Prospective candidates should check the project details above for information on the deadline for an expression of interest, the format of the expression of interest, and the interview dates for shortlisted candidates.

Successful projects will be advertised on these pages. If you wish to make any changes to the candidate requirements (e.g. the deadline for the Expression of Interest), please contact northernbridge.admin@newcastle.ac.uk.

Northern Bridge Consortium cannot fund any further advertising. This is devolved to supervisors and projects leads, individual schools and departments, and the non-HE partner organisations, who are welcome to promote their award via their own networks, etc.

Project leads can choose their own deadlines for the internal receipt of Expressions of Interest and can request any supporting documentation they require, such as references. When short-listing and selecting applicants for interview, please refer to the Northern Bridge Consortium's marking and assessment criteria for applicants: Applicant Assessment Aide

Once you have selected the successful student applicant:

1) Details should be sent to northernbridge.admin@newcastle.ac.uk by (a date to be confirmed) using the CDA Candidate Details form‌. Please attach a copy of the candidate's CV - maximum 2-pages. There is no requirement to send references or evidence of qualifications (though you may request these as part of your selection process).

2) You can informally advise the candidate of their award.

3) If they have not done so already, please remind the candidate that they must submit a postgraduate application form to their host institution's Postgraduate Admissions Service. Collaborative Doctoral Studentship Awards are conditional upon the successful candidate receiving a formal unconditional offer to study the appropriate PhD programme by their host University, and on the student's subsequent registration.

4) Successful projects and their selected candidates are not reassessed, but those awards will be ratified by the Northern Bridge Directorate.

6) Candidates will receive a formal studentship offer from their host institution following the Studentships Committee. (Please note, the candidate's offer of a place on a doctoral programme will be managed separately by the host university's Postgraduate Admissions Service.)

Prospective applicants should note that these awards will begin in January or February 2026, and under no circumstances can they start later.

For further information about these Collaborative Doctoral Awards (Staff-led), and to submit an Expression of Interest, student applicants will be required to review the information above for the project of interest to them, and to contact the named lead by the stated date. Applicants may be required to submit accompanying documentation, which will be detailed in the documentation, and to be interviewed.

Student applicants who are successfully recruited to a project are still required to meet the AHRC's eligibility criteria and to submit a postgraduate application form to their host university. This should be done as soon as they are informally notified by the project leads that they have been successful.

Please note that Collaborative Doctoral Studentship Awards are conditional upon the successful student receiving a formal unconditional offer to study the appropriate PhD programme by their host University’s Postgraduate Admissions Service, and on the student's subsequent registration. 

Please submit any queries to your local contact at the institution you are based. We'll list FAQs here as we receive them.

What is the value of the award?

• Tuition fees paid at a rate equivalent to the Home UK fee. Successful international candidates should be prepared to fund the difference between the Home and International tuition fee rate by alternative means. Under no circumstances can this be funded by the NBC. An applicant’s host institution may offer an additional scholarship to the value of this difference, but this is not guaranteed. Applicants should check with their host institution for further guidance. 

• A minimum stipend per year for living costs, which is paid in regular instalments. Awards increase every year, typically with inflation. The level for 2025/2026 is £20,780. CDA award-holders will receive an additional £600 per annum to help fund collaboration with the non-HE partner (for travel, accommodation, etc.). Alternatively, if the student opts to locate near their partner organisation, the additional £600 can be used for travel to and from their host institution for supervisory meetings and library/research visits. Please note, however, we cannot fund any mandatory attendance required by the host institution, such as university-run research training. 

• Award-holders are eligible to apply to a fund reserved to support primary research costs to include, for example, conference attendance, fieldwork, language training, overseas research visits and placements with a non-academic partner. 

• Please note award-holders will not have a personal research account on which to draw.
• The duration of the award is 3.5 years full-time, or 7 years part-time.

Are there any terms and conditions preventing people already working for the partner organisation (as staff or volunteers) to apply for the staff-led CDA when it is advertised?

Staff or volunteers can apply, however they could not be appointed without evidence of no conflict of interest that could compromise completion of the PhD or any of the parties involved.