LEPH2026 funded places: Guidance for Applicants
The ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre (VPRC) is delighted to offer bursaries covering the cost of delegate fees and accommodation for up to 16 PhD students to attend the Postgraduate Day (5 September 2026) and LEPH2026 conference (6-9 September 2026) in Leeds, UK, in line with the guidance below.
Application process and timeline:
To apply for a funded place to attend LEPH2026 please complete and submit the application form by Monday 9 February 17:00 GMT. Please read the guidance below before submitting your application.
All applications will be reviewed by members of the LEPH2026 organising committee and at least one academic from the ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre.
The selection process will prioritise people with limited access to funds for whom attendance at LEPH2026 will provide maximum mutual benefit. We will ask for some brief details about you and your PhD, as well as your rationale for wanting to attend LEPH2026. We are looking to fund a diverse mix of PhD students and therefore award allocation will also take into account your PhD stage and your location.
We reserve the right to prioritise people who have not previously benefitted from VPRC funding.
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application via the email address provided in their application by the end of February 2026.
Application process and timeline:
- You must be currently enrolled on a PhD programme (you can be based anywhere in the world). Please note that we reserve the right to check your PhD enrolment status.
- Your PhD must be in a subject related to the LEPH2026 conference themes.
- You must have permission/support from your institution to attend LEPH2026 should your application be successful.
- It is expected that you will attend the LEPH2026 Postgraduate Day on 5 September and the full LEPH2026 conference 6 – 9 September.
Included in successful awards:
- Delegate fees to attend the full LEPH2026 conference 6-9 September including the welcome reception on the evening of Sunday 6 September.
- Attendance at the LEPH2026 Postgraduate Day: Researching Vulnerability in Law Enforcement & Public Health on Saturday 5 September.
- Pre-paid accommodation for up to 6 nights at Charles Morris Hall – Storm Jameson Court, single occupancy bed and breakfast room on campus at the University of Leeds from Friday 4 to Thursday 10 September.
Excluded from successful awards:
- All travel costs, visa fees and travel insurance.
- Any subsistence in addition to meals provided at the conference and accommodation.
Considerations:
Cancellation – successful applicants will be responsible for emailing the Centre Coordinator if you need to cancel your funded place. This allows us to offer the funding opportunity to someone else. We appreciate your cooperation if this situation arises.
Visas and right to enter the UK – you are responsible for ensuring that you have any necessary visas and permissions to enter the UK. The Centre can provide a letter confirming your funded delegate place at LEPH2026 and confirmation that we will be pre-paying your accommodation as listed in the ‘included in successful awards’ section above.
Travel insurance – It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel insurance in place to cover your trip.
Extending your stay before or after LEPH2026 – you are welcome to extend your stay in Leeds/the UK. You will be responsible for your visa, insurance, accommodation, and local travel requirements during any part of your stay not directly related to your attendance at LEPH2026.
LEPH2026 abstracts – please note that this bursary is independent of any abstract you may have submitted / want to submit to LEPH2ele026 and is not a guarantee that an abstract will be accepted. You do not need to submit an abstract to be eligible for this funding
In addition to the above guidance, please ensure that you comply with any travel guidance and risk assessment process that your home institution has in place.