Queer and Trans Healthcare and Creativity studentships 2027 Entry

Funding description

These PhD studentships respond to developments in queer and trans health and wellbeing needs by centring creative forms of care developed by LGBTQ+ communities in Greater Manchester. We envision the development of doctoral projects that place creativity at the heart of cross-disciplinary collaborations between those working in gender and sexuality studies and those concerned with delivering provision.

In the context of Manchester’s substantial queer and trans population, the studentships will employ creative and critical methods to produce new knowledge about LGBTQ+ health, in line with the University’s commitment to social responsibility and impactful research.

Find out further information in our application guidance.

This guidance provides:

• a fuller explanation of what we are looking for in terms of projects; 
• information on how to prepare your proposal.

Our partners

We are looking for applications with the potential for a creative encounter between the doctoral student’s own research interests and those of the partner organisation. Students will maximise their research’s potential to generate improved health outcomes by designing projects that align with the aims and projects of one of our partners in Greater Manchester.

These studentships will centre meaningful collaborations with one (or exceptionally two) of the following non-HEI partners, offering students professional experience, enhancing employability, and contributing to societal impact:

• George House Trust
• SICK!
• The Sunday Boys
• LGBT Foundation
• Factory International

Although we welcome applications proposing to partner any of our 5 non-HEI organisations, we particularly welcome those promising to connect with SICK! Productions or The Sunday Boys, since the doctoral students admitted for a 2026 start have linked with the other 3. 

Model of Doctoral Study

These PhD studentships will work on a hybrid model. They are not the standard ‘Collaborative Doctoral Awards’ (CDAs) previously administered via the AHRC. Rather, they will lead to Partnership PhDs that include: 

• a critical thesis (50,000 - 60,000 words);
• a creative element which may consist of the candidates':
  • own writing, film, video, performance or digital practice, or
  • significant event, workshop series, or exhibition curation accompanied by a written reflection);
• an agreed work package with the identified partner, whose aims the overall project must be clearly engaged with in its vision, approach and practice.

Information Session

We will be hosting an information session for 2027 entry on Monday, 2 November, 1 - 2pm.

Sign up to the session.