Fully Funded PhD Studentships at the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistics and Operational Research in Partnership with Industry (STOR-i)University

If you would like to solve real-life problems using statistics and operational research to have positive impact on business, the economy or society, then consider applying to the STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training to start in October 2027.

Joining STOR-i will enable you to:

Make significant scientific and industrial impact with your research

STOR-i has an internationally leading reputation, training skilled graduates through research projects that use industrial challenges as the catalyst for methodological advance.

Work directly with leading industry partners

Many of our PhD projects are developed and involve collaboration with our industrial partners. Projects provide a unique research and training experience and an exciting opportunity for you to develop mathematical innovation inspired by contemporary real-world challenges. We work with an extensive network of industrial partners including BT, Haleon and Tesco.

Engage with our network of charitable partners

Students have the opportunity to engage with our charitable partners, including British Red Cross, Fareshare, Nesta and Save the Children. Mechanisms include extended data dives, charity focussed career talks and collaborative research opportunities.

Be mentored by internationally recognised research leaders

Our cohort-based, 4-year scheme offers a distinctive PhD training experience. During this structured PhD programme, you will complete several modules to develop your research skills and will be mentored by internationally recognised academics. We also have successful collaborative partnerships with leading international universities.

Be part of an exciting community of like-minded peers

The programme builds on our experience of training over 100 PhD students in partnership with industry since 2010. Graduates from STOR-i have embarked on exciting careers in academia and industry, working with numerous partner companies and other organisations including British Airways, EDF Energy and the Williams Formula 1 Team.

Applications open for October 2027

Funding includes a tax-free stipend and fees as well as supporting travel and equipment costs. Due to constraints from our funding agencies, there are different rules for funding depending on your fee status:

Home fee status students: STOR-i is part of the TechFirst pilot*, through which we will be offering stipends of approximately £30,000 for students eligible for home fee status and starting in October 2027.

International: We have a limited number of studentships available for international fee status students. These studentships consist of full fees and a minimum stipend of approximately £23,805 for the MRes year. On successful completion of the MRes this will rise to approximately £24,805/£26,805 per year dependent on whether you do an industry funded PhD.

• - TechFirst students will be asked to take part in additional TechFirst activities for up to 10 days each year including outreach to promote tech careers, networking with the TechFirst community and engagement with the tech industry.

We are recruiting high-calibre students typically holding or expecting to hold a first-class honours degree, or its equivalent, in an undergraduate or master’s course with substantial mathematical content, e.g. mathematics, statistics, physics, management science, or computer science.

Early applications are encouraged, as candidates will be invited for interview on an ongoing basis.

How to apply

To apply, please go to the University's online applications portal to create an account and submit an application.

For further details about how to apply, closing dates, studentships and eligibility criteria, see the website: www.lancaster.ac.uk/stor-i/apply.

Website www.lancaster.ac.uk/stor-i/apply

Up to £30,000 - please see advert