Prestigious Sainsbury PhD Studentships in plant sciences

Enhanced four-year Sainsbury PhD Studentships, starting in October 2025, will again be awarded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.

This long-running programme has developed some of the highest quality plant science researchers in universities, and has influenced a large group who now work in teaching, commerce, finance, policy and industry. It is the recognised gold standard for students taking a PhD in plant sciences and Sainsbury students consistently perform at a level above that of their contemporaries. This is in part due to the rigorous selection criteria that identify only the very best students, but is enhanced by the annual training weekend held each Easter in Cambridge, where the students are mentored in giving talks, producing posters, and writing papers and dissertations, and have the chance to interact with speakers on a variety of topics.

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The maintenance stipend in the first year will be £24,235 (to increase by 4% annually). In addition to this, there is an annual payment of £5,500 for department laboratory fees, and £700 for books, conferences and travel. Tuition fees are also paid by the Foundation.

It would be expected that the studentship holder spend six months during their 3rd or 4th year at another university/institute to gain additional experience. The student can claim up to an additional £3,000 to assist in covering the extra expenses. The final award of the grant is conditional on the student obtaining a first or upper second class degree before the start of the Sainsbury PhD Studentship.

Candidates should apply to the supervisor of the project they are interested in, by the deadline stated for that project. Each project supervisor will then select one candidate to write a four-page project proposal (written after consultation with the supervisor), which is to be submitted, along with CV and references, by 8th January 2025. Interviews will take place in London on either Thursday 16th or Friday 17th January 2025. The Gatsby Plant Science Advisors will award up to three Sainsbury PhD Studentships, after interviewing up to eight candidates.