• Applicants with a well-developed research idea.
• Applicants seeking flexibility to shape their own research programme.
• Applicants who have identified a specific mental or brain health challenge they wish to investigate.
• Applicants who are comfortable taking a leading role in developing a proposal and supervisory team prior to application.

Developing Your Project Proposal

Suitable projects will enable excellent challenge-led mental and brain health discovery research with a clear pathway to meaningful impact. Successful proposals will:

• Align with Wellcome’s definition of discovery research.
• Address important mental or brain health challenges across the lifespan.
• Demonstrate scientific excellence and innovation.
• Adopt approaches that recognise the complexity of mental and brain health experiences, conditions, interventions and outcomes.
• Include meaningful public involvement, engagement and co-production where appropriate.
• Demonstrate a clear pathway to impact beyond the PhD.

Project Assessment Criteria

Proposals will be assessed against:

• Alignment with the Wellcome discovery research remit.
• Align with one or more of the Midlands+ MHN PhD Programme research themes.
• Significance of the mental or brain health challenge being addressed, including consideration of PPI/E and EDI perspectives.
• Innovation, originality and scientific excellence.
• Strength of the supervisory team and cross-institutional collaboration.
• Feasibility and suitability for completion within the funded PhD period.
• Potential for impact and wider benefit.

Before You Apply

When developing your proposal, consider the following:

• Feasibility: Can the project realistically be completed within the funded doctoral timeframe?
• Research Questions: Are your primary and secondary research questions focused, coherent and answerable?
• Methodology: Have you clearly described and justified your proposed methods, data sources and analytical approach?
• Impact: How could the findings contribute to improvements in mental or brain health research, policy, practice or understanding?
• Public Involvement: How have lived experience perspectives informed the project, or how will they be incorporated throughout the research?

Building Your Supervisory Team

All Route 2 applicants must identify and secure an eligible supervisory team before submitting a full application.

Supervisory Team Requirements

• Supervisory teams must include at least two supervisors from different Midlands+ consortium institutions (for example, one supervisor from Warwick and one from Oxford).
• Additional supervisors may be included from within or outside the consortium where appropriate.
• The lead supervisor must meet both institutional and Midlands+ MHN PhD Programme supervisory eligibility requirements.

If there is any uncertainty regarding supervisor eligibility, prospective supervisors should contact midlandsmhndtp@nottingham.ac.uk for advice.

Finding Potential Supervisors

You may find suitable supervisors by:

• Reviewing recent literature related to your proposed area of research and identifying leading researchers.
• Exploring consortium institution websites, departmental pages and staff profiles.
• Seeking recommendations from Midlands+ theme leads, current mentors, academic contacts or professional networks.

Contacting Potential Supervisors

When approaching potential supervisors:

• Clearly explain your proposed research idea and why it aligns with their expertise.
• Demonstrate familiarity with their work and explain why you would like them to join your supervisory team.
• Keep communications concise and professional.
• Include the Initial Contact Form to provide key information and help facilitate an informed discussion.

PhD Registration and Host Institution

Applicants developing a self-proposed project should consider their choice of lead supervisor carefully, as successful candidates will normally be registered for their PhD at the institution of their lead supervisor. Although supervisory teams must include supervisors from at least two Midlands+ consortium institutions, your lead supervisor’s university will typically act as the host institution and be responsible for your registration, enrolment and degree award if you are offered a place on the 2027 cohort.

Route 2 Eligibility Review and Project Outline Submission

Before submitting a full Stage Two application, prospective Route 2 applicants must seek an initial eligibility and remit-fit review from the Midlands+ MHN DTP. Applicants are required to submit:

A project outline of up to 200 words summarising the proposed research, including the mental or brain health challenge being addressed, the proposed approach, and anticipated impact.
The name, institution, and contact details of the proposed lead supervisor.

Submissions should be sent to midlandsmhndtp@nottingham.ac.uk no later than Friday 11th December 2026.

The Midlands+ MHN DTP will review submissions to assess alignment with the programme’s remit, including fit with Wellcome’s definition of discovery research and the Midlands+ Mental Health and Neuroscience research themes. Applicants will be advised whether their proposed project is suitable to progress to a full Route 2 application.

Please note that a positive remit-fit review does not guarantee shortlisting or funding, but applicants must complete this step before submitting a full application.

Next Steps

1. Develop an initial project concept that aligns with the programme remit.
2. Identify and contact potential supervisors.
3. Submit your 200 word project outline and lead supervisor details by Friday 11th December.
4. Refine your project through discussions with prospective supervisors and collaborators.
5. Secure an eligible supervisory team and lead supervisor support.
6. Prepare your full application and project proposal for submission during Stage Two.