PhD Scholarship in Applied Health research supported by the Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS)

University of Kent, Centre for Health Services Studies

PhD Scholarship in Applied Health research supported by the Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS).

Using applied health research to explore health inequalities and wider determinants of ‘health in places’.

The University of Kent, in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey, Sussex are offering a PhD scholarship (3.5 years full-time) to be based in the Centre for Health Services Studies.

Criteria

The studentship opportunity is open to candidates who:

• Have completed a health- or social work/care-related postgraduate training course at Master's level, equivalent to merit or distinction (a combination of qualifications and/or experience that is equivalent to a relevant UK Master’s level degree may also be accepted).
• Are eligible for UK home-rate fees (or international students who can make up the difference between home-rate fees and international fees).

Scholarship information

The research studentship will be based within the Centre for Health Services Studies at the University of Kent. We welcome applications from prospective students interested in topics that address the: Wider Determinants of Health.

We are interested in receiving applications that build evidence on what works to improve health and/or reduce health inequalities. Areas of particular focus include:

• Children and young people, particularly those living in deprived areas such as coastal regions, and those in the criminal justice system or not in employment, education and training.
• Sub-populations groups in under-researched environments and circumstances such as the criminal justice system, care homes, and community-based social care.
• Developing methodological approaches to describe, understand and monitor health and/or the wider determinants of health (e.g. housing or housing insecurity, local neighbourhoods or community assets, aspects of socioeconomic deprivation) in ‘places’.
• Using data to understand early onset of long-term conditions through understanding prevalence and/or the wider determinants of health and how they interact at place level.
• Using routine data to understand inequalities in health and/or wider determinants of health.

The focus on ‘places’ may include:

• Neighbourhoods (in line with the 10-year plan for the NHS)
• focussing on regional, local and hyperlocal geographies.
• Specific under-served populations
• Coastal communities
• Rural and isolated communities
• Deprived communities within a largely affluent locality

Scholarship Value

- The studentship will cover tuition fees for the full-time duration at the standard postgraduate ‘Home’ rate (£5238 for 2026/27) rate, plus an annual maintenance stipend of £21,805 per annum (in line with the UKRI rate for 2026 with yearly inflationary uplift).

- An annual Research Training Support allowance of £750 is also available, to cover conference attendance, training courses, equipment and books.

How to apply:

Submit an online application, selecting the PhD in Applied Health Research (full time) with:

- a clear and succinct research proposal uploaded as a word document (maximum of 4 pages formatted in Arial font, point 11) to your application using the following headings:

• • Introducing the topic
  • Research question and aim of the proposed research
  • Methodological approach (including relevant analysis plans, Patient and Public involvement plans and Research Inclusion)
  • Recruitment of research participants
  • Potential impact of the doctoral research

Deadline of 23:59 BST, Sunday 26^th July 2026.

For questions regarding the online application process email scholarships@kent.ac.uk

Advert information