ESRC (Economic Social Research Council)

CAM-DTP - an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

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Fees (Home) , Maintenance , Other (see below)
Prospective applicant
PhD
Full Time, Part Time
Same as funding deadline for the course
April - July
2027/28

About

The CAM Doctoral Training Partnership [DTP] is a consortium including Anglia Ruskin University, the University of Bedfordshire and the University of Cambridge, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council [ESRC].

CAM-DTP attracts talented doctoral researchers from a wide range of backgrounds and social science disciplines (see ESRC social science disciplines for more information). An ESRC-funded PhD studentship award provides maintenance [£21,805 per annum in 2026-27] and University of Cambridge Postgraduate Fees at the Home rate.

We are especially keen to see applications that involve:

  • ESRC Steers: Advanced Quantitative Methods, Data Skills, Interdisciplinary
  • CAM-DTP Collabs: Knowledge Exchange, Cross-Departmental, Cross-CAM, Cross-DTP
  • Please see the CAM-DTP website for more details



Nominations can be through our advertised studentships or through departmental selection of strong applications fitting the ESRC remit. Please see the CAM-DTP website for the current list of advertised studentships.

CAM-DTP PhD students have access to grants for additional training costs and may apply for further discretionary funding to contribute to fieldwork costs, academic exchange, and collaboration with non-academic organisations. Studentships are available to UK and international candidates.

Although the CAM-DTP application portal is open to all University of Cambridge PhD applicants, only those also nominated by their Faculty/Department will be reviewed and considered for funding.

  • Faculties/Departments will automatically consider all eligible applicants who have applied for admission by the appropriate funding deadline;
  • Deadlines are specific to the course you are applying to - please refer to the funding deadline provided for your course in the Postgraduate Prospectus;
  • Any queries should be directed to the Faculty/Department in the first instance.


Awards will be offered during the period April to July 2027 via departments. If you have not had any correspondence by 1 August 2027 you may assume you have been unsuccessful. Awards cannot be deferred to the following academic year.

This fund welcomes nominations for applicants who have faced disadvantage, or come from underrepresented backgrounds, to access postgraduate study at Cambridge.

Award details

ESRC-funded PhD studentships are usually 3.5 years, which includes a 3-month Innovation Fellowship (internship).

Longer awards are considered for PhD studentships involving ESRC Steers, CAM-DTP Collabs, or additional/extensive training needs. 

Fees (Home) Maintenance Other (see below)

CAM-DTP PhD students have access to grants for additional research and training costs and may apply for further funding to contribute to fieldwork costs, academic exchange, and collaboration with non-academic organisations. 

30 (approximately)
2027/28
Academic merit Other (see below)

Eligibility: Awards are restricted to candidates meeting all of the following criteria: 

  1. Undergraduate degree awarded at the equivalent of 2.1 or higher Exceptions often made for individuals who earned lower than 2.1 (or equivalent) at undergraduate and earned at least Merit (or equivalent) in a master’s degree. 
  2. No prior PhD study at any university 
  3. Supervisory Team meets ESRC requirements 
  4. Development Needs Analysis clearly outlines that the candidate has sufficient social science research methods training to undertake a PhD in the social sciences 


Eligible candidates are reviewed on the following criteria: 

  1. Fit for ESRC requirements (including a strong research proposal involving an ESRC social science discipline). 
  2. Thoughtful and reflective Development Needs Analysis 
  3. Preferences given to candidates submitting applications with a strong rationale 
  • ESRC STEERED studentship (Advanced Quantitative Methods, Data Skills, Interdisciplinary), or 
  • CAM-DTP COLLAB studentship (Knowledge Exchange, Cross-Departmental, Cross-CAM, Cross-DTP) 


Please see the CAM-DTP website for more details and guidance. 

CAM-DTP PhD students are also required to 

  • Attend compulsory induction, cohort-building and training sessions; 
  • Participate in the Development Needs Analysis programme to create a personalised and bespoke training plan that meets ESRC requirements and individual career goals; 
  • Undertake a 3-month research-in-practice placement outside of their university (called an Innovation Fellowship in CAM-DTP) 
  • Submit the PhD thesis by the studentship end date (i.e., the end of the funding award). 

Eligibility

Prospective applicant
PhD
Full Time Part Time
30 departments/schools, See full list
Department / School

Application Process

No

Your faculty/department MUST nominate you for an ESRC-funded PhD studentship in CAM-DTP. Although the CAM-DTP application portal is open, only those who are nominated by their faculty/department will be considered for funding.

If your faculty/department nominates you for an ESRC-funded PhD studentship in CAM-DTP studentship, then you will be required to complete an additional CAM-DTP application form outlining, amongst other things, your previous research methods training/experience, how your research projects fits ESRC requirements and contextual background information.

Do look at the CAM-DTP application guidance and speak with your potential supervisor about it if you are invited for interview. Due to many constraints, the time between faculty/department decisions on nominations and the CAM-DTP application deadline is short so being ready to apply ahead of time is recommended. 

We recognise that not all applicants have equal access to educational and social opportunities. CAM-DTP uses responses in the Contextualisation Survey to better understand the circumstances of your previous achievements.  

Contextual information will be taken into consideration as part of the full CAM-DTP application. All candidates receiving an ESRC-funded PhD studentship must meet high academic/research requirements. 

Key dates

Same as funding deadline for the course
April - July
Last updated: 09 Sep 2026 11:35:15