Candidates can choose to join the programme via either the DTP route of entry or directly to an Industry Co-funded Project or apply to both.

Standard and CASE DTP studentships

This four-year programme comprises two laboratory ‘rotations’ in the first year, followed a project jointly supervised by researchers from two of the host institutions or with industry in years 2-4. Students normally take a three month industrial placement, and all students will receive training in Data-Management & Computational Biology, Industrial Biotechnology, Science Communication, and Business and Entrepreneurship plus optional Masters Level Modules.

Industry Co-funded studentships

Students joining an industry co-funded studentship do not undertake rotations in their first year and instead begin directly on their named industrial collaborative project from the start of the programme. During the 4-years of study industry co-funded studentship students will spend between 3-18 months on placement with their industry partner.

Qualifications

Candidates should have a BSc/MSci 2:1 and/or Masters (MSc or MRes) at Merit/Distinction level (>60%) and/or evidence of significant relevant professional experience equivalent to Masters level.

SoCoBio welcomes applications from candidates with sustained experience beyond their undergraduate degree level that is specifically relevant to biosciences research. This includes students with degrees in science or engineering-disciplines outside of biology.

English Language Proficiency

At time of application, all students whose first language is not English must be able to provide recent evidence that their spoken and written language skills are adequate for the doctoral study – normally an IELTS qualification with a minimum score of 6.5 in all sections, or proof of a previous degree taught in English, or substantial work experience in the UK.

Evidence may be one of the following:

• Work or educational experience in English
• English Language qualification.

SoCoBio DTP offers UKRI-funded studentships which include tuition fees at the UK rate plus a tax-free maintenance stipend to support living costs, and an annual Research Training Support Grant (RTSG).

SoCoBio also welcome international applicants and will fund full overseas fees but the number of international studentships awarded per cohort is capped by UKRI at 30% per cohort. We also accept applications from international students with independently sourced bursaries to cover the difference between home and overseas fee rates.

Further information on eligibility for international students can be found on the UKRI website: International Eligibility Guidance

Application window for SoCoBio studentships starting October 2023 has closed

Visit the Projects page to view our 2023 projects for consideration by applicants. Use the ‘Filter Projects‘ drop-down menu and select ‘2023 cohort‘ and filter projects by selecting studentship type and theme(s).

**Projects are categorised as PRIORTY or STANDARD projects**

Priority projects are projects that address key training areas for our DTP and we are especially keen to recruit students to these projects.**

Students can apply for both Standard/CASE studentships or Industry co-funded studentships. Follow the application procedure for both below:

Application Procedure for DTP route of entry (Standard and CASE studentships)

Step 1: Complete the University of Southampton online application by following this link.

(Application link will be live for the next recruitment cycle starting in October 2023, if applying to an industry co-funded studentship use the link under – ‘Application Procedure for Industry co-funded studentships’ )

University of Southampton Online Application 

Application guidance: 

1. Leave topic or field of research and name of proposed supervisor blank, funding is from SoCoBio DTP.
2. Prepare one personal statement using the guidance document listed under useful links and add to both the University of Southampton application and the SoCoBio Funding application.

Step 2: Complete the SoCoBio DTP application by following this link

SoCoBio Funding Online Application 

Important: read the SoCoBio Funding Application Guidance Notes before completing this application. 

Your application cannot receive consideration until you have completed both applications and provide all supporting documents as follows:

1. Evidence of prior academic qualifications – these will be certificates or transcripts to show that you meet or expect to meet the entry requirements.
2. Evidence of your English proficiency if English is not your first language.
3. Two references with at least one being an academic reference.

Application Procedure for Industry co-funded studentships

Step 1: Complete the University of Southampton online application only.

Project 2363, title – Comparative effects of alcohol and GABA mimetics on the brain-gut-microbiota (BGM) function, supervisory team – Prof Jerome Swinny (University of Portsmouth), Dr Delia Belelli – (GABALabs – Industry partner) and Dr Murphy Wan (University of Portsmouth), location – University of Portsmouth

Project 2350, title – Nanobody technology: feeding target authentication and mitigation strategies in crop protection, supervisory team – Prof Vincent O’Connor(University of Southampton), Dr James Dillon (University of Southampton) and Marcus Guest (Syngenta – Industry partner), location – University of Southampton.

University of Southampton Online Application 

Application guidance:  Enter PhD project title in ‘topic or field of research’ and primary supervisor in ‘name of proposed supervisor’. Funding is from SoCoBio DTP.

Application Help

Writing your personal statement guidance

Online application Q&A session will be held on 14 December 2022 at 11am-12noon GMT – Registration closed.

FAQs from Q&A session held in December 2022

If you have any questions regarding your application please use the contact page on this website to contact the DTP Manager

How will applications be assessed

For DTP route of entry (Standard and CASE studentships) the SoCoBio Recruitment Committee will shortlist candidates according to the following criteria:

1. Academic performance – as demonstrated by your qualifications and/or research or work/professional experience.
2. Fit to programme – as demonstrated by your research interests and your motivation and commitment to doctoral research.

For industry co-funded studentship applications, the supervisory team will shortlist candidates for interview to the criteria above.

Equality diversity and inclusion monitoring questions:

All sensitive data within your application will be anonymised and used for reporting purposes only. All sensitive personal data will be held securely, separately and in confidence, and used in accordance with the Data Policies of the partner institutions. This information will not be accessible to the SoCoBio Recruitment Committee during the selection process. Applications are particularly welcomed from candidates with protected characteristics – e.g. from black and minority ethnic groups – who are under-represented in postgraduate research at our Institutions. We also welcome candidates who would wish to consider pursuing a PhD part-time. We can offer support to students with additional responsibilities to enable them to pursue their PhD equitably. Students with a disability will be eligible to receive additional funding via the Disabled Student Allowance.

Shortlisting for interview will take place later this month and applicants will hear if they have been invited for interview by the 1 February 2023

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend online video call interview in February and will have an opportunity to visit all our partner campuses prior to interview. Interview candidates (Standard and CASE studentships only) will be asked to confirm their top three project preferences for their first rotation project by the date of their interview.

Visit day will take place at all DTP partners week commencing 7 February 2023; Details will be sent to shortlisted candidates when invited to interview.

Standard DTP Studentships

Interviews will take place on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 February 2023 by video call. Candidates will be notified by (or shortly after) 31 January 2023 if they have been selected for interview.

Industry co-funded studentship

Interviews will be carried out by the project Supervisory Team with representation from the DTP Management Team.

We will make informal offers shortly after interview. The offer will confirm your first rotation project which is selected from one of your top three project preferences (DTP entry route standard and CASE studentships only). For projects located at a partner institution (i.e. not the University of Southampton) you will be asked to complete a formal application to that institution. Finally, formal offer /funding letters will be sent to you from your project’s host institution.