YCEDE Advocacy Scheme

The YCEDE Advocacy Scheme is a brand new programme that puts you in touch with an academic or PhD application specialist to help:
• Increase your confidence in approaching supervisors
• Improve your knowledge of the PhD application process
• Create a unique and relevant research proposal (if required)
• Make a high quality application for a PhD
Professional woman lecturer gesturing to text

How it works

  • Available to Black, Asian and minority ethnic, UK domiciled individuals considering studying a PhD
  • Apply to take part here
  • If selected, you are matched with an academic from one of the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, York, Bradford or Sheffield Hallam from a subject area relevant to your interest
  • You are introduced to your advocate via email by a member of the YCEDE team
  • You arrange a call to meet, discuss your areas of interest and ask questions.
  • Have an initial 2-3 conversations with your advocate (more if both parties agree the need to continue)
  • Feedback to us on the experience

*For information on what ethnicities are considered minoritized please visit: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c21051/a/ethnic

Our Advocates

See links to our Advocate profile pages below

  • Academics at research-intensive universities
  • Passionate about research
  • Experience of supervising postgraduate students
  • Committed to improving diversity of PGR study in Higher Education

Why take part?

  • Feel confident about applying for a PhD
  • Get a better understanding of the admissions process
  • Learn to avoid common pitfalls
  • Find out about working in a research environment

Read about Adam and Uzunma's experience on the Advocacy Scheme and how it helped them secure a PhD place.

Apply Now

Click here to complete the online application form.
Apply now
What happens next?

Once your application has been assessed and you meet the criteria for selection, you will be matched with an academic from your preferred subject area when they become available.


If no academic is available immediately, we will stay in touch to keep you informed of availability.


For more information, contact George Gisborne, PGR Diversity Officer at the University of Leeds on g.gisborne@leeds.ac.uk

Meet some of our Advocates

Featured image for “Karisha George”

Karisha George

Associate Lecturer - Department of Psychology, University of York
Karisha Kimone George began her tertiary education in Trinidad and Tobago completing her undergraduate in Psychology and Sociology at the…
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Thomas Murray

Postgraduate Recruitment Manager, Student Recruitment Team, Marketing, Recruitment, Admissions and Outreach Team, University of York
Tom has a decade of experience of working in a variety of roles at institutions of Higher Education in France,…
Featured image for “Jill Dickinson”

Jill Dickinson

Associate Professor within the School of Law at the University of Leeds, and Senior Fellow of Advance HE.
Hi Everyone, I’m Jill Dickinson, and I’m an Associate Professor within the School of Law at the University of Leeds,…
Featured image for “Eric Hewitt”

Eric Hewitt

Associate Professor in the School of Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Leeds
Dr Eric Hewitt is an Associate Professor in the School of Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Leeds. His…
Featured image for “Maria Hussain”

Maria Hussain

Lecturer in Business Management at Leeds University Business School, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Certified Business and Management Educator
Maria Hussain is a Lecturer in Business Management at Leeds University Business School, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education…