What separates a strong PhD funding application from the rest? Following an SSA webinar with previous judges and successful applicants, Holly Wood-Blake explores three practical lessons for people pursuing a PhD.
Applying for PhD funding can feel daunting. As well as developing a strong research idea, applicants need to find the right supervisors, navigate application forms, and often overcome the feeling that everyone else knows exactly what they are doing.
The speakers at our webinar were united on one point: strong applications are rarely the product of a single brilliant idea. More often, they are the result of thoughtful preparation, realistic planning, and a willingness to seek feedback along the way. Here are three lessons for prospective applicants:
1. Ensure that your project is both important and achievable
A strong application will explain why the research is needed, what gaps it will address, and why now is the right time to do it – but it will also demonstrate that the project can be completed within the timeframe of a PhD.
Dr Inge Kersbergen, SSA trustee and a previous judge, highlighted the importance of proposing methods that are appropriate for answering the research question and confirming that the question itself suits the scope of a PhD. Strong applications also acknowledge the realities of research. Recruitment can be slower than expected, approvals can take time, and plans sometimes need to change.
Practical tips:
- Create a realistic timeline and include contingency time.
- Ask supervisors and your host institution for support with costing and project planning – don’t try and guess!
- Clearly explain how your methods will help you answer your research question.
2. Show the researcher behind the research
One of the most valuable reminders from the webinar was that funding panels are assessing both the project and the person behind it.
Research experience is important, but that experience does not have to come exclusively from academia. Experience working with patients, service users, policymakers, practitioners, or community groups can all strengthen an application when it is relevant to the proposed research.
Inge encouraged applicants to explain their contribution to previous research activities, rather than just including a list of positions. Strong applications help reviewers understand what you did, what skills you developed, and how those experiences have prepared you for doctoral research.
Panel members also want to understand how a PhD fits into your wider journey and how it will help you contribute to the field. Current SSA-funded PhD student Hollie Walker recommended focusing less on a future job title and more on the change you hope to make through your work.
“I would recommend you sit and think: ‘What do I want to do? Where do I want to go after my PhD?’ Be ready to articulate that. I framed it as what I hoped to achieve, rather than a job I wanted. I said, ‘I want to change this specific area, and change these outcomes for these people.’”
Practical tips:
- Explain your contribution to previous research projects rather than simply listing them.
- Include relevant experience from outside academia where appropriate.
- Make clear how the PhD will help you reach your goals.
3. Build your team with care
The strongest applications demonstrate that applicants have thought carefully about the environment in which they will develop as researchers. Panel members look for a good fit between the candidate, the project, the host institution, and the supervisory team. They also want to see that applicants have considered what skills they need to develop during their PhD. Needing training is not a weakness; in fact, identifying areas for development often demonstrates maturity and self-awareness.
Developing a PhD project can feel lonely, particularly if you’re building a project from scratch. Hollie emphasised the importance of seeking feedback early and drawing on the expertise of supervisors, colleagues, and peers throughout the process.
Practical tips:
- Clearly explain what each supervisor brings to the project.
- Include a training plan that reflects your development needs and be honest about skills you want to strengthen.
- Show how your institution will support your growth as a researcher.
Perhaps the most reassuring message from the webinar was that rejection is a normal part of academic life. Many successful researchers can point to applications that were unsuccessful before they secured funding.
Every application is an opportunity to refine your thinking, strengthen your project, and develop as a researcher. Whether you’re preparing your first application or revisiting an idea after a setback, taking the time to plan carefully, seek feedback, and start early can make all the difference.
The SSA supports careers in addiction research through funding bursaries for postgraduate study and professional development, pre-doctoral support for the development of PhD applications, PhD studentships, post-doctoral support for the development of fellowship applications, and fellowships. The current round of applications for PhD studentships and fellowships will close on 30 July 2026.
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