Doctoral Training Partnerships
Providing research, professional, technical and personal development training in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Kew partners with a number of universities to deliver outstanding doctoral training to the next generation of researchers.
Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) are a key part of how we do this, providing excellent research, professional, technical and personal development training in a multi-disciplinary environment.
We are a named partner for a number of DTPs including the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP (offered by Imperial College London) and Oxford Environmental Research DTP (Oxford University) which focus on environmental research, and the London Interdisciplinary DTP and Norwich Research Park DTP, focused on biosciences.
Our humanities research projects are funded by the AHRC through the Techne DTP, Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships (CDPs) with the Science Museums and Archives Consortium and Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDAs) with the White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities.
The application and selection processes differ for each programme; please consult the relevant link/s below for more information.
Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet Doctoral Training Partnership
The Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet (SSCP) DTP is a PhD programme co-ordinated by Imperial College London.
Kew is one of six Core Partner Institutes that offer training and development opportunities to the next generation of environmental experts and leaders.
Students will join a multi-year and interdisciplinary cohort spanning all areas of environmental research.
The fully funded studentships include home tuition fees, a London-weighted stipend and research costs.
The studentships are open to UK, EU and overseas applicants but each group has different eligibility requirements so check the website.
Available projects are advertised each Autumn with a deadline in January.
Oxford Environmental Research Doctoral Training Partnership
The Oxford DTP in Environmental Research offers world-class training for the next generation of researchers working at the frontiers of environmental research.
It aims to provide training to postgraduate research students to help them launch a successful, independent research career.
To find out more, visit the Oxford Environmental Research DTP website
Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA)
CENTA is a consortium of eight research intensive Universities and research institutes that are working together to provide excellence in doctoral research training within the remit of the Natural Environment Research Council.
Available Projects are advertised each autumn with a deadline in January
Visit the CENTA – The Central England NERC Training Alliance website to find out more
TECHNE AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership
The TECHNE consortium comprises nine universities in London and the South-East and has over 50 AHRC scholarships to award each year across a range of arts and humanities disciplines.
Kew is actively involved in the consortium, which is currently funding four joint AHRC PhD students through Partnership awards.
Their joint supervisors with Kew are at Royal Holloway, Roehampton University and the University of Brighton. Opportunities are advertised through the TECHNE website.
Potential students with a specific plan of research in arts or humanities, or supervisors at any TECHNE university, are invited to contact Mark Nesbitt or Fiona Ainsworth any time (at the latest by June each year) to discuss project proposals.
Science Museums and Archives Consortium (SMAC) - Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP)
In 2019 Kew joined SMAC, in partnership with BT Archives, Science Museum Group, The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) and the Royal Society.
The Consortium offers six AHRC PhD studentships each year in arts and humanities, with joint supervision between one or more SMAC partners and a supervisor at any UK university.
Potential supervisors are invited to contact Mark Nesbitt or Fiona Ainsworth any time (at the latest by July each year) to discuss project proposals. Projects that involve more than one consortium member are particularly welcome.
Successful projects will be advertised to potential students each spring, through the SMAC website.
London Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programme
The London Interdisciplinary programme (LIDo) is a four-year programme aimed at graduates with a strong interest in multi-disciplinary research.
The DTP invites applications from students from a wide range of backgrounds including biological, biomedical, veterinary, physical, computational, engineering or mathematical disciplines.
Partners within the BBSRC DTP include UCL, King’s College London, Birkbeck, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Veterinary College, Royal Holloway University of London and the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich. Kew is a collaborative partner within the DTP.
Fully funded studentships are available for home (UK/EU) tuition fees and a tax-free stipend, please check the eligibility requirements.
Available Projects are advertised each autumn with a deadline in January
For more information about the programme visit the LIDo DTP website.
London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership
The London NERC DTP is a partnership of eight prestigious research organisations across London: University College London, Birkbeck University of London, King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Holloway University of London, Brunel University London, the Institute of Zoology, the Natural History Museum.
The programme is focussed on eight key research themes: Biodiversity, Ecology & Conservation, Earth, Atmosphere & Ocean Processes, Environmental Hazards & Pollution, Environmental Physics & Mathematical Modelling, Evolution & Adaptation, Past Life & Environments, Solid Earth Dynamics and Pan-disciplinary studies.
Available projects are advertised in autumn with a deadline in January
For more information and to apply, visit the London NERC DTP website.
Norwich Research Park Doctoral Training Partnership
The Norwich Research Park Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP) is a Biosciences PhD programme involving the John Innes Centre, Earlham Institute, Quadram Institute Bioscience, The Sainsbury Laboratory and University of East Anglia. Kew is an associate partner within the DTP.
The DTP offers excellent research opportunities across all scientific themes and strategic priorities of the UKRI – BBSRC.
Fully funded studentships are available for Home/International students including tuition fees, stipend and a research training support grant, including one project that is guaranteed to be linked to Kew.
Available Projects
Applications for studentships in the NRP DTP are now closed for October 2023 entry. Projects for the following year will be advertised mid 2023.
For more details about the programme and how to apply visit the NRPDTP website.
White Rose College of the Arts and Humanities AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award
The White Rose College of the Arts and Humanities (WRoCAH) is one of 11 Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) and seven Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) across the UK, that are supported by large awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
The White Rose consortium consists of the Universities of Sheffield, York and Leeds
Available projects
The next round of projects will be advertised in February 2023.
For more information and to apply, visit the WRoCAH Collaborative Doctoral Award webpage
Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment (ACCE)
ACCE is a partnership between the Universities of Sheffield, Liverpool, York, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and Natural History Museum.
To find projects that link to Kew’s work and apply, visit the ACCE website
East of Scotland Bioscience (EASTBIO)
EASTBIO is a partnership between universities in the east of Scotland: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, St Andrews, University of Stirling, the James Hutton Institute, the Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), the Moredun Research Institute, and the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC).
Envision
The Envision Doctoral Training Programme brings together a powerful group of UK researchers with industry and NGO partners to provide a new generation of environmental scientists with the skills, knowledge and experience they need to take on the challenges of a changing world.
Other sources of funding
The Emily Holmes Memorial Scholarship is administered by Kew and open to PhD students. For more information visit our bursaries page. It is also worth looking on the website of your partner university for other sources of funding.
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