Nuclear Waste Services Research Support Office

Funding opportunities

Nuclear Waste Services Research Support Office PhD bursary call 2024/25

Submission deadline:

Friday 25^th October 2024, 16:00

The Nuclear Waste Services Research Support Office (NWS RSO) is pleased to announce the 2024/25 PhD bursary call for proposals. Building on the success of previous years, the scheme continues to provide funding to UK academic institutions for 4-year PhD projects that directly support NWS’s mission to deliver a UK Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). 

The aim of this NWS RSO PhD bursary programme is to develop a portfolio of PhD projects focused on key NWS research priorities. This scheme will train the next generation of geological disposal researchers, support UK capability and expand all aspects of the geological disposal research community throughout the UK.

We have pre-recorded a webinar explaining some of the details of this year’s PhD bursary call: 

The scheme is expecting to fund several new PhD projects, to commence in autumn 2025, across a broadening research portfolio and inclusive of any research that demonstrates benefit to building the underpinning knowledge and understanding in the ongoing development of the safety case for geological disposal. 

Each project proposal should have a total cost to NWS of less than £145,000. We encourage projects that can offer added value, for example by identifying co-funding from universities or third parties (either anticipated or confirmed) and/or in-kind contributions. Universities and research groups that have not previously received funding from NWS are particularly encouraged to apply. The contractual arrangements for the PhD studentships will be administered by NWS.

For the 2024/25 bursary call, NWS has developed project briefs in 13 research areas. These project briefs cover a range of disciplines including engineering, geoscience, materials, radiochemistry, sustainability and the social sciences. NWS is also inviting applications to the open topic, for any research project aligned to the NWS mission.

Proposals must be submitted using the application form below and e-mailed to rso-gdf@manchester.ac.uk by 16.00 on 25th October 2024.  All applicants must accept the standard NWS grant terms, a copy of which is available below.

Further information regarding the scheme and the application process can be found in the Guidance for Submission and other documents below. 

If you have additional questions, including about the grant agreement and ability to meet the deadlines, please contact rso-gdf@manchester.ac.uk within the clarification period, which ends on  30th September 2024.

NB – All clarification questions will be answered by NWS and posted publicly on the bursary call page of the RSO website. 

Important Dates:

Documents:

RSO PhD Bursary call application form 2024/25

RSO PhD Bursary call project briefs 2024/25

RSO PhD Bursary call submission guidance and assessment criteria 2024/25

RSO PhD Bursary call NWS standard grant terms 2024/25

Webinar:

Link to pre-recorded webinar

Slides from Webinar

Clarification Q&A 

Questions will go here.