Apply

We offer two routes for PhD study:

1 Open Doctoral Award

These awards invite you to design and agree a research project with academic supervisors within the M4C partnership. There is the potential to build cross-institutional supervisory teams to maximise fit and expertise.

2 Collaborative Doctoral Award

These awards are jointly developed and co-supervised between an M4C university and an external partner organisation. CDAs offer diverse and unique research projects that support the work of the partner organisation.

The application process

Applications for 2022 entry will be open from the 18th October. The deadline to submit funding applications is 12 January 2022 (noon UK time).

Check your eligibility for funding

AHRC funding is open to all UK and International students who meet the academic and residency eligibility criteria as detailed in the M4C application guidance notes.

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Guidance notes
Find a supervisor or project

We offer two routes for PhD study:
1. Open Doctoral Awards where you agree a research project with academic supervisors within the M4C partnership.
Find a supervisor

2. Collaborative Doctoral Awards where you apply for advertised projects co-designed between an M4C university and an external partner organisation.

Find a project
Read the guidance notes

To complete your application, you should read and understand the application guidance notes and scoring criteria. You will need to refer to these during the application process.

Scoring criteria
Guidance notes
Apply to study at an M4C university
You need to apply to study at the M4C university where your lead academic supervisor is based, using their application procedures.
Apply for M4C funding
Complete and submit your Midlands4Cities funding application. This includes:
- Your application
- Nominating your two referees
- Receiving your completed references
- Equality opportunities information
To start your funding application please visit the M4C Applicant Portal. Your completed application and references must be received by 12 January 2022 (noon UK time).