Education: The Welsh-medium Education Workforce of the Future: exploring the perceptions of Welsh-speaking students and graduates of education as a career (RS918)

Funding Providers: Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and Swansea University's Postgraduate Research Office through its central equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) funding.

Subject Areas: Education

Project Start Dates: October 2026 **Please see the note below regarding potential later start dates

Supervisors: Professor Andrew James Davies

Aligned Programme of Study: PhD in Education

Mode of Study: Full-time / Part-time

Project Description

*The research must be completed and the thesis submitted through the medium of Welsh only.*

The purpose of this research is to explore the perceptions of Welsh-speaking students and recent graduates towards teaching as a career. The recruitment and retention of teachers is an international policy challenge, and one that also affects Wales, particularly in the Welsh-medium education sector. This sector faces particularly intensive recruitment challenges, such as a small number of applications for Welsh-medium secondary teaching jobs, a lack of increase in the number of students studying Welsh-medium Initial Teacher Education courses, a shortage of Welsh-medium teachers in STEM fields, and possible competition for Welsh-speaking graduates from other employment sectors. This research will address the current dearth of evidence that exists about the perceptions of young Welsh-speaking people towards teaching as a profession, giving voice to their views and perspectives. The results of this research will inform and influence efforts to promote and market Welsh-medium education as a career destination.

PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level and a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’. Alternatively, applicants with a UK first class honours degree (or non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) not holding a master’s degree, will be considered on an individual basis.

English Language
IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here.

Note for international and European applicants: details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.

This scholarship is funded jointly by Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and Swansea University's Postgraduate Research Office through its central equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) funding for three years and commences in September 2026.

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £20,780 for 2025/26).

Additional research expenses of up to £500 per year will also be available.

*Please note that the ability to speak and write in Welsh is essential. *

To apply, please complete the entire application form

In order to be considered for this scholarship award the following steps are also required.

1) In section ‘Programme Related Information’ please input the relevant RS Code for the scholarship award i.e. RS918

2) In section ‘Research’ you will see ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’* (Mandatory)

i. In ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’ please input both:

• the RS Code, RS918 and
• the scholarship title.

ii. Please leave Proposed Supervisor field blank

iii. Please leave Research Project (if applicable) blank

iv. In ‘Do you have a proposal to upload?*’(Mandatory) Please select Yes

v. Then upload copy of advert (you can save the advert by clicking print, and then print to pdf)

3) In section ‘Funding information’ please choose the option ‘Scholarship Funding’ only. Please ensure no other options are selected.

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

If you’ve previously applied for this programme, the system will display an “Application Submitted” warning and block a new submission. In this case:

1. Apply for the same course with the next available start date (e.g., select January if October is unavailable).
2. Email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with your student number and the relevant scholarship RS code, requesting the start date be amended to match the advert.
3. Admissions staff will then update your application accordingly.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

NOTE: Applicants for PhD/EngD/ProfD/EdD - to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University you are required to complete an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form in addition to your programme application form.  

Please note that completion of the EDI Monitoring Form is mandatory; your application may not progress if this information is not submitted.

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):

• CV
• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
• A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.
• One reference (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable).
• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
• Confirmation of EDI form submission

Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact Professor Andrew Davies; Andrew.J.Davies@Swansea.ac.uk

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.

** In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the discretion of the University and/or the relevant funding body, a deferral of offer may be granted to the next available enrolment period. Such deferral will typically not exceed a duration of three calendar months from the originally stipulated commencement date. Please note that only one deferral may be considered, and any such deferral is not guaranteed.