About us

Since 2016, Aston University has been a part of the Midlands Graduate School, an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership now comprised of 8 Midlands universities. We are proud to be working together with our partner institutions, along with a wide range of local, regional, and national organisations from the public, private, and third sectors, to deliver high-quality doctoral training in the following pathways:

Our supervisors are leading researchers in their fields and work closely with users and practitioners to create real-world social and economic impact. As a funded MGS student, you will have the best of both worlds: access to a wide range of advanced training offerings and cohort events across the consortium, and the benefit of being part of a close-knit local PhD community, which is further enhanced by Aston’s modern campus right at the heart of Birmingham.

We hope that you will consider applying to the Midlands Graduate School and to Aston, and look forward to hearing from you.

Our Partners 

This second iteration of the Midlands Graduate School includes two new academic partners. The  Midlands Graduate School ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership is comprised of the following partners:

  • Aston University
  • University of Birmingham
  • De Montfort University
  • University of Leicester
  • Loughborough University
  • University of Nottingham
  • Nottingham Trent University
  • University of Warwick

How to apply

Find out more about the different ESRC DTP Pathways available at Aston University, including the contacts of each pathway and details of how to submit an application.

Full details about applying for studentships and deadlines for applications can be found on the Midlands Graduate School website.