PGR Recruiter Support

Diverse supervisory teams

Collaborate with industry partners

• Offer short industry internships as part of the studentship.
• Highlight real-world applications and transferable skills in project descriptions.

Use inclusive language in the project description

Language matters. Avoid jargon or phrasing that may discourage underrepresented applicants.  Ensure the material is formatted in an accessible way (see advice from the British Dylexia Association).

Tip: Run your advert through an Inclusive Language Checker before publishing:

• Gender Decoder (Free) – Detect subtle gender bias.
• Paid tools: Textio, Jasper, CopyAI, Grammarly Business – Advanced bias and tone analysis.

State Eligibility

“We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive research environment.”

To attract a more diverse pool of applicants, go beyond traditional platforms and adopt inclusive communication strategies:

Advertise Beyond FindAPhD

Post opportunities on specialist diversity networks (e.g., STEM-focused groups, Women in Engineering forums, BAME academic networks).   Share adverts through professional associations and community organisations that support underrepresented groups.

Target Ethnically Diverse Universities

Build relationships with universities that have high proportions of students from minoritised backgrounds.   Offer information sessions and campus visits to raise awareness of funded PhD opportunities.

Create Accessible Resources

Develop fact sheets explaining: How to apply for a PhD / Funding options and eligibility.  Run short webinars and open discussion groups to answer questions and demystify the process.

Use Social Media

Use Tik Tok, Instagram and LinkedIn to share:  Why doing a PhD is a great career move (e.g., skills, impact, career pathways) and share success stories from diverse researchers.  Include visuals and short videos to make content engaging.

Inclusive Messaging

As with the project outline, ensure adverts include clear eligibility statements encouraging applications from underrepresented groups Inclusive language (check using tools like Gender Decoder or paid services such as Textio, Jasper, CopyAI, Grammarly Business).

EDI statements – example 2026 projects | Aerosol Science CDT Advertise widely

What competencies do you want to assess

Identify the core competencies required for the role or programme.

Decide how each competency will be assessed—through application materials, interviews, or tasks.

Application Stage

Provide clear guidance to applicants on what to include.

Use anonymous shortlisting to reduce bias—remove names, gender, and other identifiers from application documents.

Encourage gender-neutral references from academic referees.

Apply quantitative scoring using pre-defined criteria to ensure consistency.

Interview Stage

Consider providing interview questions in advance to reduce anxiety and level the playing field.

Ensure interview panels are trained in unconscious bias awareness and are diverse.

Where possible, guarantee interviews for appointable applicants from underrepresented groups.  If ring-fencing interviews doesn’t improve diversity, consider ring-fencing studentships directly.

See the Postgraduate Researcher Competency-Based Admissions Framework with example interview questions which has been developed as part of the Equity in Doctoral Education through Partnership and Innovation (EDEPI) project: Postgraduate-Researcher-Competency-Based-Admissions-Framework-and-Guidance.pdf

Our Case Studies (EDEPI) | Nottingham Trent University

Define goals

To monitor diversity in PGR applications effectively, institutions can set goals to increase representation from underrepresented groups, track conversion rates from application to enrolment, and ensure equitable access to information and support. These goals help identify gaps, guide inclusive outreach, and improve fairness in recruitment processes.

Collect data thoughtfully

Encourage voluntary reporting on characteristics like ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic background to ensure respectful and meaningful analysis.  Follow GDPR and Equality Act 2010; minimize data collection to essential info.      

Explain why collecting equality data matters, how confidentiality is managed, and how it supports inclusive policy and benchmarking.

See the following resources on the collection of diversity monitoring data:

Advance HE diversity monitoring guidance (updated April 2022, May 2025): Covers question design, protected characteristics, legal compliance, and inclusive frameworks 

UCL EDI monitoring data guidance [ucl.ac.uk]  (Feb 2024): Offers sample questions, GDPR best practices, and recommended demographic categories for students and staff
 

Monitor & analyse outcomes

Use data to inform change

Adjust selection criteria, reviewer training, outreach, and remove bias based on analytics

Widening Participation: Our Attempts to Enhance Diversity in PGR Recruitment at the University of Manchester, Faculty of Science & Engineering
Professor Scott Heath

Nottingham Researcher Academy: EDI In PGR Recruitment Guide
This guide highlights areas for consideration, shares best practice, and provides practical examples of how to build EDI into PGR recruitment processes.

UKRI: Widening participation in postgraduate research 
Overview of UKRI’s work and evidence base on improving access to postgraduate research for underrepresented groups.

Joint Research England and OfS blog post: Access and success for black, Asian and minority ethnicity groups in postgraduate research study
A joint commentary exploring barriers, data insights, and opportunities for improving participation and outcomes.

UKRI: Equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education research
UKRI’s central hub for EDI policy, data, frameworks, and sector guidance.

UKRI: Good practice principles in recruitment and training at a doctoral level
Guidance to support fair and inclusive doctoral recruitment and training processes across disciplines.

OfS: Student characteristics data
Interactive data and analysis on student characteristics across the higher education sector, including intersectional insights.

UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE): Thematic bibliography focusing on black, Asian and minority ethnic participation in postgraduate education
A curated bibliography of key research examining participation and progression for BAME students in postgraduate education.

Leading Routes: The Broken Pipeline: Barriers to Black PhD Students Accessing Research Council Funding
A seminal report detailing structural barriers, lived experiences, and funding inequities faced by Black prospective and current doctoral students.

UCL: Barriers to Doctoral Education: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Postgraduate Research Students at UCL
A research‑informed examination of obstacles to access, progression and wellbeing for PGR students at UCL, with wider sector relevance.