Fully Funded PhD Studentships in Political Science at Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin in United Kingdom

[Four-year fully funded PhD studentships including tuition grants, stipends, teaching and research assistantships, and support for conference and research travel.]

The Department of Political Science at Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, invites applications for its prestigious four-year fully funded PhD studentships. As Ireland’s top-ranked political science department and one of Europe’s leading centres for political research, Trinity offers an intellectually vibrant environment for doctoral study. The department is consistently ranked among the top 20 in Europe and top 50 worldwide in QS and THE evaluations.

Successful applicants will join a dynamic research community, benefiting from the expertise of faculty who publish in leading journals such as the American Political Science Review, British Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Comparative Political Studies. The department’s staff have also authored prize-winning monographs and hold significant external research grants. The doctoral programme is designed to provide rigorous training in both substantive political knowledge and advanced research methods, including quantitative techniques, preparing students to conduct original research at the forefront of the discipline.

PhD studentships are fully funded for four years and include tuition grants, stipends, teaching and research assistantships, and support for conference and research travel. The department encourages applications from students interested in a wide range of research areas, including but not limited to: comparative European politics, political institutions, legislative politics, European Union politics and policies (including the European Court of Justice), international law, Irish politics, computational political science, political communication, African politics, Russian and postcommunist politics, authoritarian politics, electoral systems, political parties, public opinion, political participation, political psychology, environmental politics (including climate change), international conflict and security, and political theory.

The programme is structured to provide comprehensive training in research design and implementation, culminating in the writing of a dissertation based on original research. Graduates of the programme have an excellent track record of securing academic positions at leading universities, as well as roles in government and business.

Applicants should have a strong academic background in political science or a related field. While specific grade or GPA requirements are not stated, proficiency in English is required, and evidence of English language ability may be necessary for non-native speakers. Prospective students are encouraged to consult the webpages of academic staff to ensure alignment of research interests and to contact the Course Administrator for any queries regarding the application process.

The deadline for applications for entry in September 2026 is 13 February 2025. All applications must be submitted via the Trinity College Dublin online application system. For further details, visit the programme’s official webpage or contact the Course Administrator at [email protected].