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Your research proposal must be submitted using the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ Research Proposal Form, linked below. 

The research proposal form helps you to focus your research into a specific area or direction. It may ask you questions such as: 

• What's your research question? 
• What has/hasn't been written on the subject and why? How does your research fit into this? 
• What’s your proposed methodology? What will your research methods be? What resources may be required? 

This, along with a discussion with a potential research supervisor, will help you to decide what path your research degree may take, and help you plan for success with your application.  

• Research Proposal Form - General Applications
• Research Proposal Form - Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD)

We do need copies of any of your previous degree certificates, such as:

• BA
• MA
• MSc

We don't need to see documents relating to GCSEs, A-levels, Higher, or Advanced Higher.

We need transcripts of your results, which have been officially issued from the awarding body.

Please include a sample of your writing (for example, this may be your MA dissertation, or any other relevant coursework).

You'll need to secure 2 academic references, dated within the last 6 months. 

It’s your responsibility to contact your referees directly to request references from them. Please download the Reference Request template and forward this onto your referees for them to use as a guide.

Academic references need to meet the following criteria: 

• Referees must be able to comment on your academic ability and suitability for your proposed research project (i.e. Directors of Study, Module Tutors, Course Tutors, Personal Tutors, Manuscript Tutors, Programme Directors). 
• References should be provided on institutional headed paper, or come directly from an academic email address, i.e. those ending with '.ac.uk'.  
• Referees should ideally send their references directly to you, for you to upload later with your application documents. Referees can, however, send their references directly to pgradmissions@bathspa.ac.uk if they wish. 

If you’re in receipt of funding for your proposed study, for example a scholarship award, please be prepared to provide evidence if requested.

Applications for the ESRC SWDTP studentship funding window is now open for the 2027 cohort. See the for further information and for eligibility.

1. Course Research

We encourage you to contact us for an informal discussion about your research ideas and whether BSU has a compatible supervisor. We recommend that you begin this conversation well in advance of the application deadline. No formal decision on your suitability for the PhD course or the studentship will be made at this stage; this informal discussion is to establish whether your research ideas can progress to the formal application stage.

Either contact PGR Admissions pgradmissions@bathspa.ac.uk or visit Find a supervisor – ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿

2. Application process BSU

If, after the informal discussion, a potential supervisor has been identified, you will need to submit your PhD application using the link on this page.

• As part of the application, please upload your research proposal only, further documents will be requested by us later if your application proceeds with the funding application.
• In the application, please express your funding intention by selecting ESRC from the drop-down list.

The application deadline to ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ for your PhD Application expressing interest in ESRC funded studentship is 08 November 2026.

Please note – for successful candidates - this is not a guarantee of funding, but an opportunity to be put forward for the application process for SWDTP funding. For further information about the SWDTP application process, please visit

3. Application Review

The academic pathway lead for the ESRC SWDTP studentship and other relevant academics will meet as a panel to discuss your application, research proposal and EOI. They will consider supervisory compatibility, the alignment of your research proposal with BSU’s areas of expertise and whether we are able to recommend you for the studentship.

4. Application Review – Possible Outcomes

• The panel decides to progress your PhD application and to consider you further for the SWDTP studentship.
• The panel decides to progress your PhD application but is unable to consider you further for the studentship. You can find information on alternative sources of funding here Fees and funding – ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿
• The panel decides that BSU is unable to progress your PhD application or consider you further for the studentship. This may happen when your area of research interest doesn’t align with BSU expertise.

5. Applying for a SWDTP Studentship

If the panel decides to progress your PhD application for a SWDTP studentship then you must submit the and transcripts to PGR Admissions ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ by the ESRC SWDTP deadline 12:00 Noon GMT on Tuesday 12 January 2027

With this application you will need a completed Supervisor Statement from your potential supervisor at BSU.

Please visit the , where further information and eligibility criteria can be found.

6. Shortlisting

Research conversations will take place internally up to the end of January 2027 to shortlist applicants to go forward to the cross-institutional pathway shortlisting stage at Bath Spa who will review your applications against the ESRC criteria. The University will submit the highest-ranking applications to the Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) in line with the approved allocation for each institutional pathway. These will then be reviewed by a discipline panel of experts from across the DTP before the final selections are put forward to the DTP awarding panel.

Successful candidates will be notified by mid-April 2027.

If you’re an international student, we’ll also need you to submit copies of your passport and any visas you already hold prior to your application. 

If you're applying from a country not defined as '', you’ll also need to provide an English language qualification, i.e. IELTS certificate, obtained in a test taken no more than two years prior to the point of application. 

Please note that the minimum required for acceptance is an overall score of 6.5 with no lower than 5.5 in any one area. Required scores will vary by course, and will often be higher. 

In Creative Writing, the expectation is that candidates will achieve no lower than 7.0 overall and 6.0 in any one area. For creative practice degrees, this is lowered to no lower than 6.0 overall, and 5.5 in any one area. 

It’s your responsibility CAS letters (if you’ve previously studied in the UK) to ensure compliance with these criteria before applying. 

International applicants who have previously studied in the UK will be asked to produce any prior CAS letters upon applying.