Applications are open for the University of Sheffield AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) for 2027/28 entry, offering four fully funded PhD studentships for doctoral researchers undertaking eligible projects within the University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

The programme is supported through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and forms part of the AHRC North/Northwest Hub, connecting Sheffield’s doctoral researchers with a wider regional network of universities and postgraduate researchers.

The award is particularly significant because it is not restricted to traditionally defined arts and humanities disciplines. Eligible applicants may pursue doctoral research through four Sheffield schools, including the School of Law, opening the competition to suitable legal research projects alongside work in English, history, philosophy, digital humanities, languages, arts and societies.

Each studentship provides 3.5 years of funding for full-time study, with funding provided pro rata for part-time candidates. The package consists of a maintenance stipend at the UKRI rate — currently £21,805 for the 2026/27 academic year — plus payment of tuition fees at the applicable Home or International rate.

International applicants are welcome. However, candidates applying from overseas should note an important limitation: up to one of the four annual studentships may be allocated to an outstanding international candidate, making the international competition particularly selective.

Applicants must also pay close attention to the programme’s two-stage application process and two separate deadlines. Candidates first need to submit an application for a PhD place at the University of Sheffield by 14 December 2026. After obtaining their University study application number, they must separately submit the AHRC DLA funding application by 5:00 PM GMT on 19 February 2027.

Importantly, the published instructions require candidates to submit their PhD application first and obtain an application number before completing the funding form. They do not state that applicants must wait until they have received a formal PhD offer before submitting the scholarship application.

The scheme is not open to candidates who are already enrolled on a PhD.

Official AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award page at the University of Sheffield

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About the AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award at the University of Sheffield

The AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award, commonly abbreviated to DLA, supports postgraduate researchers working across the arts and humanities.

The University of Sheffield has received a Doctoral Landscape Award to support doctoral researchers within its Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Sheffield’s studentships are associated with the AHRC North/Northwest Hub, in collaboration with nine other universities in the region.

The structure is intended to provide doctoral researchers with more than individual supervision and financial support. Successful candidates become members of a broader doctoral cohort and are expected to participate actively in:

• Cohort training
• Professional development
• Research activities
• Interdisciplinary engagement
• Other activities organized through the DLA North/Northwest Hub

Recipients should therefore view the studentship as both PhD funding and participation in a wider doctoral training community.

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How Many AHRC DLA Studentships Are Available?

The University of Sheffield will support:

Four full PhD studentships per year.

This means that the funding competition is likely to be highly selective.

The four awards are available across the Faculty of Arts and Humanities rather than being separately guaranteed to each School.

Applicants will initially be assessed within the relevant academic School before shortlisted candidates progress to the Faculty-level selection process.

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Which University of Sheffield Schools Are Included?

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities includes four participating academic Schools:

School of English

Research undertaken through the School of English may fall within fields such as literature, language, creative writing and related interdisciplinary areas, depending on available supervision and PhD admission requirements.

School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities

This School brings together doctoral research across historical, philosophical and digital-humanities approaches.

School of Languages, Arts and Societies

Researchers working across languages, cultures, societies and arts-related fields may be based within this School.

School of Law

Importantly, the School of Law is explicitly included in the Faculty for the purposes of this DLA competition.

This means candidates pursuing qualifying arts-and-humanities-oriented doctoral research in law may also apply, subject to obtaining admission to an appropriate Sheffield PhD programme and meeting the funding competition requirements.

The inclusion of Law makes this opportunity particularly relevant to prospective PhD researchers working on areas such as legal history, jurisprudence, socio-legal research and other projects that fit the AHRC and Faculty research environment.

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A Large Arts, Humanities and Law Research Community

The University states that the Faculty is home to more than 200 PhD researchers undertaking disciplinary and interdisciplinary research.

It also has more than two dozen Faculty Research Centres bringing together:

• Academic staff
• Postgraduate researchers
• Early-career researchers
• Regional stakeholders

This research-centre structure is especially important for applicants because the DLA funding application asks candidates to explain how their proposed research will align not only with their prospective supervisor and School, but also with one or more of the Faculty’s research centres.

Candidates should therefore research Sheffield’s institutional environment carefully before submitting their application.

Simply demonstrating that a supervisor works on a similar topic may not be sufficient for a strong funding application. Applicants are expected to show how their project fits into the wider intellectual environment available at Sheffield.

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AHRC DLA Funding Package

The studentships are funded for:

3.5 years for full-time study

with funding adjusted pro rata for part-time study.

The award consists of two major components.

1. UKRI Maintenance Stipend

Successful candidates will receive a maintenance stipend at the UKRI rate.

The University currently lists the stipend as:

£21,805 for the 2026/27 academic year.

Candidates entering in 2027/28 should understand that this is the current published rate, rather than assume £21,805 will necessarily remain the exact figure throughout their award.

UKRI stipend rates can change between academic years.

The maintenance stipend is intended to help doctoral researchers meet living expenses while completing their PhD.

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2. Tuition Fee Funding

The studentship also includes payment of:

Tuition fees at the applicable Home or International rate.

This is particularly important for international candidates because overseas PhD tuition fees can be substantially higher than Home fees.

The University explicitly states that the award covers:

• Home tuition fees, where applicable; or
• International tuition fees, where applicable.

Therefore, an international candidate who receives one of these studentships would have the applicable international tuition fees covered under the award.

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Is the AHRC DLA Open to International Students?

Yes.

Overseas students are welcome to apply.

However, international applicants should understand the funding allocation carefully.

The University states that:

Up to one of the four studentships may be allocated to an outstanding international candidate.

This means international candidates are eligible, but the number of awards potentially available to them is more restricted.

The University itself warns that competition for the international place is therefore expected to be particularly intense.

Prospective overseas applicants should not interpret international eligibility as meaning there are four international awards.

There are four studentships overall, and up to one may go to an outstanding international applicant.

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Can Current PhD Students Apply?

No.

The University explicitly states:

The scheme is not open to candidates who are already enrolled on a PhD.

This is an important eligibility condition.

The competition is therefore intended for candidates applying to begin a new PhD programme at Sheffield for the relevant entry cycle rather than current Sheffield PhD students seeking funding partway through an existing doctorate.

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Two Separate Applications Are Required

One of the most important aspects of the AHRC DLA competition is that applying for PhD admission and applying for funding are two separate processes.

Candidates cannot simply submit the funding form without first applying for doctoral study.

The sequence is:

1. Submit a University of Sheffield PhD study application.
2. Receive your University application number.
3. Submit the separate AHRC DLA funding application using that number.

Applicants should therefore begin preparing much earlier than the February scholarship deadline.

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Step 1: Apply for a PhD Place at the University of Sheffield

Candidates must first submit their application for doctoral study through the University of Sheffield’s postgraduate application system.

The deadline for the PhD study application is:

Monday, 14 December 2026.

Submit a University of Sheffield postgraduate research application

This first deadline is extremely important.

A prospective candidate cannot simply wait until February to begin the process because the funding application requires the study-application number generated following submission of the PhD application.

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Do You Need a PhD Offer Before Applying for the Scholarship?

The published instructions make an important distinction.

Candidates must submit their PhD study application first, but the funding instructions do not say that they need to wait for a formal offer of admission.

Instead, after submitting the study application, candidates receive an application number.

The DLA funding form asks applicants to enter this number.

The application guidance identifies it as the nine-digit application number assigned following submission of the University study application.

Therefore, the correct sequence is:

PhD application submitted → application number received → DLA funding application submitted.

Applicants should not unnecessarily delay their funding application while waiting for a formal admission decision unless Sheffield separately instructs them to do so.

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Step 2: Submit the AHRC DLA Funding Application

Once the doctoral application has been submitted and the candidate has received their study application number, they can complete the separate DLA funding form.

The final deadline for this stage is:

5:00 PM GMT on Friday, 19 February 2027.

AHRC DLA 2027/28 funding application form

The University states that the funding application must be completed in one sitting.

This makes advance preparation especially important.

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Use the Application Guidance Template Before Opening the Final Form

The University provides an application guidance template that prospective candidates can use to draft their answers before entering them into the final online form.

The guidance clearly states that it is not itself the application form.

Candidates can use it to prepare responses in advance and then transfer their final answers into the funding form.

AHRC DLA 2027/28 application guidance template

This is particularly useful because several sections have strict word limits.

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What Does the AHRC DLA Funding Application Ask For?

The 2027/28 application guidance provides considerably more detail about what candidates need to prepare.

Applicant Details

Applicants are asked to provide basic information including:

• Forename
• Surname
• School to which they have applied
• Nine-digit PhD application number
• Email address

Candidates select from the participating Schools:

• School of English
• School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities
• School of Languages, Arts and Societies
• School of Law

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Research Project Proposal

The proposed PhD project is central to the funding application.

Candidates must provide:

Prospective supervisor

Applicants should identify the academic they expect to supervise their doctoral research.

This reinforces the importance of researching potential supervisors before submitting the application.

Project title

A clear title for the proposed PhD research is required.

150-word project summary

Candidates must summarize their proposed doctoral project in:

150 words.

This requires a highly concise explanation of:

• Research problem
• Central question
• Approach
• Contribution

Applicants should not treat this section as simply an abbreviated literature review.

Its purpose is to communicate the research project clearly and quickly.

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Detailed Research Proposal: 500–1,000 Words

The DLA application also requires a detailed project proposal of:

500–1,000 words, excluding references.

The guidance states that this should match the proposal submitted with the candidate’s application for a PhD place.

The proposal must address:

• The questions or hypotheses the research will examine
• The research methods that will be used
• The sources or datasets that will be consulted
• How the project relates to existing research within the discipline
• The contribution the research is expected to make to the discipline

Candidates should respect the word limit carefully.

The guidance explicitly warns that the DLA reserves the right to reject responses that are excessively long.

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Demonstrating Fit With Sheffield

Candidates are also asked to explain in detail how their project aligns with:

• The expertise of their proposed supervisor or supervisors
• The research culture of the relevant School
• One or more Faculty Research Centres

This is an important part of the competition.

A funding proposal should therefore not read like a generic PhD application that could be submitted to any university.

Applicants should demonstrate why Sheffield specifically is an appropriate intellectual environment for the project.

This may include identifying:

• Relevant academics
• Research groups
• Faculty centres
• Methodological expertise
• Interdisciplinary networks
• Archives or other research resources

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Fieldwork and Archival Research

The form asks applicants to describe any:

• Fieldwork
• Archival visits

that will be required for the proposed project.

Candidates should therefore think through the practical design of their PhD rather than describing only an abstract research question.

Where relevant, this section can help demonstrate that the project is feasible within the funded period.

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Partner Organizations

Applicants may also provide details of external partner organizations that will have direct involvement in their research.

Examples identified by the guidance include:

• Heritage organizations
• Cultural organizations
• Policy organizations

The form asks candidates to explain what role the organization will play, such as:

• Co-supervision
• Exhibition opportunities
• Public engagement
• Other direct research involvement

Organizations that merely provide access to datasets or research materials do not need to be listed in this section.

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Academic Qualifications

Applicants can enter up to three qualifications already completed.

These might include:

• Bachelor’s or equivalent undergraduate degree
• Master’s or equivalent postgraduate degree
• Another university or professional qualification relevant to the project

For each qualification, applicants are asked for information such as:

• Institution
• Country
• Type of qualification
• Programme title
• Completion date
• Classification, grade or GPA

The DLA page itself does not state one universal minimum GPA or degree classification for all applicants.

Candidates must therefore also satisfy the admission requirements for the specific Sheffield PhD programme and School to which they are applying.

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Qualification Currently in Progress

Candidates who are still completing a qualification can provide details of one qualification currently in progress.

The form asks for:

• Institution and country
• Qualification type
• Programme title
• Expected completion date

This is relevant for applicants currently completing, for example, a Master’s degree before beginning doctoral study.

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Relevant Work Experience

Work experience is an optional section.

Applicants can provide up to:

Three relevant work experiences.

The University asks candidates to include only employment that is directly relevant to the funding application.

For each role, applicants may provide:

• Employer
• Job title
• Description of responsibilities
• Start date
• End date, where applicable

The fact that this section is optional is important: lack of formal professional experience does not automatically make someone ineligible.

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Publications

Publications are also optional.

Candidates can list up to:

Five publications.

Eligible examples include:

• Academic papers
• Conference proceedings
• Professional reports
• Book chapters
• Books

Papers that have been formally accepted but are not yet published may be listed.

However, applicants should not include work that has not yet been accepted for publication.

The application guidance also explicitly reassures candidates not to worry if they have no publications, recognizing that publishing expectations differ considerably between academic disciplines.

This means applicants should not assume that an extensive publication record is mandatory.

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Performances, Compositions, Exhibitions and Presentations

The application includes another optional section that is particularly relevant to:

• Creative-practice researchers
• Applicants with artistic outputs
• Candidates who have given research presentations
• Candidates with professional-practice presentations

Applicants can provide up to:

Five relevant activities.

Examples may include:

• Performances
• Compositions
• Exhibitions
• Presentations

Candidates can describe their own contribution and, where appropriate, provide quantitative evidence such as:

• Visitor numbers
• Listener figures
• Views
• Reviews
• Awards

This reflects the breadth of arts and humanities research and recognizes research excellence beyond conventional journal publications.

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Competitive Prizes and Awards

Applicants may list up to:

Two competitive prizes or awards.

The guidance asks candidates to include only awards that were competitively awarded and relevant to demonstrating qualities connected to the application.

Examples might relate to:

• Essay writing
• Dissertation work
• Performance
• Research presentations
• Professional practice

Candidates are also asked to identify whether an award was:

• Departmental
• Institutional
• Regional
• National
• International

This section is optional.

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Selection Process

Once the funding deadline passes, applications move through several stages.

First Stage: School-Level Assessment

Applications are shared with the relevant School for the first phase of assessment.

This means applicants are initially considered in relation to the academic environment in which their proposed PhD would be based.

Second Stage: Faculty Nomination

Candidates selected by their School are nominated to a Faculty panel.

Faculty Panel: March 2027

The Faculty selection panel is expected to convene in:

March 2027.

The panel will confirm the final studentship selections.

Final Results

The University aims to notify all applicants of the final outcome by:

The end of March 2027.

Candidates should therefore expect the full scholarship decision process to continue for several weeks following the February funding deadline.

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DLA Cohort Participation

Successful candidates do not simply receive funding and work independently with their supervisors.

Recipients will become part of the:

DLA North/North West Hub cohort

and are expected to participate fully in:

• Cohort training
• Development activities
• Other Hub programming

Applicants should therefore be interested in contributing to a broader doctoral community alongside completing their individual research.

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Part-Time Applicants

The University describes the 3.5-year studentships as being funded pro rata for part-time study.

This indicates that part-time doctoral study can be accommodated under the funding structure, subject to the relevant University arrangements and programme requirements.

Applicants considering this route should confirm the precise funding duration and study arrangements with Sheffield.

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Important Deadlines

Prospective applicants should keep both deadlines clearly separated:

PhD study application deadline:
Monday, 14 December 2026

AHRC DLA funding application deadline:
Friday, 19 February 2027 at 5:00 PM GMT

Missing the December study deadline may prevent a candidate from obtaining the application number required for the funding competition.

The February date should therefore never be treated as the only deadline for this opportunity.

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How to Prepare a Strong Application

Because only four studentships are available, candidates should prepare both their PhD application and funding application carefully.

1. Identify the Right Supervisor Early

Your proposal must fit the expertise of your prospective supervisor.

Candidates should investigate:

• Academic research profiles
• Recent publications
• Research interests
• Relevant research centres

before finalizing their project.

2. Demonstrate Institutional Fit

Do not merely explain why your research topic is important.

Explain why the project belongs at Sheffield.

Connect your proposal directly to:

• Supervisor expertise
• School research strengths
• Faculty Research Centres

3. Make the Research Question Precise

A competitive proposal should identify a researchable question rather than simply naming a broad subject.

For example, “international human rights law” is a field.

A strong PhD proposal would instead identify a specific legal problem, body of evidence, theoretical debate and potential contribution.

4. Explain the Contribution

The funding form explicitly asks what contribution the research will make to the discipline.

Candidates should therefore distinguish clearly between:

• What previous scholarship has established
• What remains unresolved
• How their research will address that gap
• Why that contribution matters

5. Take Methodology Seriously

The application asks candidates to explain their research methods.

The methodology should be directly connected to the research question rather than included as a generic list of techniques.

6. Respect Every Word Limit

The project summary is limited to 150 words, while the detailed proposal is 500–1,000 words excluding references.

The guidance warns that overly long responses may be rejected.

7. Draft Before Opening the Funding Form

Because the final funding application must be submitted in one sitting, prepare and proofread all answers in advance using the University’s guidance template.

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Key Details at a Glance

Programme: AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award 2027/28

University: University of Sheffield

Country: United Kingdom

Level: PhD

Number of studentships: Four per year

Duration: 3.5 years full-time, pro rata for part-time

Maintenance funding: UKRI stipend rate, currently £21,805 for 2026/27

Tuition: Home or International fees covered as applicable

International eligibility: Yes

International award limit: Up to one of the four studentships may be awarded to an outstanding international candidate

Current PhD students: Not eligible

Eligible Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Participating Schools: English; History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities; Languages, Arts and Societies; Law

PhD application deadline: 14 December 2026

Funding deadline: 19 February 2027 at 5:00 PM GMT

Faculty selection: March 2027

Expected final notification: By the end of March 2027

Official information:
University of Sheffield AHRC DLA page

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Conclusion

The University of Sheffield AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award 2027/28 offers a substantial funding opportunity for prospective researchers seeking to undertake doctoral study across arts, humanities and qualifying Law research at Sheffield.

Four studentships are available each year. Each provides 3.5 years of support for full-time study, with pro-rata arrangements for part-time candidates, and includes both a UKRI-rate maintenance stipend and tuition-fee coverage.

The current published UKRI stipend is £21,805 for the 2026/27 academic year, although the applicable rate may change for the 2027/28 entry year.

International candidates can apply and, importantly, international tuition fees are covered for a successful overseas award holder. However, overseas applicants should recognize the particularly competitive structure: up to one of the four studentships may be allocated to an international candidate.

Candidates also need to plan ahead because there are two application stages. The PhD study application must be submitted by 14 December 2026, while the separate DLA funding application closes at 5:00 PM GMT on 19 February 2027.

Applicants do not need to wait until February to begin preparing their scholarship materials. The University provides a detailed guidance template covering the research summary, 500–1,000-word proposal, supervisory and institutional fit, qualifications, relevant experience, publications and other achievements.

For prospective doctoral researchers, especially those interested in the School of Law as well as Sheffield’s broader arts and humanities disciplines, the strongest applications will combine a clearly defined original project with a compelling explanation of why Sheffield’s supervisors, research culture and research centres provide the right environment in which to undertake it.