Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Sgoil Cheumnaichean Saidheans Sòisealta na h-Alba
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Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Sgoil Cheumnaichean Saidheans Sòisealta na h-Alba

Studentship opportunity

All Studentship Opportunities

Neurodivergent students’ access to education: the role of social inequalities, child and family factors.

This studentship is funded by the ESRC through the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS)

Institution
University of Edinburgh
Pathway
Social Inequalities
Studentship
Open Collaborative
Mode of study

Full-time / Part-time

Application deadline
4pm, 14 April 2022
Applications are due 24 March 2026, 5 pm GMT and
References are due 26 March 2026, 5 pm GMT

Project details

About the project
In Scotland 1 in 5 children are neurodivergent (e.g. autistic/with ADHD) and nearly 1 in 4 live in poverty. Many neurodivergent children and those living in poverty experience difficulties in accessing school, with long-term implications for employment and mental health. This project quantitatively explores the social inequality and child/family factors which might be associated over time with neurodivergent young people’s school attendance. Neurodivergent young people will be collaboratively involved with the research throughout the project. There is a multidisciplinary supervisory team (Psychology, Public Health, Education) and two partner organisations involved: Mindroom and Joseph Rowntree Foundation who offer a wealth of expertise on neurodiversity and poverty respectively. The project sits within the SGSSS Challenge-Led Pathway: Social Inequalities.

Methods and data
This project involves a systematic review and quantitative analysis of educational and health administrative data in order to enhance knowledge of neurodivergent children’s school absences, the role of poverty, and family factors. Young people themselves often have very limited voice in such administrative data research, despite the fact that their lives are reflected within it. This PhD seeks to address that, with neurodivergent young people being involved in study design, and in the interpretation and communication of study findings. The project offers a rich opportunity to develop research, co-production and knowledge exchange skills.

Expected research outcomes
The project’s aim is to better understand the educational experiences of neurodivergent children, particularly those living in poverty, and the knowledge produced has the potential to impact the work of the two partner organisations. It aims to support Mindroom in shaping the services they provide to families with neurodivergent children for whom school is inaccessible, particularly those families living in poverty. It also aims to support the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in its mission to reduce social inequalities, by providing detailed information on the impact of poverty on the lives of families with neurodivergent children.
More broadly, the PhD has potential to impact educational/social policy and practice, and project recommendations will be shared through a policy briefing. The innovative methodological aspects of the PhD (the dialogue between neurodivergent young people and administrative data research) also have rich potential to be shared more widely and influence practice in this research field.

Supervision
The academic supervisory team are Dr Katie Cebula and Dr Patricio Troncoso (University of Edinburgh) and Dr Michael Fleming (University of Glasgow). They bring expertise in neurodivergent young people’s educational experiences, participatory working, advanced quantitative methods, and administrative data analysis. The student will also be offered opportunities to learn from, and contribute to, the work of Mindroom on this topic. Additionally, there will be opportunities for the student to develop their understanding of social inequality policy and research through engagement with the project’s secondary partner organisation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

  • First Supervisor:  Dr Katie Cebula, Katie.cebula@ed.ac.uk
  • Second Supervisor: Dr Michael Fleming, Michael.Fleming@glasgow.ac.uk
  • Third Supervisor: Dr Paticio Troncoso, Patricio.Troncoso@ed.ac.uk

About the collaborative partner organisations
Mindroom is the primary collaborative partner for this project. Mindroom is a UK charity who champion all forms of neurodiversity. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for neurodivergent people by removing barriers, increasing opportunities, and shaping a more inclusive world. As an organisation they make a positive difference. In 2024 they supported over 2000 neurodivergent children, young people, and their families, and made over 25,000 contacts with them or on their behalf. Over 90% of young people and parents felt that their lives had improved because of Mindroom’s support. They deliver training and consultancy, with training delivered to over 5000 delegates from Education and employers in 2024. They also influence change at national level, with representation at Scottish Parliament events.
For more information about Mindroom: https://www.mindroom.org/

Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) are the secondary collaborative partner for this project. JRF is a UK charity whose core mission is to work to speed up and support the transition to a future free from poverty, in which people and planet can flourish. Their team in Scotland works to find solutions to poverty in Scotland and amplify the voices of people experiencing poverty. The team works with partners across the public, private and third sectors to advocate for solutions that will loosen poverty’s grip on people in Scotland, and to inspire more people to understand it and take action to solve it.
For more information about Joseph Rowntree Foundation: https://www.jrf.org.uk/

About the University

The student will be based in the Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh and will be a postgraduate researcher member of the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre.

Moray House School of Education and Sport
Our School has an international reputation for Education and Sports research, with our Education work covering a wide range of topics, from understanding educational inequalities to children’s experiences of outdoor learning. We are one of the top 20 Schools in the world for Education studies and we ranked 1st in the UK for Education in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2026). As a School we strive to use our research to support positive societal change by impacting policy and practice. All of our postgraduate researchers are offered research training workshops and are included in one or more of our Thematic Research Hubs, where they have opportunities to attend seminars and reading groups relevant to their research.
For more information: https://education-sport.ed.ac.uk/

Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre
The Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre (SMRC) is a University of Edinburgh cross-College Research Centre, based in the Moray House School of Education and Sport. Led by Centre Director Dr Katie Cebula, the SMRC creates new knowledge about neurodiversity, focusing on development and environments. We are a team of researchers passionate about participatory working, linking research and practice, and designing/evaluating ways to support human flourishing. We do this in productive partnership with the Mindroom charity. The SMRC’s research explores a wide range of neurodiversity topics, including social dynamics, peer support in education, and family experiences. Our vision is for schools, workplaces and a society where everyone can thrive. The Centre includes academic staff and postgraduate researchers.
For more information: https://salvesen-research.ed.ac.uk/

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Applicants must hold or be predicted a First or a good 2:1 undergraduate degree in the social sciences, or have relevant comparable experience.
  • Applicants can have a Masters degree, however this is not a requirement.
  • The applicant must also show demonstrable interest in the topic area under investigation.
  • Applicants can study part-time or full-time

 

Applicants must also upload the following documentation:
• Evidence you meet the English language requirements
• Certified translations if your original documents are not in English

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The University of Edinburgh is committed to supporting the development of postgraduate researchers from a diverse range of backgrounds. We welcome applications to this project from all appropriately qualified applicants, including those from marginalised backgrounds (e.g. neurodivergent applicants and those with lived experience of poverty). The University holds a Silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education and has a commitment to the AdvanceHE Race Equality Charter. The Edinburgh University Student Association facilitates multiple community groups and the University has a wide range of support services (including the Disability and Learning Support Service).

Funding

As per guidance published by UKRI in October 2020, a maximum of 30% of all studentships awarded can be made to international students, with the remaining 70% going to home students. 

Residential Criteria

To be classed as a home student, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have settled status, or
  • Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

For more on the UKRI eligibility guidance, click here

As per guidance published by UKRI in October 2020, a maximum of 30% of all studentships awarded can be made to international students, of which SGSSS has now awarded for the 2021/22 round of studentship awards. As such, this opportunity is only open to home students.

Residential Criteria

To be classed as a home student, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have settled status, or
  • Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If you do not meet the criteria above, you will be classed as an international student and will not be eligible to apply. To establish if you would be classed as a home student, please see pages 4 and 5 of the UKRI eligibility guidance here.

Award details

The scholarship is available as a +3.5 (3 year PhD and placement) or a 1+3.5 (Masters year, 3 year PhD, and a placement) studentship depending on prior research training. This will be assessed as part of the recruitment process, however you can access guidance here to help you decide on which to apply for. The programme will commence in October 2026. The full ESRC studentship package includes, as advised by ESRC:

  • An annual maintenance grant (stipend)
  • Fees at the standard institutional home rate
  • Students can also draw on a pooled Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)

Other information

How to apply

  1. Applicants must register on SGSSS Apply, completing their Equal Opportunities data.
  2. Applicants must apply via SGSSS Apply, uploading the following documentation:

    • Application Questions (answered within SGSSS Apply, no upload needed)
    • Academic transcripts
    • Academic prizes
    • Referee information
    • CV
    • Other information (if required by the advert)
We strongly encourage applicants review the applicant guidance document for more on the process. 

Please Note:

  • This is not an application to the relevant University, this is an application for SGSSS (ESRC) funding.
  • Students do not need a Masters/PhD offer from the relevant University before they can apply for funding, i.e. this studentship.
  • If successful in obtaining the SGSSS (ESRC) studentship, students can only start the funded studentship once they have an unconditional Masters/PhD degree offer from the relevant University. It is your responsibility to find out the University’s application process, including when you need to secure your offer, as SGSSS plays no role in this process.

This studentship opportunity will open for applications on 9th June.

Apply now via SGSSS Apply

Selection process

Applications will be ranked by an internal institutional selection panel, and you will be notified if you have been shortlisted for interview on the week commencing 6 April. Interviews will take place the week commencing 20 April.

This studentship award is subject to the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme within the University of Edinburgh. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme.

Contact details

Name
Team SGSSS
Email
SGSSS Team (for questions on the application portal, only), for any questions on the project, email the supervisory team (see details in abstract above)

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