will NOT receive a tax-free maintenance stipend to pay your living costs.



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Question 4.1: Award being applied for

Once you are certain of your eligibility for funding, please declare that you have checked your eligibility and that you believe yourself to be eligible for either a full award or a fees-only award. If you indicate that you are eligible for a full award, you will be asked if you wish to apply for a full award, or whether you wish to apply for a fees-only award. If you already have funds available to support yourself, you may wish to apply for a fees-only award. If you have any questions about your eligibility for a SeNSS Studentship, please contact the administrator at your home institution in the first instance. You will find their contact details at the end of these Notes.

Question 5: Mode of study

SeNSS offers both full and part-time study. Part-time study is offered at a minimum of 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE), for a period of six years. If you are unsure which mode of study is right for you, please discuss this with your proposed main supervisor. You will need to confirm on your application form whether you are applying for full or part-time study.

Question 5.1: Type of Studentship being applied for

SeNSS offers the following types of Studentships:

+3 Studentship, which consists of a three-year PhD. If you are applying for a +3 Studentship, you will have to show that you have already met the core training requirements;

1+3 Studentship, which comprises an integrated one-year Master’s degree and a three-year PhD. Students who have not yet met the core training requirements will be required to undertake an integrated one-year Master’s degree which will deliver this core training, in order to prepare them for their three-year PhD;

2+2 Studentship, which comprises a longer Master’s programme followed by a shorter PhD programme; and,

+4 Studentship, which comprises both core and advanced training within the PhD programme:

All Pathways offer 1+3 and +3 Studentships. However, 2+2 Studentships are only offered by the Economics and Politics and International Studies Pathways. +4 Studentships are offered by the following Pathways: Business and Management, Economics, Education, Human Geography, Politics and International Studies, some sub-Pathways within the Science, Technology and Sustainability Pathway, Socio-Legal Studies, and Sociology. You should indicate which type of Studentship you are applying for, but be advised that, if SeNSS determines that you have not already met the majority of the PhD core training requirements, you may be offered a 1+3 Studentship even if you have applied for a +3 Studentship. The determination of which type of Studentship you will be offered will be based evidence provided in the past research methods training section of this application form (see Question 14, below).

Question 5.2: Applying for a SeNSS Studentship if you have already started your PhD

You may apply for a Studentship even if you have already begun your PhD, provided that, at the start of your ESRC award in October 2017, you have at least 50% of your period of study remaining (excluding your ‘writing up’ period) AND your mode of study is either a +3


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Studentship or a +4 Studentship. So, if you have been registered for your PhD for 1 year of a full-time PhD at the point when the SeNSS ESRC award would commence, then you would be eligible to apply for 2 years’ further funding. If you had been registered for 2 years at this point, then you would not be eligible to apply for a Studentship. If your application is successful, you will receive funding for the remainder of your studies. You may only apply for a SeNSS Studentship if you are already studying at one of the SeNSS member institutions and that institution offers the Pathway you are already studying.

Question 5.3: Confirm your details if you have already started your PhD

If you have already started your PhD, please complete Question 5.3. You must confirm how many months you will already have been registered for by October 2017. You will also need to indicate whether you are studying full- or part-time..

Question 6: Concurrent funding applications

Please indicate whether you are also applying for a Studentship to another ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership, in addition to the SeNSS DTP, or entering any other Studentship competition. This is for information only, and will not prejudice your application to SeNSS in any way. Please note that only one ESRC Studentship offer can be accepted. If you answer “no” to this question, please continue to Question 7. If you answer “yes” to this question, you will be asked to provide information of the other Studentships you are applying for.

Question 7: Details of Project Partners and Collaborators

As noted earlier, a collaborative Studentship is one where a non-Higher Education Institution enters into an agreement with you and/or your chosen institution to provide certain elements relating to your Studentship, for example, contributing financially to help cover your Studentship costs, providing access to datasets, or providing an additional supervisor for you. It is not only important to demonstrate that you will benefit from the knowledge, skills and resources of the non-HEI, but also how the non-HEI will ultimately benefit from the knowledge and outcomes generated by your PhD research project. If you answer “no” to this question, please continue to Question 8. If you answer “yes” to this question, you will be prompted to provide information about your project partners and collaborators.

Question 7.1: Collaborator information

If you are applying for a collaborative Studentship, please provide the following information:

The name of the collaborating organisation;

The name and contact details of the person in this organisation who will supervise you, or oversee the collaboration;

Which sector the collaborating organisations falls into, that is, whether it is a government organisation, a public organisation, a private organisation, a charitable organisation etc.;

Whether or not the collaborating organisation has entered into a formal agreement with you and/or your chosen institution regarding your proposed Studentship. (It is not necessary that a formal agreement has already been entered into in order to apply for a collaborative Studentship, however.)

If no formal agreement has yet been entered into, if possible, please indicate when you expect it to be signed.


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Question 7.2: Second Project Partner or Collaborator

If you answer “no” to this question, please continue to Question 8. If you answer “yes” to this question, you will be prompted to provide the same information about your second project partner or collaborator as you were required to do for your first project partner or collaborator.

Question 7.3: Second Project Partner or Collaborator information

If you will be collaborating with more than one organisation, please provide the information required.

Question 7.4: Nature and value of the contribution your Project Partner(s) or Collaborator(s) will

be providing

Please provide information about the nature and value of the contribution the collaborating organisation(s) will provide to the SeNSS DTP. The collaborating organisation can contribute either financially, or in kind. “In kind” means that the collaborating organisation will make a non-monetary contribution to your Studentship, for example, it may provide an external supervision for you, or allow you to access its datasets.

Question 8: Relevant professional experience

Please provide information about any professional experience (research and/or practice-based; paid or unpaid; full-time or part-time) that is relevant to your proposed programme of study. You can use your research proposal to elaborate on how this experience supports your research proposal.

Question 9: Relevant education and training

Please provide full details of all your higher education qualifications. If you have already started your PhD, please indicate - in the “degree classification” column – whether, at your last supervisory board meeting (or equivalent), your progress was satisfactory or not.

Question 10: Your research proposal

You should already have identified one academic at your chosen institution that you think would be appropriate to act as your main supervisor. You must discuss your research proposal with your proposed main supervisor before submitting your application form. You will be asked to confirm in Question 12 of your application form that you have done this. However, it is your responsibility to write the research proposal. The research proposal may not be written by your proposed supervisor(s). Past experience shows that it can be easy to detect a proposal that has been (partly) written by the supervisor rather than the student. If this appears to be the case, then your proposal may be rated less highly.

You should approach your proposal as an opportunity to show that you have begun to explore an important area of study, and that your research has the potential to challenge and develop that area. It is also important to demonstrate that you can express your ideas in clear and precise English, in such a way that someone who is not a specialist in your subject area can understand. Your research proposal title and abstract

Please provide the following information about your research proposal:


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Research Proposal Title: please state the title of your proposed research project (or your current PhD title, if you have already begun your PhD. Your title is limited to 80 characters.

Research Proposal Abstract: please provide a brief abstract, or summary, of your research proposal. This is limited to a maximum of 3,800 characters. This should be a complete but concise description of your research proposal, written in such a way that a non-specialist reader will quickly be able to ascertain the purpose of your research project. Please note that most SeNSS panellists who will be assessing your application will not be experts in your disciplinary area.

Question 10.1: Description of your research proposal

In describing your research proposal, please note that there is a strict limit of 10,000 characters (not including spaces) for this section. This limit applies to your proposal description, your research background and questions, your research methods, your schedule of work and your bibliography. This limit of 10,000 characters does not include either your title or proposal, for which different character limits apply. Brief academic references should be included in this character limit. A list of references at the end of your research proposal is preferable to footnotes, as the online application form does not accept footnotes. Please note that, if you go above this limit, any additional words will be disregarded by those assessing your application. This may mean that your application does not score as highly as it might have done. Consider covering the following points:

You should describe your research project, your reasons for undertaking it and consider addressing the following:

o key areas/issues of the project, and why you wish to pursue this research; o the research problems or questions you intend to address; o the research context in which those problems or questions are located; o the particular contribution to knowledge and understanding in this area that you

hope to make, explaining why the work is important; noting relevance to non-academic beneficiaries, as appropriate;

o the methods and critical approaches that you plan to use, and the sources, if appropriate;

o how the proposed work relates to what you have studied already (where there is overlap between your Master’s dissertation and your doctoral research, you should demonstrate how the project will go further and state the added value of continuing to research in this area);

o how the project will develop over the period of the award (e.g. key stages, timetable); and,

o how this doctoral research relates to your eventual career aims.

If you have already begun your doctoral study, indicate the work you have undertaken to date, providing information on main pieces of work completed;

Preparation and previous relevant experience: o Include a brief indication of any previous experience or preparation that is

relevant to your proposed research project (e.g. aspects of your Masters study, additional degrees, qualifications, training or relevant skills) and how this previous experience (academic and professional) has prepared you for doctoral study and research.


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Question 11: Ethical considerations raised by your research proposal

The ESRC expects that all those funded through it will conform to its Framework for Research Ethics, which is available at: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics/ SeNSS also requires that you properly address and demonstrate any ethical issues throughout the duration of your research project. Please confirm by checking the box that you have read the Framework and have considered the ethical considerations your research proposal gives rise to.

Question 11.1: Particular ethical considerations raised by your proposal

If your proposal raises particular ethical issues, please indicate what these are, and how you plan to address them. If you consider that your research project does not raise particular ethical issues, please confirm this in writing. If you are unsure as to whether there are ethical issues you need to consider in relation to your research project, please discuss this with your proposed main supervisor in the first instance.

Question 12: Your proposed supervisors

SeNSS and the ESRC both require that you have at least two supervisors, one of which will be your main supervisor. Your proposed main supervisor must be based at your chosen institution, and you must have been in contact with this supervisor already, before completing your application form. However, you can also have a second SeNSS supervisor based at another SeNSS University, or at your collaborating organisation, where you are applying for a collaborative Studentship. Please confirm that you have consulted your proposed main supervisor in drawing up your research project proposal.

Question 12.1: Your proposed main supervisor’s details

Please provide your proposed main supervisor’s name, the name of the SeNSS partner University at which they are based, and their email address. Your proposed main supervisor will be contacted in order to request them to provide a statement of support for your proposed research project. Your proposed main supervisor’s statement of support should focus on the quality of your research proposal, including the research environment (at both your chosen institution and within SeNSS) and its ‘fit’ with their expertise and interests. Please note that you are responsible for ensuring that your proposed main supervisor submits their statement of support through SeNSS online application website by the deadline set by your chosen institution.

Question 12.2: A proposed second supervisor outside your chosen institution

Your proposed second SeNSS supervisor can either be based at your chosen institution, or in another SeNSS institution or, if you are applying for a collaborative Studentship, from your collaborating organisation (see Question 7, above, regarding collaborative Studentships). Your proposed second SeNSS supervisor does not have to come from the same Pathway or discipline as you or your proposed main supervisor. SeNSS encourages inter-disciplinary supervision. We also encourage cross-institutional supervision. However, if you would like your proposed second supervisor to come from another SeNSS institution or Pathway/discipline, or from your collaborating organisation, please discuss this with your proposed main supervisor before completing your Studentship application. If your proposed main supervisor is supportive, then please approach your proposed second supervisor and obtain their agreement to act in this capacity before including their name on your application form.

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics/

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics/


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You will be asked to indicate whether you are seeking a second SeNSS supervisor from outside your chosen institution. If you answer “no” to this question, please continue to Question 13. If you answer “yes” to this question, you will be prompted to provide the name and contact details of this proposed second supervisor.

Question 13: Your referees

Please provide the names and contact details of two people who will act as your referees. Both your referees will be contacted to ask them to supply a reference for you. Please choose your referees carefully: they should have a good knowledge of your academic record, your research plans and your preparedness for doctoral study. If you have not been in higher education recently, please provide a referee who can comment on your professional record and capabilities in relation to your preparedness for doctoral study. One referee may be your proposed main supervisor. In this instance, your main proposed supervisor would need to provide both a supervisor statement and a reference for you. However, it is not necessary for one of your referees to be one of your proposed supervisors. In addition, at least one of your referees must not have any direct connection to your proposed PhD research project.

Both of your referees will be contacted in order to request them to provide a reference for you. Please note that you are responsible for ensuring that both your referees submit their statements of support through the SeNSS online application through SeNSS online application website by the deadline set by your chosen institution.

Question 14: Past Research Methods Training

Please ONLY complete this section if you already have a Master's degree, or are currently studying for a Master's degree, AND that Master's degree was taken/is being taken at a University which is not part of SeNSS. The past research methods training section is included in this form in order to determine whether your Master's degree complies with the prior learning outcomes required by both SeNSS and the ESRC. These learning outcomes have been agreed in order to ensure you are in the best possible position to undertake your PhD research. If you have not undertaken sufficient training, you may be offered a 1+3 Studentship (a Master’s degree, followed by the PhD) instead in order to complete this training. You may want to contact your proposed main supervisor to ask for their guidance when completing this section. Question 14.1: Master’s degree information: summary Please provide the name of the Master's Programme you undertook, the name of the University at which you studied, and the name of the Department or School at which you studied. If you have more than one Master's degree, please give the details of the Master's degree which had more social science training included in it first. Please only include your second Master’s degree if this degree contained different social science training from the degree you have listed first. If you are applying for a 1+3 Studentship, that is, a Master's degree followed by a PhD, and you do not have a Master's degree, please leave this question blank.


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Question 14.2: Areas of research methods training This section is intended to evaluate whether your Master's degree has met the SeNSS and ESRC learning outcomes in relation the following areas of research methods training:

the use of software

academic communication

research design

basic scientific method

qualitative research methods

quantitative research methods

and general research knowledge and skills For each of the areas listed above, please provide the name of the module in which this area of research methods training was covered. If you did not take a module which covered the training area in question at all, please write "not covered" in the module name box. If your module(s) did cover the training area, please check the relevant boxes to indicate which aspects of that area each module covered. If your module(s) did not cover a particular area, please do not check that box.

Question 15: Difficult Language Training

If you need to learn a “difficult language” in order to carry out your research project, you will first need to check whether the language you want to learn qualifies as a “difficult” language. Please refer to Annex 3 on page 52 of the ESRC’s Postgraduate Training Guide to find out how the ESRC defines a “difficult language”, which is available at: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/files/skills-and-careers/Studentships/postgraduate-funding-guide-for-accredited-doctoral-training-centres/ If you answer “no” to this question, please continue to Question 16. If you answer “yes” to this question, you will be prompted to provide information about your proposed difficult language training. Please note that, in order to apply later on in your studies for an extension to your funding in order to undertake difficult language training, you MUST have completed this section of your Studentship application.

Question 15.1: Details of difficult language training

Please note that the SeNSS selection process will assess whether or not your research project is feasible in light of the difficult language training you propose to undertake. In exceptional circumstances, we may require further evidence that you will be capable of learning the language in the time available. It is possible to be granted an extension to your funding for up to one year if you need to acquire or develop a working ability with a difficult language in order to carry out your research. If you are awarded a SeNSS Studentship, you will need to submit a more detailed application for an extension to your funding, as this is not automatically granted, and will need to be supported by your main supervisor. You will be asked to name the difficult language you wish to learn, estimate the anticipated length of the course and how much it will cost, and indicate whether you anticipate requiring an

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/files/skills-and-careers/studentships/postgraduate-funding-guide-for-accredited-doctoral-training-centres/

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/files/skills-and-careers/studentships/postgraduate-funding-guide-for-accredited-doctoral-training-centres/


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extension to your PhD in order to carry out this training. If you think you will require an extension, please give an estimate as to how long an extension you think you might need.

Question 16: Overseas Fieldwork

This question deals with whether or not you plan to conduct overseas fieldwork as part of your research project. If you answer “no” to this question, please continue to Question 17. If you answer “yes” to this question, you will be prompted to provide further information about your proposed overseas fieldwork. If you are unsure about whether you will conduct overseas fieldwork during your studies, please also answer "Yes".

Question 16.1: Details of overseas fieldwork

If you are awarded a SeNSS Studentship, you will need to submit a more detailed application for overseas fieldwork, which must be supported by your main supervisor. In order to submit such an application later on, you must complete this section of the application form. Overseas fieldwork applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis by SeNSS, once you have started your studies. Please indicate whether or not you are sure you will undertake overseas fieldwork. If you are unsure, please still complete the remaining questions as best you can. We are simply looking for an indication of your plans in this application. Please tell us where you will conduct your fieldwork, how long your trip will last, and how much you estimate it will cost.

Question 17: Any additional costs your proposal may generate

In this section, you will need to identify whether your proposal will place any extra demands on resourcing (excluding difficult language training and overseas fieldwork, which have already been dealt with). That is, whether your research is likely to cost in excess of £750 per year above and beyond the normal PhD costs. These extra costs could be in relation to interviewing subjects, travel, access to datasets etc. Please note that if your proposal will generate additional costs, this will not prejudice your application. If you answer “no” to this question, please continue to Question 18. If you answer “Yes”, you will be prompted to answer additional questions.

Question 17.1: Estimation of additional costs

Please indicate what additional costs your PhD might generate, and for what activities.

Question 18: SeNSS Equal Opportunities information

SeNSS is committed to an Equal Opportunities Policy, and we acknowledge and embrace diversity. SeNSS and the ESRC are committed to ensuring that those applying for Studentships are selected on the basis of merit. By completing this form, you will help us to ensure that our policies and procedures are effective in avoiding discrimination and promoting equal opportunities in awarding Studentships. SeNSS needs your help and co-operation to enable it to do this, but filling in this form is voluntary. The information you provide will be used for monitoring and statistical purposes only, will stay confidential, and be stored securely. Access to this information will be limited to the core SeNSS staff members.


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The information you provide on this form will not be released to those involved in making the decision on who receives a Studentship.

Question 19: Applicant’s declaration You will be asked to confirm the following:

That the information you have provided in this form is complete and accurate to the best of your knowledge at this date;

That you fully understand that it is your responsibility to ensure that your application is submitted before the deadline set by your chosen institution, and that any missing or inaccurate information may render your application incomplete and ineligible;

That you authorise the SeNSS ESRC DTP to disclose to the ESRC any information that is relevant to your application;

That you authorise the SeNSS ESRC DTP to share any information contained in your application to any of its member institutions.

That you have read and acknowledged the full terms and conditions of RCUK training grants, available at : www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/termsconditionstraininggrants-pdf/

Once you have completed the application form

You will need to save the form and exit it once you have completed filling it in. You will then be returned to your application home page.

Upload degree transcripts: please scan your degree certificates or official award letters and official transcripts, and upload them to your application. You can do this by clicking the start button.

Upload collaborative agreement: if you are applying for a collaborative Studentship, please scan your formal agreement with your collaborative partner (if it has been signed) and upload it to your application. You can do this by clicking the start button.

Request recommendation: supervisor: click the start button, which will open a new page. Please type in the first name, last name and email address of your proposed supervisor. You will also be asked how you know this person.

Request recommendation: referee 1: click the start button, which will open a new page. Please type in the first name, last name and email address of your first referee. You will also be asked how you know this person.

Request recommendation: referee 2: click the start button, which will open a new page. Please type in the first name, last name and email address of your second referee. You will also be asked how you know this person.

In order to ensure that your supervisor/referee completes a supporting statement for you, please inform them that they will be getting an email requesting a statement. Sometimes these emails




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may get labelled as spam, so please ask them to check their spam folder in the event that they don't see the email requesting them to write a supporting statement.

Note: If your supervisor doesn't receive an email within 24 hours, you can try resending the request. If your supervisor still doesn't get the email, please contact Fluidreview via their support page. Please be sure to include the email address of your supervisor/referee.

Submitting your application Once your application is complete, you must submit it online. Please note that it is YOUR responsibility to monitor the progress of your application and check that all parts are completed on time. You will not be able to submit your application to SeNSS online until both your references and your proposed supervisor’s statement have been uploaded. Please note that the final deadline for applying for a SeNSS Studentship is set by your chosen University. You need to ask that University’s administrator what the deadline is, and you will need to abide by this deadline.

Checklist of documents required for your application

The transcripts, award letters or degree certificates, as evidence of your relevant higher education or training;

Your formal collaboration agreement (if you have already entered into such an agreement) if you are applying for a collaborative Studentship;

Your proposed main supervisor’s statement; and,

Your two references.

Selection process, notification and acceptance of awards Applications made to SeNSS will go through a number of selection processes. Your application will be assessed firstly at institutional level and, if successful, it will be put forward to a SeNSS assessment panel. You may be requested to attend an interview at your chosen institution as part of the selection process. You will be notified at each stage whether your application has been successful. Applicants put forward to a SeNSS assessment panel will be informed of the outcome by the end of March 2017. However, please note that, in our experience, some students who are offered Studentships may turn down their offers, if they decide to study elsewhere, or decide not to study at all. If this is the case, then some reserve candidates may receive offers later on. If you are not successful in the first instance, but are placed on a reserve list, you will be informed of this. If you are offered a SeNSS Studentship, you will receive an email and/or an offer letter, which will indicate the deadline by which SeNSS must have received your response to your offer. Please reply promptly if you are offered a SeNSS Studentship. You may either respond through email or, if you wish to respond by post, we recommended that you use a recorded or signed for mail delivery service. Should you be offered a SeNSS Studentship, your acceptance of this award constitutes an agreement between you and your SeNSS home institution, as set out in your offer letter.

http://help.fluidreview.com/contact

http://help.fluidreview.com/contact


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SeNSS Partner Institutions Administrators: Who to contact

Once you are certain that you are eligible to apply for a SeNSS ESRC-funded Studentship, and you have discussed this with your proposed main supervisor, the next step is to get in contact with your chosen institution’s administrator. They will provide you with the link for the SeNSS online application form, as well as the access code you will need to create an online application.

City, University London Dr Claudia Kalay: [email protected]

University of East Anglia Mel Steele: [email protected]

University of Essex Dr Felicity Szesnat: [email protected]

Goldsmiths, University of London Lesley Hewings: [email protected]

University of Kent Ros Beeching: [email protected]

Reading University Chris Robson: [email protected]

Roehampton University Fiona Eddleston: [email protected]

Royal Holloway, University of London Jane Gawthrope: [email protected]

University of Surrey Emma Dewhirst / Christine Espitalier-Noel: [email protected]

University of Sussex Shelley Jenkins: [email protected]

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