Summary
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Inequalities Challenge: Maternity Disparities Consortium (MDC) is announcing its PhD Studentship competition to tackle persistent inequalities in maternity. The consortium is offering up to 13 funded PhD studentships (including one co-funded with the NIHR School for Public Health Research) across a range of projects at universities across the UK. The goal is to improve outcomes for women and babies before, during, and after pregnancy through inclusive, evidence-based research by growing long-term research capacity and expertise.
13 Fully Funded PhD Studentships in Maternity Disparities, (NIHR) UK
Designation
PhD Researcher / PhD Student
Projects & Locations Table
Research Area
Methodological areas including, but not limited to:
- Health economics
- Statistics
- Trial design
- Digital research
- Data science
- Implementation science
- Co-production methods
Location
Various universities across the UK (Based at the host university for the specific project).
Eligibility / Qualification
- Passionate about maternal health equity with particular methodology knowledge and experience.
- Applicants with experience in a wide range of methodologies are encouraged to apply if they believe they can bring valuable skills to research on maternity inequalities.
- International students are welcome to apply but must secure alternative funding for the difference between UK and Overseas tuition fees, and provide financial evidence at the application stage.
- Note: Applications are particularly encouraged from people from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities/neurodivergent conditions, and candidates of all genders, ages, and beliefs.
Job Description (Funding & Duration)
- Start Date: January 2027
- Duration: Up to 3 years (Full-Time) or 4 years at 0.8WTE (Part-Time). Note: Some projects might be full-time only.
- Funding:
- Full home tuition fees covered (at 2026/27 UK rates).
- Tax-free annual stipend at UKRI rates (£21,805 outside London / £23,805 inside London from October 1st, 2026).
- £5,000 (per award) contribution towards research, travel, training, and consumables.
How to Apply
- Complete and submit the application form via the provided link on the NIHR MDC website.
- You may apply for a maximum of two projects.
- Upload a two-page CV and at least one covering letter (max. 1 page). If applying for two projects, you can submit one covering letter for both or one for each. Use the cover letter to explain how your disciplinary background fits the research if it is not immediately obvious.
- Identify two referees (one must be an academic referee).
- Use the following naming convention for your files:
Surname_CV_project codeSurname_CL_project code
Last Date to Apply
5:00 PM on Monday, September 7th, 2026.
