The University of Leeds is offering a highly competitive ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work Scholarship for postgraduate researchers interested in the changing relationship between digital technologies, artificial intelligence, skills, employment, regional economies and the future of work.
The scholarship is based at Leeds University Business School and forms part of the ESRC Research Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit), a major research centre focused on understanding how digital transformation is reshaping work, employment and society.
For the 2026/27 academic cycle, the opportunity provides full academic fees together with a tax-free maintenance grant currently valued at £21,805 per year, with the maintenance amount increasing annually in line with UKRI rates. The funding is available for a period of up to 3.5 years for full-time study, making this a significant doctoral funding opportunity for applicants whose research interests align with the advertised project.
The application deadline is 31 October 2026, with the scholarship scheduled to begin on 1 February 2027. There is one funding place available.
About the ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work Scholarship
The scholarship is attached to a specific doctoral research project titled:
“Building good work and digital skills within a regional digital eco-system.”
The proposed research examines how local authorities and regional agencies can develop inclusive digital and skills ecosystems within regional labour markets.
The project is particularly concerned with how regional economies respond to technological and economic restructuring and how institutions can support:
- Digital skills readiness
- Digital transformation within regional economies
- Adoption of artificial intelligence and digital technologies
- Digital skills upgrading
- Sustainable employment
- Good work
- Inclusive regional development
- Institutional capacity for supporting technological change
The research will be situated within the United Kingdom’s broader strategy for digital adoption and economic growth.
The studentship will use both qualitative and, where appropriate, quantitative research methods. It is expected to involve interviews with important actors such as local policymakers, employers and workers. The successful doctoral researcher will also collaborate with key local actors and undertake an internship connected to the research project.
University of Leeds Research Environment
The scholarship is located within the ESRC Research Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit) and based at Leeds University Business School.
Digit is a multi-institutional research centre established in 2020 and led from the Universities of Leeds and Sussex. According to the University of Leeds, the centre has received £18 million in funding from the ESRC and provides a research environment for doctoral students and early-career researchers.
Successful students will have access to Digit’s doctoral and early-career researcher networks, alongside additional support for areas such as:
- Research consumables
- Training
- Conference attendance
- Doctoral and early-career research networks
- Research collaboration
- The wider research facilities of Leeds University Business School
Leeds University Business School also houses a large academic department specialising in work and employment research through its People, Work and Employment Department.
Scholarship Funding and Financial Support
The ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work Scholarship provides substantial financial support for doctoral study.
For full-time study, the award includes:
- Full academic fees
- Maintenance grant of £21,805 for the 2026/27 session
- Annual increases to the maintenance grant in line with the UKRI rate
- Maintenance support for 3.5 years
- Full fee coverage for 3 years
Part-time awards are provided on a pro-rata basis.
This means the scholarship is designed to cover the principal university tuition costs while also providing a living-cost maintenance award during the doctoral programme.
Important costs not covered
International applicants should carefully consider additional costs associated with relocating to the United Kingdom.
The University states that costs associated with international relocation are not covered by the scholarship. These may include:
- Visa expenses
- Insurance
- NHS fees
- Flights
- Other relocation-related expenses
Applicants should therefore make separate financial arrangements for these costs.
Research Focus: Digital Futures at Work
The central research theme of the scholarship is the relationship between digital transformation, skills and employment.
The doctoral project provides an opportunity to investigate how regional labour markets can adapt to rapid technological change while ensuring that workers and communities can benefit from emerging opportunities.
Potential research questions within the broad project could relate to issues such as:
- How regional economies prepare for digital transformation.
- How governments and regional institutions can improve digital skills readiness.
- How artificial intelligence adoption affects regional labour markets.
- How workers can acquire new digital skills as industries change.
- How employers can support digital skills development.
- How regional institutions can promote sustainable employment.
- How technological change can be connected to the creation of good work.
- How policymakers can develop inclusive digital ecosystems.
- How local employers and workers experience digital transformation.
- How institutional capacity influences the adoption of emerging technologies.
Applicants are not restricted to simply repeating the wording of the advertised project. The University states that applicants can pursue their own research interests within the broad area specified in the scholarship advertisement.
Academic Entry Requirements
Applicants are expected to meet the University of Leeds requirements for PhD candidates.
Normally, applicants should have:
- A First Class or Upper Second Class British Bachelor’s Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification from another country, in an appropriate discipline.
- A British Master’s degree, an equivalent degree from an overseas university, or an equivalent professional qualification.
- For the People, Work and Employment area, a minimum average of 60% or equivalent in the Master’s degree is required.
Because this is a research-based doctoral opportunity, applicants should also demonstrate that their proposed research is academically appropriate and fits within the scope of the advertised research area.
English Language Requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English are required to provide evidence that they meet the University’s minimum English language requirements.
For research postgraduate study at Leeds University Business School, the stated requirement is:
- IELTS overall: 7.0
- Minimum in each component: 6.5
An equivalent English language qualification may also be accepted. The test must be dated within two years of the course start date to remain valid.
Applicants should therefore check the University’s accepted alternatives if they intend to submit an English language qualification other than IELTS.
Who Cannot Apply?
There are important restrictions that applicants should understand before preparing an application.
The scholarship is intended for new postgraduate researchers. Candidates who have already been awarded a PhD are excluded from applying. Applicants who are currently registered on a PhD are also excluded.
However, the University indicates that applicants who previously studied for a PhD but did not complete it may be considered.
The successful award must also be taken up by 1 February 2027, and scholarship recipients are expected to live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds while receiving the scholarship.
Application Process
Applying for the scholarship requires applicants to first apply for a suitable research degree place at the University of Leeds.
The University strongly recommends submitting the study application at least eight weeks before the scholarship deadline. This allows the Admissions team sufficient time to process the application and issue the required student identification number.
Step 1: Apply for a PhD research place
Applicants must first submit an application for a research degree through the University’s online research degree application system.
The scholarship cannot be considered independently of the relevant PhD study application.
Step 2: Identify the scholarship
Within the application, applicants should clearly state that they wish to be considered for:
“The ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work centre scholarship.”
Step 3: Identify the research area and supervisor
Applicants should clearly state in the research section that their proposed research area is:
Digital Futures at Work
They should also identify the proposed supervisor as:
Professor Mark Stuart
Professor Mark Stuart and Professor Charles Umney are listed as the supervisors for the scholarship project.
Step 4: Submit the required supporting documents
Applicants must provide the documents required for their PhD study application.
These include:
- Degree transcripts
- Degree certificates
- English language test results, where applicable
- Research proposal
The research proposal is an especially important component of the application because it must demonstrate how the applicant’s proposed research connects to the advertised research topic.
Research Proposal Requirements
Applicants are expected to prepare a clear and academically rigorous research proposal.
The proposal should remain within the broad subject specified in the scholarship advertisement while allowing the applicant to develop their own research interests within that area.
The proposal should explain:
- What the applicant wants to research
- Why the proposed research is important
- How the research relates to the advertised topic
- The likely contribution of the research
- Relevant academic literature
- Recent policy debates relevant to the topic
- The proposed research methodology
- The planned approach to data collection
- The proposed approach to data analysis
The University states that the PhD proposal should be no longer than six pages.
A particularly important instruction is that proposals that are clearly written by AI will be desk rejected. Applicants should therefore ensure that their proposal genuinely represents their own research thinking, academic writing and intellectual contribution.
Visit HERE for more guidance on writing a research proposal.
Scholarship Deadline
The official scholarship deadline is:
31 October 2026
The University states that applications must be complete by the stated deadline. It also specifies that study applications lacking the required documents by 17:00 on 31 October 2026 will not be considered for the award.
Applicants should therefore avoid waiting until the final day to submit their materials, particularly because they must first apply for the PhD study place and obtain their student identification number.
Click HERE for more information about ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work Scholarship 2026/27 at the University of Leeds
Funding Start Date
The scholarship is scheduled to begin on:
1 February 2027
Successful candidates must be prepared to take up the award by this date.
Selection Process
Applications are considered after the deadline, and only complete applications will be considered.
The University states that the final awards are based on academic merit. Financial hardship is not considered as a selection factor.
Applicants should therefore concentrate on demonstrating:
- Strong academic preparation
- A clear and relevant research question
- Strong understanding of the research area
- A well-developed research methodology
- Knowledge of relevant literature
- Awareness of current policy debates
- A clear potential contribution to research
- Alignment with the advertised Digital Futures at Work project
- Ability to meet the requirements of doctoral-level study
The University states that applicants will normally be emailed within six to eight weeks after the deadline to confirm the outcome of their application.
A Research Opportunity at the Intersection of Technology, Skills and Employment
The scholarship comes at an important intersection between digital transformation and the future of employment.
As artificial intelligence, automation and digital technologies continue to influence workplaces and regional economies, questions surrounding digital skills, workforce adaptation, institutional readiness and sustainable employment are increasingly important areas of research.
The advertised project provides a structured opportunity for a doctoral researcher to investigate these questions within a regional labour-market context.
The inclusion of collaboration with local actors and an internship also means that the research is designed to engage with practical policy and workplace environments rather than being limited entirely to theoretical academic investigation.
Supportive Research Environment
Successful applicants will join a wider research environment through Digit and Leeds University Business School.
The Digit centre provides doctoral and early-career researcher networks, while the Business School provides access to research facilities and an established academic community working on people, employment and work-related research.
The scholarship also includes additional support for consumables, training and conference attendance, giving the successful researcher opportunities to develop academically and professionally during their doctoral studies.
Diversity and Inclusion
The University of Leeds states that it welcomes students from different backgrounds and countries and is committed to developing an inclusive academic community.
The University particularly encourages applications from, among others, Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, people who identify as LGBT+, and people with disabilities.
However, the University states that applicants are selected on the basis of merit and ability.
This means that there is no nationality or racial restriction attached to the scholarship, while applicants from diverse backgrounds are actively welcomed.
Important Points Applicants Should Know
Before submitting an application, prospective candidates should carefully consider the following:
- There is only one funding place. The scholarship is therefore highly competitive.
- You must first apply for the PhD research place. The scholarship application is connected to the University’s research degree application process.
- Apply early. The University recommends submitting the study application at least eight weeks before the scholarship deadline.
- Your proposal must fit the research area. The proposed project should relate to Digital Futures at Work while allowing you to develop your own research interests within the specified scope.
- The proposal has a six-page limit. Applicants should keep the research proposal within this requirement.
- AI-generated research proposals are specifically prohibited. Proposals that are clearly written by AI may be rejected at the initial screening stage.
- International relocation expenses are not included. Applicants coming to the UK should budget separately for visas, insurance, NHS fees, flights and related costs.
- Existing PhD holders and current PhD students are excluded. Previous incomplete PhD study may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- The scholarship must be taken up by 1 February 2027.
- Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds while receiving the scholarship.
Contact Information
Applicants who require further information about the scholarship can contact the Leeds University Business School Admissions Team:
Email: phd@lubs.leeds.ac.uk
Applicants may also contact the listed supervisors:
Professor Mark Stuart
M.A.Stuart@lubs.leeds.ac.uk
Professor Charles Umney
C.R.Umney@leeds.ac.uk
Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work Scholarship |
| University | University of Leeds |
| Research centre | ESRC Research Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit) |
| School | Leeds University Business School |
| Research area | Digital Futures at Work |
| Project | Building good work and digital skills within a regional digital eco-system |
| Degree | PhD |
| Funding places | 1 |
| Funding | Full academic fees + maintenance grant |
| Maintenance | £21,805 for 2026/27 |
| Funding duration | 3.5 years maintenance; 3 years full fees for full-time study |
| Study mode | Full-time or part-time |
| Eligibility | Home and international applicants |
| Application deadline | 31 October 2026 |
| Funding start date | 1 February 2027 |
| Proposed supervisor | Professor Mark Stuart |
| English requirement | IELTS 7.0 overall, minimum 6.5 in each component, or equivalent |
| Research proposal | Maximum six pages |
| Previous/current PhD | Generally excluded |
| Relocation costs | Not covered |
Conclusion
The ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work Scholarship at the University of Leeds provides an opportunity for doctoral researchers to investigate how digital technologies, artificial intelligence, skills development and changing labour markets are shaping the future of work.
The scholarship combines substantial financial support with access to a specialist research environment through the ESRC Research Centre for Digital Futures at Work and Leeds University Business School. The proposed research focuses specifically on building good work and digital skills within regional digital ecosystems, while allowing the successful researcher to develop their own research interests within the broader theme.
With full academic fees, a £21,805 maintenance grant for 2026/27, research and training support, and funding for up to 3.5 years of full-time study, the opportunity is designed for strong doctoral candidates whose academic and research interests align with digital futures, skills, employment and regional economic transformation.
Prospective applicants should begin the process early because they must first secure a research study application and prepare the required supporting documentation. The final scholarship deadline is 31 October 2026, and the award is scheduled to commence on 1 February 2027.
Applicants should ensure that their academic qualifications, proposed research, supporting documents and English-language evidence meet the stated requirements before submitting their application.
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