NIHR INSIGHT SW Peninsula Research Masters studentships
Funded studentships for registered healthcare, social work and public health professionals
The University of Plymouth and the University of Exeter are delighted to offer places for the NIHR INSIGHT South West Peninsula research studentships for September 2026 entry.
Studentships will support fees and a stipend to study a research masters qualification via a full-time or part-time route, open to registered healthcare, social work and public health professionals.
Apply now for the final few places on the NIHR INSIGHT South West Peninsula Cohort Three programme, commencing study in September 2026. We are particularly encouraging applications from pharmacists, radiographers, and those working in community and primary care settings for this round.
Who can apply
This is an inclusive opportunity for early career professionals that have recently completed their professional registration. To be eligible to apply, you’ll need to be:
- an undergraduate student, postgraduate student, or early career professional
- working towards or have recently completed your professional registration with one of the approved regulatory bodies (not including doctors and dentists).
Financial offering
Successful applicants will have full course fees covered plus a tax-free studentship stipend of £20,780 (full time) or £10,390 (part time, per year for two years) for living expenses. This is not taxable, and as such is broadly aligned to a National Health Service band 5 starting salary. Those opting for full-time study and residing alone or with other students may also be able to claim a Council Tax exemption during the period of study.
In addition to this, personal access costs can be claimed.
Persons who are contracted into employment and do not wish to make changes to this may delegate their stipend to the employer to ensure backfill of their role is available to ringfence study time. A delegated stipend is available to all applicants but must be agreed with their employer.
International students must opt for the condition of ‘delegated stipend’, to remain compliant with the UKVI reporting standards of their visa sponsorship.
Overview
The studentships will develop skills in:
- A range of research methods including study design, statistics and qualitative analysis
- Literature review and critical appraisal to develop research inquiry and get the research question right
- Research project management and governance
- Research ethics and applying for ethical approval
- The dissemination of research findings and writing for publication
- Patient and public involvement and engagement in research
- Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion within research
- The importance and benefits of industry collaborations
Studentship study will engage research practice experience through activities such as:
- Practical modules that enable learners to take part in research in their area of interest
- Involvement in existing research studies, while being supported under the supervision and mentorship of an experienced researcher
- Experience working alongside clinical trial investigators, engaging in recruitment, informed consent, data collection and entry, etc.
- Developing and undertaking an independent research project under supervision from an experienced researcher
- In addition, students will be able to access relevant optional modules to develop their multi- and inter-disciplinary training.
The recipients of studentships will be considered NIHR Academy Members.
Places on the following programmes will be available annually for three years between 2024 and 2026 and will be competitively allocated. Applications from under-represented people and professions are encouraged and 10% of studentships are protected to help support under-represented people and professions, based on the contextualising information applicants share.
Please review the programmes below and contact the programme lead if you need further information on the individual Masters programmes at either University.
Available Research Masters Studentships
MClinRes Clinical Research (University of Plymouth)
Choose either face-to-face learning or a hybridised learning experience with distance learning options. Full and part time routes available.
Initially developed with NIHR funding and local stakeholder engagement in 2015, this programme supports interns and pre-doctoral learners from a wide range of health, social care and healthcare science professional backgrounds. It offers five taught modules plus a module incorporating a substantial individual project. Each module comprises supported independent study with online support embedded between two scheduled learning blocks, each between two and three days in length to work around the needs of health and social care practitioners in employment. While feedback has determined that some modules work better with in-person delivery methods (namely applied qualitative and applied quantitative methods), all modules have the option to study online asynchronously to remain both inclusive to those preferring this option and reflexive as a means of contingency in response to unanticipated barriers to synchronous delivery that learners can experience.
Optional modules draw from an extensive existing suite of advanced level training in research, education, practice and leadership domains. This programme is based at InterCity Place and Plymouth Science Park locations and is available as a 1-year full-time or 2-year part-time route.
MSc Leading Clinical Research Delivery (University of Exeter)
100% distance learning. Part time route only.
This is one of only three NIHR-Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) funded, fully online programmes, developed in line with the NIHRAoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework. It aims to support practising clinical professionals aspiring to work in the clinical research delivery workforce, by equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to contribute effectively to networked clinical research within everyday clinical settings. It also provides options to specialise, for example in research methodologies or leadership. This practical-based part-time course offers dedicated Research Practice Experience modules delivered fully online over 2 years. It utilises synchronous and facilitated learning alongside asynchronous learning activities that encourage peer and tutor interaction and independent study.
MSc Health Research Methods (University of Exeter)
A programme of learning that is hybridised with face to face and distance learning components. Full and part time routes available.
This programme, based at St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, has a robust track record of supporting internship and pre-doctoral learners from a wide range of professional backgrounds. It offers six taught modules plus a module incorporating a substantial individual project. Each module comprises supported independent study and two learning blocks, each between two and three days in length, to work around the needs of learners in employment. It adopts a carefully planned hybridised design of in-person and online deliveries and can be studied as a 1-year full-time or 2-year part-time route.
How to apply
Applications for September 2026 will be accepted in two rounds:
- Round 1: Opens 25 November 2025. Closes 31 January 2026.
- Round 2: Opens 14 April 2026. Closes 31 May 2026.
We aim to notify all applicants of the outcome within one month of each closing date.
If successful in being offered an NIHR INSIGHT South West Peninsula Studentship award, you will be required to share your contact details with the NIHR and create (or share an existing) ORCID ID, add the award to a publicly visible part of this ORCID ID, and update this regularly for a minimum period of five years.
Doctors and dentists are not eligible to apply to this programme but have opportunities with the NIHR programme for integratedClinical Academic Training and NIHRINSPIRE scheme.
International applicants are only eligible if they already hold employer sponsorship and have employer consent to be released to study on a part-time basis within their existing role.
