Open Call for PhD Studentships at School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University 2025

The School of Design and Creative Arts invites applications for fully funded studentships. We are seeking motivated, talented, focused individuals to contribute to our world-leading research and innovation community. The School is committed to widening participation and would welcome applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Studentship recipients will address one of the University’s three strategic themes:
Health, Wellbeing and Sport
The School has expertise in ergonomics and human factors, design for health, inclusive design (especially with regards to disability) and creative approaches to wellbeing in visual art, theatre and storytelling. Staff consistently break through barriers to wellbeing, whether in the transport industry or providing creative interventions for those with hidden disabilities.

Climate Change and Net Zero
Sustainability is central to the School ethos, exemplified by staff research, including in areas such as packaging design, sustainable fashion and textiles, circular economy, and responsible design. We also have expertise in new ways to understand ecology through speculative futures and non-human subjects.

Vibrant and Inclusive Communities
SDCA prioritises work that celebrates diversity and amplifies marginalised voices, whether that be through global textile design, visual art practice, disability arts, digital technology, or applied storytelling. Healthy aging and women’s health are particular overarching themes.

The School welcomes applications that are transdisciplinary in approach and, where appropriate, welcome practice-as-research and applied methodologies. We invite applicants to check the School website to identify potential supervisors and research specialisms.

If your application is related to investigate creative approaches to wellbeing in visual art, for example wearables or jewellery as an aid for wellbeing or to celebrate diversity and amplify marginalised voices in visual art practice in jewellery please contact Dr Roberta Bernabei to discuss your PhD proposal.

You can find out more about the School’s research strengths on our research website and on the Jewellery Research Lab website.


Entry requirements
Our entry requirements are listed using standard UK undergraduate degree classifications i.e. first-class honours, upper second-class honours, and lower second-class honours.
>> More information clicking here


Fees and funding
UK fee: Fully funded Full-time degree per annum.
International fee: Full-time degree per annum.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. University fees and charges can be paid in advance and there are several methods of payment, including online payments and payment by instalment. Fees are reviewed annually and are likely to increase to take into account inflationary pressures.
The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £19,237 per annum (2025-26 rate) for the duration of the studentship plus tuition fees at either the UK or International rate.

>> More information about Research Degree Funding clicking here


How to apply
All applications (and the research proposal) should be made online. Under programme name, select ‘Design’ or ‘Creative Arts’. Please quote the advertised reference number: SDCABigSplash2025 in your application.

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents. In-complete applications will not be considered at the Studentship decision panel.
As part of your application, you must submit a proposal (maximum 2 pages). Part of your proposal must specifically indicate how your research fits within one of the strategic priority themes.
You should indicate a potential supervisor from our School and state this person on the online application. The following selection criteria, as well as an assessment of how the project aligns with the School strategy and supervisor capacity, will be used by the School to help them make a decision on your application.

See studentship assessment criteria