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Postgraduate Study

Apply using the Applicant Portal

The Apply Now button on the right will take you to the Applicant Portal. There, you can create and submit your application and supporting documents, and you can also request your references.

An application is only complete when:

  1. you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
  2. you have paid the application fee if applicable. For further information on application fees, and which courses require an application fee, see here.
  3. your referees have provided their references.

If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.

This course is part of a scheme within the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences which enables three applications to be made with payment of a single application fee. A list of other eligible courses and further information can be found here.

Selection Process

Applications are considered in gathered fields which roughly correspond to the University’s central funding competitions and the course's final application deadline. 

Interviews will last approximately 20-30 minutes and may be conducted in person, or by video conference.  Applicants are interviewed by at least two academic members of the pathway, including a member of the course management committee. 

Applicants who apply by the January funding competition deadline will be reviewed in January and can usually expect to receive a decision in February. We aim to have all decisions made by 1 June 2024. 

Further information on How To Apply


Things You'll Need

In order to apply for this course you'll need to think about getting a few things ready before you apply.

  • Two academic references  
  • Transcript  
  • CV/resume
  • Evidence of competence in English  
    If required - you can check using our tool
  • Statement of Interest (mandatory)
  • School of Biological Sciences - Widening Participation Questionnaire
    Applicants to this course are asked to complete an additional form to provide contextual information about their previous study. Find out more about our use of contextual information here: postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/contextual-data.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships

If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:

  • Gates Cambridge Reference  
  • Research Proposal (PhD applicants only)

See Gates Cambridge for more information.


How to Find a Supervisor

Students will be informed about available research projects after the start of term and the contributing research project supervisors will give short presentations about their research topics in the first few weeks. Students will then need to discuss project possibilities in detail with prospective project supervisors before coming to any decision. Three ranked choices should be emailed to the Course Director by the mid-October date detailed in the Course Handbook.

Note: Each lab may only choose one MPhil student from this course. 

The research project will start in late October, as detailed in the Course Handbook. Research will last for ~32 weeks, ending in late June, followed by a 6-week writing-up period. 

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Key Information


11 months full-time

Study Mode : Taught

Master of Philosophy

Faculty of Biology

Course - related enquiries

Application - related enquiries

Course on Department Website

Dates and deadlines:

Michaelmas 2025

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2024
Application deadline
April 30, 2025
Course Starts
Oct. 1, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Course Funding Deadline
Jan. 7, 2025
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 16, 2024

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2025, Lent 2026 and Easter 2026.


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