Academic Funding: St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship Opens Applications
The University of St Andrews and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) invite applications from qualified and highly motivated students for a 3.5-year St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship in Population, Health and Data Science. The PhD studentship is fully funded and available from October 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
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Project Overview and Research Scope
The successful St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship candidates will work on a cutting-edge project that examines the social and environmental determinants of health and socio-economic outcomes in adolescence and emerging adulthood. This project adopts a life-course approach to investigate how adverse exposures in the socio-economic environments of adolescents accumulate or act during sensitive periods to shape outcomes in young adulthood across life domains including housing, family formation, education, and health.
The St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship research will use advanced quantitative methods to explore how both individual-level factors and structural or area-level determinants contribute to inequalities in these outcomes, including potential regional variation. The project will be part of the International Max Planck Research School for Population, Health and Data Science (IMPRS-PHDS), the Centre for Population Change & Connecting Generations, and the Max Planck – University of Helsinki Center for Social Inequalities in Population Health.
Institutional Structure and Timeline
The St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship offers an elite international track split across two premier research institutions:
- Months 1–21 (Germany): The St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship candidate will work in the Laboratory of Population Health at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, Germany. They will be expected to enroll in the IMPRS-PHDS programme.
- Remaining Months (UK): The St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship candidate will work at the University of St Andrews as a member of the Population and Health Research Group at the School of Geography and Sustainable Development (SGSD). The student is expected to prepare a PhD thesis as a collection of research articles according to PGR regulations.
The St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship Funding and Stipend Package
| Residency Phase | Financial Support & Benefits |
| Germany Period | Paid according to MPIDR rules; contract currently amounts to a gross salary of about €40,000 per year (including an annual Sonderzahlung bonus). Financial support is provided for travel, research training, and data acquisition. |
| United Kingdom Period | Includes a maintenance grant at the St Andrews stipend rate, currently set at £19,775 per year (2026/27 rate subject to confirmation). Includes a research training support grant (RTSG) of £750 per year and a Full Tuition Fee Waiver. |
Entry Requirements and Application Process
This St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship position is an excellent opportunity to join an international team applying statistical modelling to population topics. Applicants must meet the following baseline criteria:
- An excellent Master’s degree (distinction or merit in the UK framework) or equivalent national qualification.
- A background in any area of social sciences, including statistics and applied mathematics.
- A strong motivation to apply advanced quantitative methods to demographic data.
To apply for the St Andrews Max Planck PhD Studentship, candidates must submit their application to the programme “PhD Geography (Science)” on the official University of St Andrews postgraduate research portal by the absolute deadline of Monday 8 June 2026.
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Required Application Materials:
- A detailed personal statement outlining your interest and experience in quantitative population studies.
- An academic writing sample (normally a complete chapter of a Master’s dissertation).
Note: Shortlisted applicants will be contacted to participate in competency interviews conducted during the second half of June 2026. The University of St Andrews and the Max Planck Society are equal opportunity employers.
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