The Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA), housed within the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS University of London, proudly announces the second and final year of its prestigious Doctoral Scholarship Programme. This initiative represents a cornerstone of SOAS’s continuing commitment to promoting innovative, interdisciplinary, and socially engaged research at the intersection of anthropology and mental health.

Designed to nurture the next generation of researchers and practitioners, the CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarships provide a fully funded opportunity for outstanding candidates to pursue a three-year PhD under the guidance of globally recognized experts. Intending to generate transformative insights into mental health and well-being across diverse cultural contexts, CAMHRA offers an unparalleled academic environment combining rigorous scholarship, methodological innovation, and meaningful engagement with communities and institutions worldwide.

About CAMHRA

The Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA) is a globally oriented yet locally grounded research hub that stands at the forefront of anthropological inquiry into mental health. It is dedicated to exploring the ways societies understand, experience, and respond to mental distress, as well as how care systems evolve in response to cultural, social, and environmental challenges.

As part of SOAS’s mission to promote social justice and cross-cultural understanding, CAMHRA fosters collaborative research that bridges academic disciplines, policy environments, and clinical practice. The Centre works closely with partners across universities, healthcare institutions, NGOs, and community organizations to address pressing questions about wellbeing, healing, and care.

CAMHRA’s partnership with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust provides access to rich opportunities for collaboration, particularly in the domains of mental health service delivery, organizational culture, and practitioner development. Together, these partnerships ensure that CAMHRA scholars are deeply connected to real-world practice and policy innovation.

The Scholarship Programme

The CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarships provide five fully funded positions for PhD candidates beginning their studies in September 2026. Each successful applicant will receive:

• Full tuition fee coverage at either Home or Overseas rate
• Annual maintenance stipend of £22,780 (aligned with UK Research and Innovation [UKRI] standards and inclusive of London weighting)
• Three years of full-time PhD funding with specialist research training and mentorship

These awards are designed to support scholars who seek to use anthropological theory and ethnographic research to examine mental health in ways that are culturally grounded, ethically reflective, and globally relevant. Successful applicants will become integral members of SOAS’s vibrant intellectual community, contributing to a broader academic dialogue that reshapes how societies engage with mental health challenges.

Research Focus and Themes

CAMHRA encourages research that explores mental health through a holistic, relational, and critical lens. Applicants are invited to develop proposals that align with the Centre’s existing areas of interest or that expand its intellectual and methodological horizons.

Current areas of research within CAMHRA include:

1. Relational approaches to healing and wellbeing
   Exploring how interpersonal relationships, social structures, and cultural values influence recovery, care, and emotional resilience.
2. Environmental and ecological distress
   Examining the psychological and communal impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and displacement.
3. Care work and carers
   Investigating the social, emotional, and economic dimensions of caregiving, including unpaid and professional care labor.
4. Lived experience research practices
   Centering the voices and perspectives of those with direct experience of mental distress and recovery, and challenging traditional hierarchies of expertise.
5. Race and inequality
   Unpacking how structural racism, colonial histories, and social injustice shape mental health outcomes and access to care.
6. Social isolation, loneliness, and intentional community
   Studying how people respond to modern challenges of disconnection by forming alternative communities and networks of belonging.
7. Religion and spirituality
   Investigating how faith, ritual, and spiritual practices provide frameworks for understanding and addressing mental suffering.
8. Institutions, organizational culture, and mental healthcare
   Analyzing the dynamics of power, ethics, and bureaucracy within healthcare organizations and mental health systems.
9. Models and metrics of distress and healing
   Critically evaluating how mental health and well-being are measured, categorized, and institutionalized across different contexts.

While these areas reflect CAMHRA’s core strengths, the Centre equally welcomes proposals that introduce new theoretical, methodological, or thematic directions. Candidates are encouraged to design projects that enhance CAMHRA’s global network and foster innovative cross-disciplinary connections.

Apply Here!

Why Choose SOAS and CAMHRA

Studying at SOAS offers students access to one of the world’s leading centers for the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, with an unparalleled reputation for anthropological research grounded in global engagement and social impact. The Department of Anthropology and Sociology has a long-standing tradition of pioneering ethnographic research that challenges Eurocentric paradigms and promotes intellectual diversity.

As part of this dynamic environment, CAMHRA scholars benefit from:

• Expert supervision from renowned anthropologists and mental health researchers
• Integration within a vibrant PhD community of over 80 doctoral students
• Specialized training workshops focused on fieldwork methods, self-care in ethnographic research, and ethical engagement
• Regular seminars and public events featuring international speakers and practitioners
• Collaborative opportunities with NHS professionals, policymakers, and advocacy groups

In addition to academic enrichment, CAMHRA emphasizes researcher wellbeing, offering training on self-care for fieldwork and reflective practices designed to sustain scholars engaged in emotionally demanding research contexts.

Candidate Criteria

The CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarship Programme seeks candidates with a strong academic foundation in anthropology and a deep commitment to exploring mental health from a cross-cultural and ethnographic perspective.

Essential Criteria

• A bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in anthropology
• A minimum merit or equivalent grade at the master’s level
• A master’s dissertation grade of 65% (UK) or higher
• A research proposal clearly situated within anthropological approaches to mental health

Desirable Criteria

• Relevant professional or research experience in mental health, social care, or related fields
• Evidence of academic publication, conference presentations, or research collaboration
• Experience conducting qualitative or ethnographic fieldwork
• Demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary collaboration

Eligibility

• Open to UK and international applicants
• Applicants must meet SOAS English language proficiency requirements if applicable
• Applications from individuals with lived experience of mental health service use and from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged

In exceptional cases, applicants who do not meet the grade requirements may still be considered if they demonstrate outstanding research potential and relevant professional experience.

Application Process

The selection process for the CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarships follows two main stages.

Stage 1: PhD Application (Deadline: 5 January 2026, 12:00 PM UK Time)

Applicants must first apply to the MPhil/PhD programme in Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS through the university’s online portal, which opens in early November 2025. The application should include the following materials:

1. Completed PhD application form
2. A personal statement that explicitly mentions the candidate’s wish to be considered for the CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarship
3. An up-to-date academic CV detailing academic background, research experience, and achievements
4. A 2,000-word research proposal focusing on an anthropological approach to mental health
5. Official academic transcripts from all previous higher education institutions
6. Degree certificates (where applicable)
7. English language proficiency evidence (for international applicants)
8. One academic reference from a referee familiar with the applicant’s academic and research abilities

Applicants will be notified by mid-February 2026 regarding the outcome of their PhD programme application.

Apply Here!

Stage 2: Internal Shortlisting and Interview

Once the PhD admission process is complete, all candidates accepted into the MPhil/PhD programme will automatically be considered for the CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarships. An internal committee will review eligible applications and shortlist candidates based on academic excellence, research quality, and thematic fit with CAMHRA’s mission.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview by early March 2026. The interview offers applicants the opportunity to discuss their proposed research, methodological approach, and motivation for joining CAMHRA. Final scholarship decisions will be made shortly thereafter.

Key Dates

Applicant Support and Guidance

To help prospective applicants prepare strong proposals, CAMHRA will host a Doctoral Scholarship Webinar titled “How to Develop a Strong Application” on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, at 2:00 PM GMT. The session will feature members of the CAMHRA leadership team and a current SOAS PhD student, offering insights into the application process, proposal writing, and interview preparation.

Applicants are also encouraged to explore the Department of Anthropology and Sociology’s webpage for information on current research clusters, faculty interests, and potential supervisors. While reaching out to prospective supervisors is welcome, it is not mandatory and will not affect application outcomes.

Contact Information

For further inquiries, applicants are encouraged to reach out to the following contacts:

• PhD Programme Admissions:
  Email: dsadmissions@soas.ac.uk
• Scholarship Application Queries:
  Email: scholarships@soas.ac.uk
• Centre Information and Expression of Interest:
  Email: camhra@soas.ac.uk
• General Doctoral Studies Enquiries:
  Email: doctoralschool@soas.ac.uk
• Departmental Contact:
  Dr. Naomi Leite
  Director of Doctoral Studies, Department of Anthropology and Sociology
  Email: nl15@soas.ac.uk

About the Department of Anthropology and Sociology

The Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS University of London is internationally renowned for its critical, global approach to the study of social and cultural life. Its research and teaching focus on understanding how people across the world create meaning, organize relationships, and engage with systems of power, inequality, and care.

Through programs such as the MA Medical Anthropology and Mental Health and MA Anthropology of Global Futures and Sustainability, the department continues to expand its engagement with contemporary challenges—ranging from environmental crises and global health to technological transformation and urban change. The CAMHRA initiative further strengthens SOAS’s leadership in medical anthropology and applied mental health research.

Apply Here!

Conclusion

The CAMHRA Doctoral Scholarships represent a unique opportunity for aspiring scholars to join a cutting-edge research environment that bridges theory and practice, scholarship and service. By supporting research that illuminates the complex cultural and social dimensions of mental health, CAMHRA and SOAS affirm their shared mission: to foster understanding, compassion, and systemic transformation in how societies respond to mental distress.

Applications are now being invited from candidates worldwide who are ready to contribute to this vital and evolving field of study. Through intellectual rigor, cross-cultural engagement, and commitment to social impact, the next generation of CAMHRA scholars will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of mental health research worldwide.

For more opportunities, visit: opportunitiesforwomen.org/