SENSS: South East Network for Social Sciences

SENSS has three defining strands:

1. A proven record in equality, diversity and inclusion along with a commitment -- backed up with a detailed action plan -- to achieve more.

2. A strong civic character: SENSS partners are deeply embedded and highly active in their local communities as well as nationally and internationally, meaning that researchers contribute to solutions to the toughest social and policy problems.

3. A commitment to interdisciplinary research which is built into our very structure: SENSS is organised not by academic subjects but by thematic priorities, so every funded researcher works in an area of national and international importance.

SENSS studentships support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research and training across six themes:

• Digital social sciences
• Resolving uncertainty & addressing crises
• Sustainability and climate emergency
• Health, wellbeing & social care
• Justice, institutions & social change
• Advanced methods for social & economic research

Essex is involved in all six SENSS Themes through the following academic departments:

• Economics
• Essex Business School
• Essex Law School
• Government
• School of Health and Social Care
• Institute for Social and Economic Research
• Language and Linguistics
• Psychology
• Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
• Sociology and Criminology
• School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences

Workshop for SENSS applicants

We will host an online workshop and Q&A session for all potential applicants and supervisors on Monday 4 November 2024 at 11am. The workshop will be delivered by Dr Allyson Benton (Faculty Dean Postgraduate for Social Sciences) and Laura Ruddick (Senior Postgraduate Research Education Manager).  It will be an opportunity for you to hear about the SENSS studentship application, recruitment and selection process, and to get advice on writing your studentship application. The workshop is held on Zoom. 


The workshop will be recorded and will be available on request for those unable to attend. Please ask the PGR Administrator in the department to which you are applying, or email the PGRE Team for more information. 

What does the studentship provide?

A tax-free maintenance stipend of £19,237 per year (UKRI stipend rates as appropriate each year) to undertake your postgraduate studies, and your tuition fees (whether home or international fee status your SENSS studentship covers your tuition fees for the duration of the funding award).

The structure of the studentship offered will depend on your personal training needs. However, the minimum duration of a SENSS-funded studentship will be 3.5 years (this includes a mandatory placement of approximately 3 months). The maximum duration of a studentship will be 4.5 years and this will be available to students with extensive training requirements, such as those undertaking a masters course ahead of the PhD or an Integrated PhD course. These studentships are applicable to both full-time and part-time study.

In addition to the stipend and fees, the studentship also offers access to research training support funds, and other funds to support overseas fieldwork, overseas institutional visits, and difficult language training.

SENSS DTP will be holding webinars to support applicants and supervisors (please use the links below to register for one of the webinars)

• Saturday 2nd November 2.00-3.30pm
• Wednesday 27th November 11.00am-12.30pm
• Wednesday 18th December 6.00-7.30pm

How to apply

The SENSS studentship competition is now open for application for an October 2025 start. Full details can be found on the SENSS DTP Funding Opportunities webpage.

SENSS has produced detailed guidance for applicants, which contains all of the important information you will need to support you with your SENSS studentship application.

There is also the student-led competition policy, which provides information about how the competition will be run, and how applications will be reviewed and awards made.

SENSS also provides guidance notes for supervisors who are supporting a SENSS studentship applicant. 

Applications for SENSS Studentships must be submitted using the SENSS Studentship application form on HEI Apply. The deadline is 12pm (GMT) (midday) on Wednesday 22 January 2025.

In addition to your SENSS Studentship application, you must also apply for your place on the relevant course at Essex, using the online application form. The deadline for you to have applied for a place on your course at Essex in order to be considered for a SENSS application is 12pm (GMT) on Wednesday 8 January 2025.

We strongly encourage you to contact the School or Department to which you wish to apply at the earliest opportunity, in order to discuss your course application, as well as your research proposal and potential supervision arrangements. This is particularly important for signposting your course application and for identifying a supervisor. You must also give your supervisor sufficient time to assist in the development of your studentship application to ensure your best chance of success.

You can already start thinking about and drafting key aspects of your application: you can outline your research proposal, plans and timeline for completion. Your supervisor will be able to offer you advice about how best to do this.

You can also start drafting your personal statement, which should address the following key questions: why are you applying for this studentship; why are you the best person for this research project; how are you and your proposed supervisors the best fit; how does your research fit with the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary thematic group to which you are applying; why SENSS and how will the SENSS studentship enable you to achieve what you are proposing?

SENSS also encourages applications that are advanced quantitative methods (AQM) and big data-based (I.e., which use AQM, and/or large datasets, and/or big data methods and associated innovative analytical methods -more than one may apply), as well as interdisciplinary projects, so you should refer to this in your application if applicable.

Applying online for your place at Essex

If you are applying for a Masters and PhD studentship, you will need to make an application for the Masters programme and add a note to your course application that you are applying for a SENSS 1+3.5 studentship and are seeking admission to both the Masters and PhD.

The deadline for you to have applied for a place on your course at Essex in order to be considered for a SENSS application is 12pm (GMT) (midday) on Wednesday 8 January 2025.

Indicative timeline for applicants:

October/November:

• Make contact with your potential supervisor(s) and discuss your research proposal and studentship application.
• Attend the Essex SENSS applicant workshop on Monday 4 November 2014 at 11am.
• Working with your identified supervisor, draft your research proposal and commence the SENSS application form and apply for your PhD place at Essex.

December:

• Continue to work with your supervisor on your SENSS application and ensure you have nominated your referees on SMApply.

January:

• If you haven’t already, ensure you have applied for your PhD place (or Masters and PhD/Integrated PhD place) at Essex by the deadline of 12pm (GMT) (midday) on Wednesday 8 January 2025.
• Finalise your SENSS applications form with your supervisor and check your referees have provided their references.

February

• Submit your SENSS application by the deadline of 12pm (GMT) (midday) on Wednesday 22 January 2025.

The Studentship Selection Process

All studentship applications submitted on HEIApply by the deadline are reviewed by the relevant departments and then assessed and scores against the SENSS assessment criteria by an institutional thematic panel, based on the 6 thematic groups.  Each Thematic Group can nominate one application per unit of assessment within each Theme. Two additional applications per UoA within each Theme can be nominated where the applicants are eligible under the SENSS equality and diversity policy; either the widening participation criteria or you are a Home BAME applicant.  The institutional selection process takes place during February.  All applicants will be informed of the outcome of the selection panels and those being nominated to the next stage will be contacted with feedback for improvement ahead of nomination to the next stage of assessment.

All institutional nominations are considered by the SENSS DTP Thematic Groups, which assess the nominated applications from all 8 member-institutions and nominate the best applicants to the SENSS Management Board for consideration.

The SENSS Management Board makes the final award decisions, and applicants will be told the outcome of their applications in mid-April.