UCD Ad Astra Doctoral Scholarships 2026 fully funded PhD in digital education and wellbeing

The UCD Ad Astra Doctoral Scholarships 2026 are now open at the University College Dublin (UCD) School of Education. Two fully funded four-year PhD scholarships are available for outstanding candidates interested in researching the impact of digital technologies on education and children’s lives.

With a generous stipend, full fee waiver, and research funding, the UCD Ad Astra Doctoral Scholarships offer an exceptional opportunity for doctoral researchers to develop innovative projects in critical edtech studies or digital wellbeing in childhood and adolescence.

📅 Application Deadline: 31 March 2026

📍 Start Date: September 2026

🎤 Interviews: Second half of April 2026

Scholarship Overview

The two scholarships are hosted within the UCD School of Education and linked to leading research centres:

• UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education
• UCD Centre for the Advancement of Wellbeing in Education

Each scholarship provides:

• €25,000 annual tax-free stipend
• Full PhD tuition fee waiver (EU and non-EU students eligible)
• €4,000 annual research budget (conference travel, training, data collection, equipment, etc.)
• Four years of funding (subject to satisfactory progression)

Successful candidates must enrol full-time in either:

• Education and Lifelong Learning PhD
• Children and Youth Studies PhD

1️⃣ Ad Astra PhD: Critical Edtech Studies

This scholarship focuses on the pedagogical, ethical, and experiential dimensions of digital technologies in education.

Supervision: Dr Michał Wieczorek

Centre: UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education

Applicants are encouraged to design their own research projects aligned with critical educational technology studies. Both philosophical and qualitative approaches are welcome, especially projects combining theoretical and empirical work.

Possible Research Themes

• Ethical issues in edtech (ethics of care, feminist, non-Western frameworks)
• Pedagogical theories embedded in educational platforms
• Edtech’s impact on teachers’ labour and classroom practice
• Political economy of big tech in education
• Commercial vs. public actors in educational technology
• Historical analysis of technology adoption in schools
• Children’s experiences of platforms such as Minecraft, Roblox, or Lego
• Affective dimensions of generative AI use in education

Candidates with backgrounds in philosophy, sociology, education studies, science and technology studies, or communication studies are especially encouraged to apply.

2️⃣ Ad Astra PhD: Digital Wellbeing in Childhood & Adolescence

This scholarship supports original quantitative or mixed-methods research examining the relationship between digital technology use and child and adolescent wellbeing.

Supervision: Dr Melissa Bohnert

Centre: UCD Centre for the Advancement of Wellbeing in Education

Projects should explore associations between digital engagement and wellbeing outcomes, with attention to social relationships and structural inequalities.

Preferred Approaches

• Longitudinal data analysis
• Advanced statistical modelling
• Mixed-methods integration
• Causal inference
• Mediation and moderation models
• Social network analysis

Example Research Topics

• Digital media use and youth mental health outcomes
• Developmental trajectories of digital engagement
• Socioeconomic inequalities and digital wellbeing
• Peer, family, and school support systems
• Digital parenting styles
• Comparative and cross-cohort analyses
• Measuring digital behaviour and wellbeing innovation

Applicants with backgrounds in sociology, psychology, demography, education studies, or related disciplines — and strong quantitative skills — are strongly encouraged to apply.

Eligibility & Expectations

Successful candidates must:

• Enrol full-time in September 2026
• Apply to only one of the two scholarships
• Demonstrate methodological alignment with the selected track
• Meet English language requirements (unless exempt)

Experience working with children or teaching is considered an advantage for both tracks.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit:

• One-page cover letter
• Two-page research proposal pitch (excluding bibliography)
• CV (including contact details for two referees)
• Writing sample
• Academic transcripts
• Evidence of English proficiency (if required)

📅 Deadline: 31 March 2026

APPLY HERE

Why Apply for the UCD Ad Astra Doctoral Scholarships?

These prestigious scholarships offer:

✔ Generous tax-free stipend

✔ Full tuition coverage

✔ Annual research funding

✔ Strong interdisciplinary supervision

✔ Access to international research networks

✔ Opportunity to shape debates on digital education and youth wellbeing

The UCD Ad Astra Doctoral Scholarships 2026 are ideal for ambitious researchers seeking to contribute meaningfully to global conversations on digital transformation, education policy, and child wellbeing.

For more fully funded PhD opportunities and scholarships worldwide, visit Here