Applications for entry in Autumn 2025 are now open with a deadline of 8th January 2025. To find out more, search for projects and apply, please visit the CENTA website.
CENTA offers studentships through two main pathways.
Project-based studentships: Please search through the list of projects available at Birmingham, and note the information in ‘how to apply’ below.
CENTA Science Opportunity Scholarships (CSOS): In order to address a historical imbalance, it is our ambition to offer up to 3 fully-funded scholarships to Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) Home-award-eligible applicants who meet the academic requirements. Please see the link for how to apply for this scholarship opportunity, noting the application is to CENTA directly and not to the University.
You can apply via one or both of these pathways
Eligibility
Our project-based studentships are open to all applicants who meet the academic requirements (at least a 2:1 at UK BSc level or at least a pass at UK MSc level or equivalent). International candidates can apply, however please note the number of international fee-waiver opportunities is extremely limited. Please consider this constraint when submitting your application, and ask if you have any questions.
To be eligible for a full (Home) award a student must have no restrictions on how long they can stay in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the studentship.
The full eligibility criteria can be found in Annex B of this document from UKRI: : https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/UKRI-020424-TrainingGrantTermsConditionsGuidanceApril2024.pdf
CENTA also particularly welcomes applications for PhD studentships from under-represented groups.
CENTA recognises that a diversity of pathways through education exist and that there may be challenges to studying for a PhD alongside other personal commitments. Our assessment of applicant’s eligibility and experience involves appraisal of track records. If disclosed, the supervisors, host institution recruitment teams and the CENTA board will take into consideration circumstances that may have taken time away from study and thus limited the candidate’s opportunity to demonstrate their full educational potential, for example through parental leave, other caring responsibilities, ill-health, disabilities or the need to engage in paid work. Each application will be considered individually.
CENTA studentships are for 3.5 years and are funded by NERC. Successful home-fees-eligible candidates will receive:
- An annual stipend, set at £19,237 for 2024/25, paid directly to the student in monthly increments
- Full university fees paid directly to the university
- A research training support grant (RTSG) of £8,000, held at their host institution
Successful international candidates will receive:
- An annual stipend, set at £19,237 for 2024/25, paid directly to the student in monthly increments
- A contribution to the university fees at the level of support for Home-fee-eligible students. Please note that there will likely be a shortfall in fees that will need to be covered from another source. Some universities may waive these fees; please contact the supervision team associated with your project to ask for further information.
- A research training support grant (RTSG) of £8,000, held at their host institution