Oxford University Museums is offering up to three fully-funded doctoral studentships per year, starting in October 2016, through the Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) scheme. The CDP studentship programme is led by Dan Hicks (Pitt Rivers Museum). The scheme operates across the four museums of Oxford University - the Ashmolean, the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Each CDP studentship is jointly supervised in partnership between one or more of Oxford University Museums and academics from UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The partner HEI administers the studentship, receiving funds from the AHRC for the student’s fees and maintenance in line with a standard AHRC award. In addition to this full studentship award for fees and maintenance, Oxford University Museums provides up to £2,000 per annum per student to cover the costs of travel between the HEI and Oxford, and related costs in carrying out research. Studentships can be based at any UK HEI apart from Oxford University.
The Collaborative Doctoral Studentships will involve research that helps us to develop new perspectives on our collections and to share knowledge more widely and effectively with a range of audiences, while also training a new generation of scholars working between the academic and heritage sectors.
2016 Call for Applications Now Open
Oxford University Museums is currently accepting applications from potential doctoral supervisors who wish to develop a Collaborative Doctoral Partnership project with one or more of Oxford University’s four museums. The deadline for applications for studentships to start in October 2016 is 5pm on Friday 27 November 2015.
Studentship projects should be jointly proposed by a member of Oxford University staff in partnership with a colleague from a UK Higher Education Institution.
We can accept CDP applications on any topic provided that the proposed project represents excellent research, and is feasible for collaborative study at doctoral level. In addition to these criteria, priority will be given to applications that involve new or unexpected collaborations across AHRC’s subject areas, which have not previously been developed by the museum or museums in question, and which make a demonstrable impact across the academic, cultural and public spheres. All proposals must fall within AHRC’s areas of subject coverage.
Applicants are strongly advised to contact Dan Hicks – – before submitting an application.
Completed forms must be submitted by email to by 5pm on Friday 27 November 2015 in order to be considered for the 2016 round.
Informal enquiries from potential partners from non-Oxford Higher Education Institutions, who are unsure of who to approach within Oxford University Museums, are welcome, and should be sent to
How to Apply
Find full applications details at: museums.ox.ac.uk/collaborative-doctoral-studentships