The successful candidate will be expected to begin the studentship on 1 October 2025, over a four-year period for full-time students, or over an eight-year period for part-time students, and will be required to spend time at both Tate and the Courtauld, gaining access to resources and services across the two institutions. They will also be part of a wider cohort of CDP funded students across the United Kingdom. The studentship is open to both home and international applicants.
The deadline for applications is 6 April 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an in-person interview on 24th April 2025. Please read the application pack for further details.
Project summary
The history of the East India Company lies at the heart of more expansive stories about Britain and its place in the contemporary world: the history of imperialism, globalisation, liberal reform, and the making of the modern state. Yet, in many of these stories, the actual lives and experiences of individuals – both Indian and British – appear only faintly. This project will use the extraordinary array of portraits produced in connection with the East India Company between 1757 and 1857 – including those within Tate’s collection – to uncover new narratives about a wide array of individuals involved in, or impacted by, British imperialism in South Asia. In doing so, the project will recover the lives of forgotten and often deliberately marginalised people, attempting to reconstruct their personal beliefs, experiences, and aspirations. Making a portrait typically involved a personal encounter – one that frequently collided the power differentials of Indian and Briton, colonised and coloniser. This project will consequently use portraits as evidence of such engagements: as an imperial archive that offers vivid insights into the everyday experience of empire, as well as individual moments of control and resistance. In doing this, it will re-examine the role and position of portraiture within British art histories, engaging with its global and imperial contexts.
The project will be jointly supervised by Tom Young, the Courtauld, and Alice Insley, Tate.
Research with Tate
This research studentship is one allocated to Tate by the AHRC. The successful student will be expected to spend time carrying out research and gaining relevant experience within Tate. You will join our community of doctoral researchers, benefitting from access to Tate’s collection, resources and events. You will be embedded within Tate Britain’s curatorial department and will develop an advanced understanding of working with historic British art and within a national museum. The studentship will provide an opportunity to contribute to the interpretation and display of the permanent collection, as well as participating in the development of future exhibitions and displays.
You will also be expected to engage in a minimum of 3-6 months professional development throughout the studentship period (such as a work placement or other development opportunity), allowing you to nurture your career, gain transferable skills and expand practical knowledge alongside your studies. Throughout the PhD, you will also have the opportunity to engage in networking and events with Tate and the wider network of museums, galleries, and heritage organisations affiliated with the AHRC CDP scheme as part of the CDP Cohort Development programme.
Funding information
The award pays tuition fees up to the value of the full-time home fee. Students with an ‘overseas’ fee status are welcome to apply and the Courtauld has agreed to waive the difference between home and international tuition fees. The student will be required to reside in the UK until completion of the PhD.
The award pays an annual stipend for all students, both home and international students. This stipend is tax free, and is the equivalent of an annual salary, enabling the student to pay living costs. The UKRI Minimum Doctoral Stipend for 2025/2026 is £20,780 plus London Weighting of £2000/year. There is also a CDP maintenance payment of £600 per year.
Eligibility and How to Apply
To apply for this studentship, you should review the application pack for further information.
- We want to encourage the widest range of potential students to study for a CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from people of Global Majority backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area.
- International students are eligible to receive the full award for maintenance as are home students. The Courtauld has agreed to waive the difference between what the AHRC provides to the university for tuition and the charge made by the university for tuition fees for international students.
- Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant Masters-level qualification in a relevant subject like Art History or History, or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting such as a museum or art gallery. Those with a Masters awarded in the UK will normally have received at least 65% overall, with at least 70% in the dissertation or thesis.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in the cultural sector and potential and enthusiasm for developing skills more widely in related areas.
- This studentship is open to both Home and International applicants. To be classed as a Home student, candidates 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
- Download the full guidance (PDF)
- NB: All applicants must meet UKRI terms and conditions for funding