Fully Funded PhD in Space Stories, Archival Records, Fiction, and Outer Space University of Leicester in United Kingdom

Fully funded PhD opportunity at the University of Leicester with the Leverhulme Centre for Humanity and Space (LCHS), in collaboration with The National Archives (Kew).

This project, titled Space Stories, sits at the intersection of history, literature, media studies, astronomy, and broader humanities/social sciences approaches to space. It invites applicants to explore the boundary between archival records and fictional imaginings of outer space, using the rich holdings of The National Archives. Example directions include UFO records, early astronomy, space technology, literary and popular cultural representations, and the relationship between documentary sources and cultural imagination.

The PhD is based in the School of Arts, Media & Communication and is part of a major £10m Leverhulme-funded centre at Space Park Leicester. The centre supports interdisciplinary doctoral and postdoctoral research across the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, with opportunities to work alongside researchers and collaborators from academia, archives, and the wider space ecosystem.

Funding: 4 years of full tuition fees (UK or overseas as required) plus a 4-year UKRI-rate stipend. For 2026/27, the stipend is £21,805 per year, paid monthly.

Eligibility: UK or overseas applicants with a relevant 2:1 Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and a Master’s degree. University of Leicester English language requirements apply.

Deadline: 22 June 2026. Start date: 21 September 2026.

How to apply: Use the application link on the University of Leicester page, select September 2026, and submit the Research Proposal Form together with your CV, personal statement, transcripts, degree certificates, English language evidence if needed, and two academic referees.