PhD studentships providing funding for research projects on Commonwealth-related themes.
Applications open: 12 May 2025
Applications close: 31 July 2025, 15:00 UTC
The Routledge/Round Table Commonwealth PhD Studentships provide support for research projects on Commonwealth-related themes in the humanities and social sciences.
Proposed research must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Relate to the Commonwealth as a whole or to any Commonwealth-wide institution or organisation.
- Have a Commonwealth comparative aspect.
- Be of relevance to more than one Commonwealth country.
Successful applicants will be required to submit an article of between 4,000 and 6,000 words based on their research, for consideration for publication in The Round Table journal. They will also be required to make a podcast on their research, for publication on the journal’s website.
Mentorship
As part of the studentship, applicants are required to identify and work with a mentor at a university in a Commonwealth country other than that in which they are based. This should be an expert in a subject linked to the applicant’s subject of research, who will be able to provide support and advice during the studentship.
The mentor will be expected to hold a minimum of two virtual meetings with the student during the period of the studentship. They will be expected to be in contact with the student by email to share their experiences in their relevant field, provide advice around publishing, events and trends in their field, and to challenge and empower the student to consider new ways of thinking.
The mentor will also be expected to contribute to either the podcast or the article that the student is expected to produce at the end of the studentship and will be paid an honorarium of £500 GBP, payable at the end of the studentship. Mentors must read and abide by the mentor code of conduct guidelines.
What does the studentship include?
Two studentships are available each with a maximum value of GBP 5,500:
- One for PhD students registered at UK universities.
- One for PhD students registered at ACU member universities in Commonwealth countries other than the UK.
Who can apply?
Applications are welcomed from a broad range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.
Preference may be given to disciplines usually covered by The Round Table journal, including (but not exclusively) politics, international relations, economics, international history, geography, law, development studies, and area studies.
Applicants from STEM will not be accepted unless the research proposal clearly addresses a policy-related theme.
It is not expected that the applicant’s PhD/DPhil research already has a Commonwealth focus. Applications are particularly welcomed where the award will enable the applicant to add a Commonwealth dimension to the work.
How to apply
- Review the application guidance page.
- Download the application form in either PDF or Word format.
- Complete the application form.
- Send the completed form and a current CV to secretary@commonwealthroundtable.co.uk
For more information about the Routlege/Round Table Commonwealth Studentship Awards and award recipients, please visit the studentships page on The Round Table website.
The studentships are funded by The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs and the journal’s publisher, Routledge, in association with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).
