CAMHRA Doctoral scholarships

The Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA) is excited to announce the launch of its Doctoral Scholarship Programme. CAMHRA invites applications from those seeking to advance research that brings anthropological insight to bear on the field of mental health.

Newly-established within the SOAS Department of Anthropology and Sociology, the Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action is a globally oriented and locally connected hub for cutting-edge anthropological research, education and public engagement on mental health. Working with partners across academia, statutory healthcare and policy, and alongside services users, CAMHRA contributes distinctly anthropological perspectives to a growing global understanding of how societies can understand and respond to mental distress and build effective systems of care.

This prestigious scholarship offers the opportunity for successful applicants to pursue a fully-funded 3-year PhD under the mentorship of leading experts in the fields of anthropology and mental health. The scholarship will cover student fees and include a stipend of £19,718.

Five doctoral scholarships are available, allowing successful applicants to dedicate their time to producing transformative research that addresses some of the most pressing mental health challenges faced by communities in London and around the world.

Doctoral students within CAMHRA will have the opportunity to participate in specialist doctoral training workshops co-designed with our partners at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. This collaborative programme will provide researchers with the methods, fieldwork skills and self-care for clinical ethnography and other forms of deeply embedded research practice.

The five successful scholars will join the inaugural cohort of CAMHRA PhD students commencing their research in September 2025, becoming an integral part of a dynamic and growing research community.

We are excited to invite applications from PhD applicants whose research lies at the intersection of anthropology and mental health. We strongly welcome applications from applicants with lived experience of mental health service use, and those from underrepresented groups. We welcome applicants from the UK and internationally.

Webinar: How to develop a strong application and Q&A

The CAMHRA team will share information about building a strong application during the ‘CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarships Webinar’ on Wednesday 6 November 2024 at 2pm GMT (London time). 

Project details

We particularly welcome applicants whose proposed project aligns with the Centre’s areas of interest, outlined below. We also welcome applicants who are excited about generating a new thematic area that strengthens, activates and grows CAMHRA’s network and partners. 

CAMHRA current areas of interest:

• Relational approaches to healing and cultivating wellbeing
• Environmental and ecological distress
• Care work and carers
• Lived experience research practices
• Race and inequality
• Social isolation, loneliness and community
• Religion and spirituality
• Institutions, organisational culture and mental healthcare 
• Models and metrics of distress and healing

Candidate criteria 

To be eligible for the CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarship, applicants must apply and be offered a place on the Anthropology PhD programme in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS. 

Additionally, the scholarship applicants must have a proposed project that deploys anthropological concepts and ethnographic methods to the study of mental health. 

Applicants can be home or international students. The scholarship includes full fees and a stipend to cover living expenses. 

Entry requirements for PhD programme in Anthropology: 

• A BA and/or MA degree in Anthropology, with a merit or equivalent in the Master’s Degree and a MA dissertation grade of 65% (UK) or higher.
• Applicants must provide a clear and coherent research proposal of 2000 words, plus one academic reference.
  • CAMHRA scholar additional requirement: research proposal is focused on anthropology and mental health; and a personal statement. Details of which will be communicated in January 2025.
• In exceptional cases, we may accept applicants who do not meet these criteria if they show evidence of a strong Master’s degree and/or appropriate level of relevant work experience.
• International applicants should also see Doctoral School English language requirements.

Candidate assessment 

• Based on the information provided in your scholarship application (research proposal and personal statement, details of which will be communicated in January 2025)
• Confirmed and awarded by a Selection Panel

Scholarship application deadline

In order to be eligible for CAMHRA’s Doctoral Scholarship, there are two deadlines within the application process, as well as an initial expression of interest (EOI). There is not a hard deadline for the EOI. 

However, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the EOI form as soon as possible to ensure ample time to develop their project proposal and communicate with potential supervisor(s) in advance of the PhD programme application deadline. 

Application deadlines:

• Applicants must submit an application to the Anthropology PhD programme at SOAS by 12pm UK local time on 2 December 2024.* Successful applicants will be notified by mid-January if they have been accepted to the PhD in Anthropology. 
   
• Doctoral applicants must submit a scholarship application by 12pm UK local time on 14 February 2025. The scholarship portal will be open from 14 January – 14 February 2025, and will include details of what this application entails. Applicants who have received offers of acceptance from SOAS for the PhD in Anthropology will be able to apply during that window. 

For guidance on how to apply, please visit: How to apply for research programmes | SOAS

*Please note that applications for doctoral study at CAMHRA and the Department of Anthropology and Sociology remain open beyond the 2 December 2024, but applications received after this date will not be eligible for a scholarship.

Scholarship Application Procedures

The application process to the CAMHRA PhD Scholarships has three stages. 

• Stage 1: Expression of Interest (EOI). Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit an expression of interest (EOI) through this online form. During the EOI stage, an applicant's general eligibility and fit with the Centre’s focus on anthropology and mental health will be assessed. If the applicant’s proposed project meets the requirements of the Centre, and if there is a suitable supervisor available for their project, the applicant will then be connected with a supervisor. The applicant will meet with the supervisor to develop and strengthen their project proposal in time for the PhD submission deadline of 2 December 2024. The EOI form will close on 2 December 2024, however, we encourage interested applicants to express their interest as soon as possible to ensure ample time for proposal development.
   
• Stage 2: PhD Application. Applicants must then apply to the Anthropology PhD programme at SOAS by 2 December 2024, in order to be eligible for the scholarships. The portal for PhD applications will open in early November. As part of this application process applicants are expected to submit:
  • A formal application form
  • A supporting/personal statement
  • An up to date CV
  • A research proposal (2000 words)
  • Full academic transcripts
  • Degree certificates
  • English language evidence
  • One academic reference

Successful applicants will be notified by mid-January if they have been accepted to the PhD in Anthropology. 

• Stage 3: Doctoral Scholarship Application. The scholarship portal will be open from 14 January – 14 February 2025. Applicants who have received offers of acceptance from SOAS for the PhD in Anthropology will be able to apply for CAMHRA’s doctoral scholarships. As part of this application process applicants are expected to submit:
  • A narrative CV and a statement detailing the contribution of your project to CAMHRA. Details of which will be communicated in January 2025.

Further information about PhDs at SOAS University of London is available from: doctoralschool@soas.ac.uk 

Guidance for applying to Research Programmes and information on what makes an application can be found here for How to Apply. 

Notification 

• For enquiries regarding your programme application procedure please email dsadmissions@soas.ac.uk 
• For any enquiries regarding the studentship application procedure, please email scholarships@soas.ac.uk. For further information about the Centre or regarding the Expression of Interest, please email camhra@soas.ac.uk.