[Fully funded 3-year PhD studentship, home tuition fees and annual tax-free maintenance stipend at UKRI rates (£20,780 for 2025/26). Visa expenses, Immigration Health Surcharge, and relocation costs are not covered.]

The University of East Anglia invites applications for a fully-funded PhD studentship focused on examining variability in young children’s vocabulary development. This position is part of a Leverhulme Foundation-funded project that tests a neural process theory of vocabulary development, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in developmental and cognitive science.

Supervised by Professor Larissa Samuelson, the successful candidate will join the Developmental Science Research Group and the Developmental Dynamics Laboratory, working within a vibrant and supportive research environment. The project involves a longitudinal study of children’s performance on multiple word learning tasks at 18, 24, and 36 months of age, tracking vocabulary growth and exploring the underlying mechanisms of language acquisition.

As a PhD student, you will gain hands-on experience in research ethics, task implementation, data processing, analysis, and interpretation. You will also have opportunities to present findings at conferences and disseminate results through publications. The project encourages the development of your own research questions within the scope of the data collection and grant focus, fostering independence and creativity in your doctoral studies.

Training will be provided in experimental design, data analysis (with a preference for R), eye-tracking methodologies, and computational modelling of development. Prior experience in these areas is desirable but not essential, as comprehensive support and professional development opportunities are available throughout the PhD.

Eligibility requires a minimum of a 2:1 Bachelors degree in Psychology or a related discipline. A Masters degree is optional. The studentship is open to both UK and international applicants, though visa expenses, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and relocation costs are not covered. The funding package includes home tuition fees and an annual tax-free maintenance stipend set at UKRI rates (£20,780 for 2025/26).

The start date for the position is 1 October 2026, and the application deadline is 1 February 2026. If you are highly motivated and passionate about advancing our understanding of early vocabulary development and language learning, this studentship offers an excellent platform to launch your research career.

For further details and to apply, visit the University of East Anglia’s postgraduate research application portal. Prepare your academic transcripts, CV, and a statement of research interest, and submit your application before the deadline.