UBEL (UCL, Bloomsbury and East London) Doctoral Training Partnership
Birkbeck, along with four other universities in London, is a member of the UCL, Bloomsbury and East London (UBEL) Doctoral Training Partnership, which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
More than 40 studentships are available each year across 25 pathways. Studentships are offered on a full-time and part-time basis, across a range of routes, with opportunities for MRes, MSc and MA training attached to your chosen PhD programme, if you do not already hold a Master's qualification recognised by the ESRC.
If you would like to apply for ESRC UBEL funding for postgraduate research studies at Birkbeck, please read the following sections.
The Birkbeck Graduate Research School runs online briefing sessions about applying for studentships – you can find the date of the next session on the BGRS timetable.
How to Apply for 2024/25 entry
Instructions for the 2024/25 entry competition are available on the ESRC website.
UBEL applications are considered in two stages: a UBEL Preliminary application; followed by a UBEL Full application for a shortlisted subset of candidates. The two-stage process ensures that only the most competitive candidates need to undergo the time-consuming Full application process.
UBEL provide guidance about applications and a 'useful documents' section which we strongly recommend you take time to look at.
In order to be considered for an ESRC UBEL studentship beginning in 2024-25 you will need to submit a Preliminary application using the ESRC UBEL application portal.
Deadlines
- Monday 15 January 2024: Deadline for UBEL Preliminary applications.
- Monday 29 January 2024: UBEL will inform candidates of their Preliminary application outcomes. The Full application form will be made available to successful candidates.
- Monday 4 March 2024: Deadline for Full applications.
Applications are student-led, but in practice are joint with the supervisor. Applicants are advised to be in discussion with prospective supervisors as early as possible in the Autumn term.
UBEL Pathways at Birkbeck
You can apply for UBEL funding at Birkbeck via the following pathways. For each pathway a Birkbeck contact is provided and you should notify them before you apply so they can provide you with information about how to apply via your chosen pathway.
Please note: UBEL encourage interdisciplinary applications so if you are unsure about the most relevant school, please contact the closest contact below and they will be able to advise you further.
Faculty of Business and Law
- Doctoral research in the Birkbeck Business School
- Accounting and finance UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Emmanuel Mamatzakis
- Business management UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Konstantinos Chalkias
- Economics UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Walter Beckert
- Psychology UBEL pathway (Training routes in Occupational and Organisational Psychology, Decision and Cognitive Sciences, Social Psychology, and Psychology and Social Change)
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Michael Thomas
- Science, Technology, Prosperity and Innovation UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Helen Lawton-Smith
- Doctoral research in the Birkbeck Law School
- Law, Socio-legal studies and Criminology UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Bernard Keenan
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Doctoral research in the School of Historical Studies
- Gender and sexuality UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Sean Brady
- History and heritage studies UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL leads: Esther Breithoff and Sarah Marks
- Doctoral studies in the School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
- Multilingual practices UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Bojana Petric
- Psychosocial studies and sociology UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Scott Rodgers
- Urban studies, planning and spatial science UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Scott Rodgers
- Doctoral research in the School of Social Sciences
- Gender and sexuality UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Jasmine Gideon
- Human geography and sustainability UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Shino Shiode
- International development UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Jasmine Gideon
- Politics and international relations UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Alex Colas
- Psychosocial studies and sociology UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Margarita Aragon
- Race and racialisation UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Kalpana Wilson
Faculty of Science
- Doctoral research in the School of Psychological Sciences
- Educational neuroscience UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Michael Thomas
- Heath and wellbeing UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Jonathan Smith
- Psychology UBEL pathway
- Birkbeck UBEL lead: Michael Thomas