School Funded PhD Studentship
We are currently recruiting PhD candidates to join the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham.
The successful candidate will work on the following projects:
Katz 3-year PhD studentships
About the Projects
We are advertising funded 3-year PhD studentships. These studentships will focus on addressing important research questions linked to understanding tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome. Targeted projects currently include the following:
- Develop non-invasive deep brain stimulation, based on Temporal Interference stimulation (TIS), to investigate brain areas implicated in the experience of premonitory urge phenomena and the production of tics in Tourette syndrome.
- Use translational neuroimaging and neurophysiology methods together in a rodent model of Tourette syndrome to examine the remote effects of chronic striatal neural disinhibition which has been implicated in tic disorders.
- Use AI/machine learning approaches to develop a means to quantify and classify tic movements and vocalisations in Tourette syndrome/tic disorder from video recordings. This studentship would be part-sponsored by an industrial partner, Neurotherapeutics Ltd.
- Use multimodal brain imaging and brain stimulation techniques to investigate cortical sensorimotor representations and sensorimotor network function in Tourette syndrome and tic disorder.
These studentships would suit individuals with an honours level undergraduate degree relevant to each individual project, e.g., Experimental Psychology, Physics, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related subject. In addition, an appropriate master’s degree and/or relevant previous experience with one or more of: brain imaging (e.g., MRI, EEG, MEG) and/or brain stimulation (e.g., TMS, tACS, TIS).
The PhDs would start in October 2025 and are fully funded by a generous philanthropic donation made to the University of Nottingham.
The studentships are open to UK citizens and will include a stipend of £20,780 for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress.
Informal enquiries can be addressed to:
Topic 1: Stephen Jackson [email protected]
Topic 2: Tobias Bast [email protected]
Topic 3: Alexander Turner [email protected]
Topic 4: Stephen Jackson [email protected] [email protected]
Please see details below on how to apply.
The Environment:
The School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham is one of the largest and most active research communities in the UK. Psychology at Nottingham is dedicated to the study of the psychological and biological basis of behaviour. Our research spans many sub-disciplines in psychology. These range from personality to neuroscience, to developmental psychology. Staff have a broad range of expertise and access to excellent research facilities and infrastructure.
In the most recent Research Excellence Framework exercise (REF 2021) we were ranked 8th in the UK for research power. Our University is a supportive, inclusive caring community. We warmly welcome those of different cultures, ethnicities and beliefs.
Nottingham is ideally situated in the middle of England and has excellent transport links, being served by a major train station and with multiple airports close by. It has a large and diverse student population and a vibrant social scene, with plenty of fine drinking and eating establishments to suit every taste. The East Midlands is one of the most affordable areas to live in the UK and Nottingham University is situated on a beautiful, leafy campus with easy access to the city (15 minute tram ride).
How to apply
Before you apply
Check your eligibility:
You need to meet two key criteria in order to be eligible to apply.
Residency
Our fully funded studentships are currently only open to Home students for fee purposes. For more information on whether you would be classed as a Home or International student, please visit the official UKCISA website
Qualifications
You need a 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK) in a relevant field such as Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Physiology, Mathematics or a related discipline.
If you have a 2:2 or lower, you may still be eligible to apply if:
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you have a masters degree in a relevant subject
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you have three or more years of full-time work experience that is relevant to your undergraduate degree, or to the PhD projects you are applying for
You may still be eligible to apply if you were not able to complete your degree or achieved unexpectedly low degree results due to extenuating circumstances.
English not your first language?
If English isn't your first language, you will also need to meet the relevant English language requirements. An IELTS score of 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element) is required, though we also accept alternative qualifications
Applying
All applications are to be made directly to the University, selecting PhD Psychology (36 months duration) as the course. Please apply at:
In the research proposal section please only include the title of the PhD position you want to apply for in the title. Please note, the application will not be considered if you fail to do so. You are required to upload the following documents to your application:
During the application you will be asked to select a term and programme of study. Please select 2025 academic year and the programme Psychology PhD (36 month).
The application will also require you to provide:
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Transcripts of your BSc and MSc grades (if applicable)
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Two reference letters (in a non-editable format such as pdf, on headed paper and signed by the referee) or the details (email addresses) of two referees that we can contact. At least one of these must be academic.
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CV
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Personal statement. In this section, please copy and paste the responses you developed for Stage 2.
You must ensure you submit your application by the deadline shown on the advert, as we will not be able to accept late applications. .
If you have further enquiries about the studentships, please contact the lead supervisor from the relevant advert. If you have questions about the MyNottingham application process, please contact [email protected] for further advice.
After you apply
Once the deadline has passed, all eligible applications will be considered by a panel of academics who will select candidates to attend an online interview. You will find out if you have been successful around two weeks after the deadline. The assessment will include a short presentation on the candidate’s previous research experience, and an interview with questions on the candidate’s academic abilities, motivation, and transferable skills. Candidates will be told when they can expect to hear the final outcome at the interview.