NERC ECOWILD Centre for Doctoral Training 2026

The NERC ECOWILD Centre for Doctoral Training is a doctoral training programme in the United Kingdom funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It supports PhD research focused on environmental science, ecology, wildlife, conservation, and related interdisciplinary topics. Reference postings show funded PhD projects hosted at Heriot-Watt University under this programme.

ECOWILD-funded studentships are aimed at applicants with strong academic preparation in a relevant subject area. Typical projects require at least a first-class or upper second-class honours degree or equivalent, and a relevant master's degree or comparable research experience is often preferred. Projects may involve laboratory, field, and policy-relevant research, depending on the topic.

Based on the reference postings, the programme offers funded PhD projects. Funding generally covers core doctoral support, but international applicants may need to demonstrate co-funding for the difference between home and overseas tuition fees. Applicants from outside the United Kingdom are also expected to meet the host university's English-language requirements.

The programme is suitable for students interested in advanced environmental research, including areas such as ecotoxicology, freshwater and marine ecosystems, climate and pollution impacts, and biodiversity conservation. Specific research themes and supervisors vary by project and host institution within the centre.

Applications are typically made by applying to an advertised ECOWILD PhD project through the relevant project listing and host university process. Prospective candidates should review the individual project page carefully for supervisor details, topic-specific criteria, and application instructions.