Student-led Training Fund
The Student-led Training Fund is an initiative that supports the delivery of advanced and specialist training events, where students can make an argument that their event offers something new and useful.
Opening for applications on Friday 4 July 2025!
The SLTF aims to deliver high quality advanced training to postgraduate students in Scotland through producing a year-round calendar of events.
The application process for SLTF is open to all social science PhD students studying in Scotland (as well as ESRC-funded students currently in their master’s year of a 1+3 award) who have the right to work during their studies. Since 2022, we have permission to also open this opportunity to Early Career Researchers (ECRs). An ECR is defined as a university employed researcher usually on a fixed-term contract. An ECR is usually considered to be within seven years of completing their doctorate, although exceptions can be made for career interruptions and other routes into research roles.
The first call for 2025-26 will be open from Friday 4 July to Friday 15 August 2025 for events running between 15 October 2025 and 15 February 2026. Please see the application process and guidance below for details.
Training with Collaborative Partners
Running as an initiative since 2023, we have a strand of SLTF that is designed with and for collaborative partners. SGSSS have asked collaborative partners to submit examples of training gaps that they feel could be supported by current research / research methods. Students and ECRs are able to submit proposals to meet that training need, and collaborative partners will be invited to join the session along with current students (unless facilitators have a clear rationale for keeping their event for collaborative partners only).
This new strand is a fantastic opportunity for applicants to deliver public-facing research training, and further the impact of their own research, knowledge and skills. SGSSS’ collaborative partners include representatives of the public, private and third sectors. You can see a list of SGSSS partners here.
Please see below for current broad topic areas proposed by our collaborative partners:
- Digital research methods and tools
- Focus on Artificial Intelligence: How young people are using or misusing it
- Focus on Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and opportunities of AI in all aspects of the research process, such as analysis and streamlining literature reviews
- Focus on Artificial Intelligence: Using AI creatively in qualitative research
- Quantitative and other types of analysis using R
- Advanced techniques in Nvivo
- The use of non-traditional spaces to support the environmental science curriculum
- Creative qualitative methods and analysis
- Creating engaging research outputs for a variety of audiences
First Call Timeline
First call launched
Deadline for applications
Decisions made and communicated to applicants
Events to take place
Online short courses to be ready to publish
Please complete the below application form after reviewing the associated SLTF Guidance.
Second Call Timeline
Second call launched
Deadline for applications
Decisions made and communicated to applicants
Events to take place
Online short courses to be ready to publish
Please complete the below application form after reviewing the associated SLTF Guidance.
Applications for the first call are open from 4 July to 15 August 2025.