ESRC studentship advantages

What are the advantages of an ESRC DTP studentship?

There are numerous advantages to getting an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded studentship.

Some of the funds listed, such as those relating to Difficult Language Training, collaboration and ESRC internships funding, are available only to ESRC funded students.

Registered students can find details of how to apply for these additional funds by visiting the ESRC PhD Moodle page. Log in to Moodle and find under course name 'LSE ESRC DTC'. See also information about additional funds at LSE’s financial support.

Details of other non-ESRC studentships offered by LSE can be found at LSE’s PhD studentships page.

The ESRC funds a range of data and methods services, additional to those available at LSE, to support research and study. It provides resources needed to access high quality socio-economics data and to develop research skills whihc are listsed in the ESRC data and methods investments [PDF].

Tuition and maintenance

For UK residents the studentship will cover tuition fees in full, provide a maintenance stipend, and an annual Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £750. 

For EU residents the ESRC DTC studentship will cover fees and RTSG only but LSE provides a stipend at Research Council rates.

For 2017/18 the stipend payable to LSE students is to be confirmed, but for guidance 2016/7 was £16,296 (which is composed of the standard stipend of £14,296 plus £2,000 London weighting).

Final stage support

If you have not completed your thesis within the funded period of your studentship, and your maximum period of registration for a PhD has not expired, then you can apply for additional support. See LSE’s In-course financial support for final stage PhD students (login required). 

For further information please see the FSO webpage 

Supervisors are asked to confirm the planned timetable through to submission. These awards are made throughout the academic session.

Advanced training

If you are given an ESRC scholarship you will be required to undertake advanced training. At LSE this is provided in academic departments, the Department of Methodology and the PhD Academy.

Overseas fieldwork expenses

If you are on a full time programme, on the +3 element of your award, and intend to carry out overseas fieldwork you can apply for additional funding. You can apply for this only once during the period of your ESRC award. Part-time students can become eligible if they transfer to full-time status for the duration of the fieldwork. 

Contact Rose Harris at p.harris@lse.ac.uk for further information.

Disabled student’s allowances

Any disabled student who, because of disability, is obliged to incur additional expenditure in connection with their studies may be eligible for an allowance. This can consist of non-medical helpers, daily expenses and equipment. 

Contact Rose Harris at p.harris@lse.ac.uk for further information.

Overseas institutional visits

This additional funding is intended to provide applicants with the opportunity to establish and support existing research networks, to disseminate early research findings, to participate in seminars and other academic activities directly related to their research, or to undertake specialist research training that is not available in the UK.

In the application, students are required to enter detailed costs of their visit, eg flights, accommodation and general living expenses, along with justification of these costs.

Contact Rose Harris at p.harris@lse.ac.uk for further information.

Collaborative opportunities

The ESRC expects at least 30 per cent of DTP students to be involved in collaboration during their programme. This can include internships, placements and longer term collaborations with public, private or third sector organisations in order to collect data or develop new skills and insights.

The ESRC is not prescriptive about the type of collaboration, but the general principles are that co-funding can be involved but is not essential; the collaboration must be with a non-academic organisation in the public, private or civil society sector; and collaborations must include substantive knowledge exchange and not just one way engagement (eg data collection).

Students who are interested in undertaking an internship during the course of their PhD can apply to have their stipend and maximum period of registration extended. The ESRC will also pay any reasonable additional living costs directly associated with the intership.  Internships usually last for three months.  Students interested in exploring this possibility should contact Rose Harris in the Financial Support Office and arrange to see her in one of the surgeries she runs in the PhD Academy.

ESRC's Collaboration give further details and registered LSE students should look at the ESRC PhD Moodle page. Log in to Moodle and find under course name 'LSE ESRC DTC' for more information and listings of placement, internship and collaboration opportunities. 

LSE’s DTP can fund costs associated with taking up these opportunities and in certain cases extend your scholarship to take account of your time out of the programme.  

Contact Rose Harris at p.harris@lse.ac.uk for further information.

Maternity and paternity leave

If you become pregnant during the period of your ESRC award, the ESRC will allow up to six months’ paid maternity leave without the level of your award being reduced. You can also extend your maternity leave unpaid for a maximum of a further six months. 

A total of 10 days’ paternity leave may be taken at any time during a partner's pregnancy or within three months following the birth. This period is regarded as additional leave of absence from studies and the award will not be extended. 

If the student needs to take any further time, this must be taken as a suspension to the award. Additional paternity leave and adoption leave can also be claimed in the appropriate circumstances. 

Contact Rose Harris at p.harris@lse.ac.uk for further information.

Student led multi-disciplinary workshops

There is funding available for LSE ESRC funded students to organise their own multi-disciplinary workshops. 

Contact Kirsty Rawlings at k.rawlings@lse.ac.uk for further information.