Introduction
As a student funded by the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP), you may be eligible to apply for a number of additional funding opportunities to support the development of your research and study skills. These funds are designed to help you engage fully with the academic demands of your PhD, such as through fieldwork, specialist training, or participation in conferences.
While some additional funding streams are available year-round, others have specific application windows or deadlines throughout the year. Please check each additional funding’s details carefully and plan ahead where possible.
Please also note that funding must be spent within your active funding period—this means it cannot be accessed before your official start date, nor after your tuition fee-paying period or thesis submission date (whichever comes first).
Please note that:
- All funding is subject to prior approval by the SCDTP.
- Retrospective claims will not be accepted under any circumstances.
- International travel cannot be funded if the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against travel to the destination.
- All students must first discuss their funding plans with their supervisor before applying, to ensure the proposed activity is academically appropriate and aligns with your research.
More information
Read the overview of our additional funding schemes for SCDTP student
Current Students
Current SCDTP students should refer to the finance guidance page f
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
If you’re an SCDTP-funded student, you may be eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).
This is for students who have a disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition, or specific learning difficulty.
DSA helps cover additional study-related costs such as assistive technology, specialist equipment, or learning support.
How to apply 🡢
University of Brighton
University of Chichester
University of Portsmouth
University of Southampton
To begin the application process, students are advised to contact the Disability Support Team at their registered university. The university’s team will provide guidance on available assistance, assess individual needs, and help coordinate the DSA application.
View the relevant DSA contact details using the linked tab.
Supporting research, training, and collaboration beyond the core award
①
Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) 🡥
Supports essential research expenses such as UK fieldwork, conferences, training courses, and small equipment.
②
Enhanced Student Training Fund (ESTF) 🡥
Provides funding for specialist training courses not available through the DTP or host institution.
③
Funds activities that increase the reach and real-world impact of students’ research beyond academia.
④
Overseas Institutional Visit (OIV)🡥
Supports short-term visits to international institutions for collaboration or specialist training.
⑤
Overseas Visit Bursaries (OVB) 🡥
Offers financial support for brief overseas research visits that enhance students’ doctoral work.
⑥
Funds extended fieldwork conducted outside the UK that is essential to students’ research.
⑦
Supports work placements that allow students to apply their research skills in a professional context.
⑧
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Event Fund (ICEF) 🡥
Provides funding to organise events that promote interdisciplinary exchange among researchers.
⑨
Student-led Training Fund (SLTF) 🡥
Enables students to create and deliver training events open to the wider DTP cohort.
⑩
Overseas Conference Fund (OCF)
Helps cover costs of attending international conferences to present your research.
Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)
All SCDTP-funded students are eligible to access the Research Training Support Grant (RTSG). This fund is designed to support research-related expenses that are deemed essential by the student, supervisor, or department in direct alignment with the student’s doctoral research.
What can RTSG be used for? RTSG can be used for a wide range of research-related costs, including but not limited to:
In some cases, RTSG may also be used to purchase small items of equipment that can be retained by the department for future use by other students. RTSG funds may also be combined with other SCDTP additional funding opportunities.
Please Note: Any equipment or IT-related items purchased with approved RTSG budget exceeding £200 must be returned to the SCDTP at the end of your studentship.
Applications are reviewed based on their clear demonstration of the relevance, value, cost-effectiveness and feasibility of the budget proposed. If approved, all expenses must be incurred after the approval date; retrospective applications will not be considered.
Enhanced Student Training Fund (ESTF)
The South Coast DTP recognises that some advanced training needs may fall outside the scope of what is available through the DTP or its partner institutions. To help meet these needs, the Enhanced Student Training Fund (ESTF) provides targeted support for students seeking to attend specialist courses that offer substantial value to their doctoral research.
Each year, the SCDTP offers up to three bursaries, with each award worth up to £1,000. These bursaries are competitively allocated and intended to fund attendance at training opportunities that will meaningfully enhance a student’s research skills, knowledge base, or methodological toolkit.
What can be funded? This funding is available for both UK-based and international training, where the content is demonstrably beyond what is provided within the existing DTP framework or by the student’s host institution. Examples include:
Application forms are reviewed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team and should include full details of the proposed training course, a clear justification of how it supports the applicant’s research, a supporting statement from the supervisor, and a detailed budget.
Applications are reviewed based on their clear demonstration of the relevance, value, and cost-effectiveness of the proposed training. If approved, all expenses must be incurred after the approval date; retrospective applications will not be considered.
Impact Fund (IMPF)
The Impact Fund is designed to help SCDTP students enhance the visibility and influence of their research beyond academia. Whether you’re aiming to engage new audiences, influence policy, or promote public understanding, this fund supports innovative approaches to communicating your research and maximising its impact.
Each year, the DTP offers up to three awards, with a maximum of £1,000 per award, to individual students or small groups of students. Funding is awarded on a competitive basis to proposals that demonstrate creativity, feasibility, and a strong potential for meaningful engagement or impact.
What can be funded? This fund supports a wide range of activities that increase the accessibility and reach of your research. While the list below is not exhaustive, examples include:
Student considering an application is strongly encouraged to discuss their idea with the SCDTP Manager at an early stage. This will help ensure the proposal aligns with the aims of the fund and meets the core eligibility criteria.
All applications are reviewed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team, and awards are made based on the clarity of the project objectives, the relevance of the proposed activity to the applicant’s research, and the anticipated impact on the intended audience.
Overseas Institutional Visit (OIV)
The Overseas Institutional Visit (OIV) scheme supports international engagement for ESRC-funded doctoral researchers by funding visits to overseas universities or research-focused organisations. The scheme provides a studentship extension of up to three months, along with travel and other related costs. Where the cost of living at the host location higher than the UK, subsistence adjustments may be included in the budget accordingly based on evidence provided by the student.
The OIV scheme enables students to undertake a variety of activities that enhance the quality and reach of their research and professional development. These activities may include, but are not limited to:
Visits must be directly related to the PhD project, cannot occur within the first three months of the studentship, and must be completed at least three months before the end of the award period.
The SCDTP will not fund international visits to destinations where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against travel. Applicants must consult the most recent guidance and confirm the safety of their destination before applying.
Early discussion with the SCDTP Manager is strongly encouraged for submissions by 30 April or 31 October deadlines. Application forms are reviewed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team and assessed based on academic value, feasibility, and strategic alignment with the student’s research development.
Overseas Visit Bursaries (OVB)
In recognition of the fact that the limited availability of awards under the Overseas Institutional Visit (OIV) scheme, the Overseas Visit Bursaries (OVB) initiative provides additional support for short-term international visits that contribute meaningfully to a student’s doctoral research.
The SCDTP offers up to four bursaries per year, each valued at up to £2,000, to support visits lasting up to one month. The preparation of an OVB application is expected to follow the same principles and guidance as the OIV scheme, including the purpose of the visit, eligibility criteria, application requirements and process, and submission deadlines, as outlined in the OIV additional funding guidelines.
However, unlike the OIV scheme, the OVB does not include a funded extension to the studentship or registration period.
Overseas Fieldwork (OFW)
The Overseas Fieldwork funding scheme provides support for full-time SCDTP-funded students undertaking the doctoral component of their award and whose research requires travel and data collection outside the UK. This funding is intended to facilitate research that is integral to the doctoral project and must be conducted during the life of the award.
Students may apply for funding to support essential overseas fieldwork, as outlined in their original SCDTP application. Funding is limited and is awarded only for reasonable and well-justified expenses. Students are expected to personally carry out their fieldwork and not delegate data collection to research assistants, except in rare circumstances (e.g. due to language barriers or cultural sensitivity).
Only one claim for overseas fieldwork expenses is permitted during the course of a student’s award.
All students must obtain prior approval from the SCDTP Executive Committee before undertaking any overseas fieldwork. Retrospective claims for expenses will not be considered under any circumstances.
Proposed fieldwork must be a core component of the PhD and must occur within the funded period of the studentship. Studentships will not be extended to reflect time spent in the field.
Fieldwork visits are normally expected to last up to 12 months, though most are substantially shorter. In exceptional cases, a visit may be extended to a maximum of 18 months, if a strong and clearly evidenced case is made. Students who exceed the agreed fieldwork duration without prior approval will not be eligible to claim additional expenses or request an extension to their award or thesis submission date.
Fieldwork will not be supported in countries or regions where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against travel. It is the student’s responsibility to consult up-to-date travel guidance before submitting an application.
Applications are reviewed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team, and only proposals that demonstrate clear academic value, feasibility, and alignment with programme guidelines will be considered for approval.
Internships (INTS)
This additional funding offers SCDTP students the opportunity to undertake internships designed to apply and develop their research skills in a real-world or professional setting.
Internships are intended to enhance students’ career development, support the practical application of research expertise, and strengthen engagement with external organisations across academic, public, and private sectors.
The internships additional funding can be for either advertised opportunities (typically offered through partner organisations) or student-led internships, which involve bespoke arrangements developed by the student in collaboration with an external host.
Internships can be arranged and approved at any point during the year and it must be clearly aligned with the student’s research interests or training objectives.
These internships can last up to three months, either full-time or part-time equivalent, and take place during the active period of the studentship. Students undertaking an internship will receive a funded extension to their studentship for the same duration as the placement.
In addition, students may claim reasonable travel and accommodation expenses from the SCDTP. Where possible, the SCDTP will support students in negotiating additional contributions from the host organisation to help offset costs.
Important Note: SCDTP 2 Cohort (students who begin their SCDTP studentship in or after the 2024/2025 academic year) will engage in a new pathway called Research in Practice, which replaces the internship scheme. Further details will be provided as part of the studentship induction and training programme.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Event Fund (ICEF)
The Interdisciplinary Collaboration Event Fund supports SCDTP students who wish to plan and deliver events that foster interdisciplinary engagement across research fields and institutions. The South Coast DTP allocates up to £2,500 per year to support student-led initiatives that promote collaboration, dialogue, and knowledge-sharing among doctoral researchers.
This fund is designed to encourage creative and innovative event formats that bring together researchers from different disciplines, backgrounds, or institutions. Events should aim to be accessible to a broad academic audience and contribute to a wider research culture that values interdisciplinary thinking.
Application proposals will be assessed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team based on the event’s academic value, potential reach, and alignment with the DTP’s goals for interdisciplinary training and engagement.
Student-led Training Fund (SLTF)
The Student-led Training Fund (SLTF) supports SCDTP students who wish to design and deliver bespoke training opportunities that benefit fellow doctoral researchers across the partnership.
Each year, the South Coast DTP allocates up to £4,000 (subject to student numbers) to fund student-led training initiatives. These events or workshops must be relevant to the training and development needs of social science researchers and should be open to participants from across the entire DTP network.
Successful examples from the Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) have included training in audio-visual media production, policy communication, and knowledge exchange methodologies.
All application proposals will be assessed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team, based on their relevance, feasibility, and benefit to the wider student cohort.
Overseas Conference Fund (OCF)
The Overseas Conference Fund (OCF) has been established by the South Coast DTP to support students seeking to attend international conferences that are valuable to their academic progression and professional development. As the cost of participating in overseas conferences can often exceed what is typically covered through the standard Research Training Support Grant (RTSG), the DTP offers up to three awards per year, each worth up to £1,000, to help bridge this funding gap.
Eligibility for this additional funding is limited to students who are within their active SCDTP funding period at the time of the proposed conference, have limited or no remaining access to RTSG funds, and have not yet had the opportunity to attend an overseas conference.
All application form will be assessed by the SCDTP Senior Management Team and follow the same principles and guidance outlined in the RTSG scheme.
There are no fixed deadlines for this funding stream. Applications are accepted and reviewed on an ad-hoc basis, offering students the flexibility to respond to international opportunities as they arise.
