Mary Douglas Research Scholarships 2023

Each scholarship covers fees at the level of UK residents, and a living stipend of £20,198 per year and additional costs for equipment or travel. for three years, with the possibility of renewing for a fourth year. The department hopes to be able to cover the fees difference for non-UK residents, but we cannot confirm this at this time.  

The remit of the scholarships is based on the academic merits of the project and the candidate. Applicants should already have an offer of an MPhil/PhD in the Department of Anthropology at UCL, supervised by a member of staff in the department. It is expected that projects will advance anthropological research areas in which UCL has an established profile and reputation. 

Applicants should have:

• A demonstrably strong background in anthropology (preferably top UG and Master’s degrees)
• Research experience

To apply, please send all your portfolio in PDF format by Friday 19 May 2023 to Chiara Francesconi.

Your portfolio should include:

• Master’s or Undergraduate Dissertation (or similar)
• CV
• Research proposal (max 1200 words), including provisional title, aims, background, methodology and how the proposal fits with the strengths of UCL’s anthropology department
• Personal statement (max 400 words):  details of why you meet the criteria, how your qualifications and experience have prepared you to do a PhD, and the reasons for your interest in this scholarship
• Names and contact details (e.g., email) of two academic references
• Names of prospective supervisors who will have been contacted in advance
• Official final academic transcripts (in English) for all completed undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. Transcripts should show modules completed, grades obtained and your overall degree classification (if relevant)

The Anthropology Department at UCL is the largest in the UK, with over 70 staff, and is broad-based. Sections and research groups in the department specialise in such areas as Biological Anthropology, Social Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, Material and Visual Culture, Human Ecology, Environment and Sustainability, Politics Violence & Crime, Digital Anthropology, Anthropological Film-Making, Public Anthropology, and others. In the 2023 QS University Rankings, UCL Anthropology was rated fourth in the world for the subject.

The Mary Douglas Research scholarships are supported with the generous funding of the Sigrid Rausing Trust.