Sheffield Hallam University is offering the scholarship below to study on the joint PhD programme with La Trobe University, Australia, to start 1 October 2025 ( 1 February 2026 start may be possible ).

Project Title: The dream-team: investigating the influence of sleep restriction on the health, wellbeing, and performance of team-sport athletes.

Elite athletes are facing increasing training and competition demands alongside high levels of psychophysiological stress, resulting in situations that foster sleep disturbances. Some of these disturbances include high core temperatures following exercise, increases in muscle tension, fatigue and soreness following training and competition, frequent national/international travel, scheduling issues, disruption from light and noise and increases in psychological stress (nervousness, social expectations etc.). These factors culminate to place the elite athlete in a compromised environment for optimising their sleep, recovery and wellbeing.

There is clear evidence to suggest that sleep deprivation or restriction impairs cognitive function, performance and wellbeing. There is also evidence to suggest that sleep restriction may reduce endurance exercise performance. What is less clear, however, is the impact of sleep restriction on team-sport performance. More specifically, the influence of reduced sleep on team-sport specific measures of strength, power and agility are yet to be established. In the lead up to an important competition, it is common for athletes to have a period of 3-4 nights of reduced sleep. In some team sports, it is also common to have multiple night-games each week, also resulting in a restricted sleep opportunity. In both situations, this may result in multiple nights of <5 hours sleep. While the impact of this has been researched in many populations (e.g., clinical, military, shift-workers), the extent of this on team-sport athletes has not yet been determined.

Therefore, this PhD will be made up of a series of novel studies that will investigate the impact that sleep restriction may have on cognition, psychophysiological function, athletic performance, and wellbeing of team-sport athletes. This will be achieved via 3-5 well-designed, scientifically rigorous studies, leveraging the expertise of the supervisory team as well as the world-class facilities and infrastructure provided by both Sheffield Hallam and La Trobe Universities. Not only will these studies add considerable knowledge to the existing field of research, but they will also have a global impact, providing critical information for coaches and practitioners working with athletes, educating them on the importance of sleep on the health and wellbeing of their athletes.

Applicants should hold: a BSc (2:1 or above, or equivalent) degree qualification in Sport and Physical Activity, or other relevant areas. An MSc degree qualification in a relevant area is desirable. Professional qualifications and background in Sport and Physical Activity is desirable, but not essential. Applicants without a professional qualification should have a strong academic background in a Sport and/or Physical Activity related discipline.

We strongly advise all applicants to contact David Rogerson - [email protected] prior to application.

About the joint PhD programme

Students on the joint PhD programme will be enrolled on a PhD at both institutions. Your supervisory team will comprise academics from each institution who will provide support and guidance throughout your research.

For these scholarships, Sheffield Hallam will be your “home institution” where you will begin your studies and spend the majority of your time. The expectation is that you will typically spend up to 12 months at La Trobe as the “host institution”; the timing and duration of this will depend on your programme of research.

More information about the joint scholarship programme can be found here: https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/degrees/phd-scholarships/global-partnership-joint-phd-programme-la-trobe

The scholarships are available for 3.5 years of full-time study and will provide:

·       Tuition fees at ‘Home’ student rates

·       A PhD bursary at the standard Sheffield Hallam PhD bursary rate (this is aligned with the net Real Living Wage and the current rate for academic year 2024/25 is £20,974 per annum)

·       One economy return air fare between the UK and La Trobe University

·       Single person Visa-length Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the agreed period of residency at La Trobe. Please note the OSHC is covered for a single person only; any student intending to travel to Australia with family members will need to pay additional OSHC costs to upgrade to family cover.

Students who are already enrolled on a PhD at Sheffield Hallam or La Trobe are not eligible to apply for these scholarships.

International / EU applicants - Please see the funding notes section of this advert for important fee information.

Sheffield Hallam University has a mandatory English language requirement of IELTS 7, or equivalent language qualification, for all applicants from countries not included in the UKVI exemption list: https://www.gov.uk/english-language/exemptions . This qualification must have been taken within the last two years, with a score of at least 6.5 in all test areas. The qualification may be required even if you have previous qualifications from UK institutions. Please check with [email protected] prior to application.

How to apply

Complete the online application form here : PhD Sport and Physical Activity and choose the Oct 25 intake option. Please state the project that you are applying for in the Personal Statement section of the form.

Your application should outline:

a) why you are interested in doing PhD research on this topic

b) how your skills and experience to date (including your undergraduate and/or masters dissertation, if relevant) prepare you to embark on the project

c) any challenges that you foresee in conducting the research and how you might approach or solve them

Closing Date

You should submit your application by the closing date of 23:00 UK time on 28 May 2025 . We are unable to accept late applications.

Interviews

Applicants that are successful following our shortlisting process, will be invited to interview in the weeks commencing 23 & 30 June 2025 . Please note, we are unable to offer alternative interview slots once allocated to shortlisted candidates.