Bloomberg Philanthropies is offering 2026 PhD Studentships in Cities available for a number of programmes across the Departments of Government, Geography, Management and Sociology. Students from all nationalities are warmly encouraged to apply for the Bloomberg Philanthropies PhD Studentship in Cities. The programme is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive research environment that reflects the global nature of urban challenges. While there is a cap on the number of studentships awarded per country to ensure balanced representation, candidates from across the globe are welcome to bring unique regional perspectives to their research. In addition, co-supervision by faculty affiliated with LSE Cities is not only available but strongly encouraged. This interdisciplinary collaboration enriches the research experience by offering access to leading urban scholars, networks, and resources. The Bloomberg Philanthropies PhD Studentship will be encouraging a collaborative approach involving city governments as co-hosting institutions. Research students will generate original and significant research in the field of city government innovation, urban governance and leadership, including exploratory and open research on the critical uncertainties challenging urban governance over the next decade. Research will be highly contemporary, informed by concerns of the twenty-first century European city and focussing on essential future agendas for European cities. Bloomberg Philanthropies PhD Studentships in Cities provide fees, a stipend and additional support to engage with city administrations and academic urban governance networks. Eligibility Bloomberg Philanthropies PhD Studentships will be available for the following programmes: Department of Government MRes/PhD Political Science – LSE (with a focus on urban governance) Department of Geography and the Environment MPhil/PhD Human Geography and Urban Studies – LSE MPhil/PhD Regional and Urban Planning Studies – LSE Department of Management MPhil/PhD in Management – Information Systems and Innovation – LSE (with a focus on urban management) Department of Sociology MPhil/PhD Sociology – LSE (with a focus on cities) Students of all nationalities are eligible for funding, although there is a cap on the number of studentships that can be awarded to students from one country. Studentship amount Bloomberg Philanthropies PhD Studentships will cover full fees and an annual stipend of at least £22,780 (which is the 2025/26 amount). There will be additional funding available to support related activities. How to apply Candidates must make two separate applications to be considered:  Apply for your chosen research programme via the LSE application portal, accessible via the programme links above. Apply for the Studentship opportunity via this application link. At a Glance: Bloomberg Philanthropies PhD Studentship in Cities Host Institution: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Funding Body: Bloomberg Philanthropies Start Date: Autumn 2026 Application Deadline: Varies by programme – refer to your chosen department’s “Fees and Funding” section Eligibility: Open to applicants of all nationalities (limited number per country) Eligible Programmes Department of Government: MRes/PhD Political Science (Urban Governance focus) Department of Geography and Environment: MPhil/PhD Human Geography and Urban Studies MPhil/PhD Regional and Urban Planning Studies Department of Management: MPhil/PhD in Management – Information Systems and Innovation (Urban focus) Department of Sociology: MPhil/PhD in Sociology (Urban studies focus) What the Studentship Offers Full coverage of tuition fees Annual stipend of at least £22,780 (as of 2025/26) Additional funding to support: Collaboration with city governments Fieldwork, travel, and conferences Engagement with academic and practitioner networks Research Focus Areas Urban governance and innovation Leadership in city government Critical uncertainties shaping cities over the next decade Future agendas for European cities Both applications must be submitted before the funding deadline of your chosen programme, as listed in the relevant link (refer to the programme’s ‘Fees and Funding’ subsection). We strongly encourage you to submit as early as possible.  Please direct queries to Keenan Collett, Student and Professional Development Manager – K.Collett1@lse.ac.uk For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the awarding organization. For any inquiries, please contact hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.