Focal awards: multilingual futures for UK growth and connectivity

This AHRC doctoral focal award is for UK higher education institutions that want to lead a consortium training the next generation of languages researchers. It aims to unlock linguistic and cultural expertise, building the high-level skills, innovation capacity and global connections that support UK growth.

Applications are by invitation only. You can apply only if AHRC has invited you following a successful outline application. The full application is made on the UKRI Funding Service, not Je-S.

AHRC will support between 12 and 20 studentships over four cohorts, at UKRI indicative fee levels and minimum stipend rates, for up to four years per student. The first cohort starts in October 2028 and the award lasts a minimum of seven years. Funding also covers cohort-based training at £1,200 per student per year. Collaborative Doctoral Awards attract an extra £600 a year in stipend, with support for two to three of these per lead institution, subject to demand.

Each proposal must set out your approach to doctoral training and professional development, and to increasing the representation of students from underrepresented groups. Your consortium needs at least two higher education institutions and at least one partner beyond academia. Studentships should be rooted in the study of languages and engage with more than one linguistic, cultural or communicative context.

The closing date is 21 January 2027 at 4:00pm UK time.

One practical caveat: the funding does not cover the administrative costs of setting up and delivering the training grant, and it will not fund original research.

Official source: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/focal-awards-multilingual-futures-for-uk-growth-and-connectivity/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.