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Postgraduate Study

Expected Academic Standard

Applicants for this course should have achieved a Masters (Merit).

If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country.

We consider applications from applicants who have completed or are in the process of completing a Master’s programme relevant to their intended PhD specialisation. We look for indications that you have the calibre and training to undertake a research-focused degree.

The Master's degree must be from a university or department with a strong international research reputation. You are expected to provide evidence, through transcripts and academic reference letters, that you are among the top five per cent of Master's students in your year, or among the top ten per cent of students if your Master’s degree is from the University of Cambridge or a similarly selective university (see departmental advice if you are taking the Cambridge MPhil in Economic Research).

The MPhil Economics Research is the accepted masters from the Economics Faculty at the University of Cambridge, please also see here.

Usually the finance pathway does not admit students to the MRes. There might be an exception made for students who have taken the MPhil Economics Research.

You are normally required to have a first-class honours degree at the undergraduate level.

Applicants with an MBA, MFin or other professional practice master's are required to have a further Master's degree.

Interested applicants with a first-class honours degree at undergraduate level who do not satisfy the above criteria regarding a Master’s degree are encouraged to enquire about admission to the MPhil in Strategy, Marketing, Operations and Organisational Behaviour, the MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation or the MPhil in Finance.

The application and all supporting documents must be uploaded by the departmental deadline of 17 November 2026 (with the exception of English Language scores). We strongly recommend applying well before this date because shortlisted candidates will need time to write a full research proposal before January.

Post-interview feedback is provided to all interviewees who do not receive an offer.

For further details, please see the departmental website.

University Minimum Academic Requirements


Language Requirement

IELTS (Academic)

Element Score
Listening 7.0
Writing 7.0
Reading 7.0
Speaking 7.0
Total 7.5

TOEFL Internet Score

Element Score
Listening 25
Writing 25
Reading 25
Speaking 25
Total 110

Visa Information

No ATAS required

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Key Information


Michaelmas 2027
Applications open
Sep. 9, 2026
Application deadline
Nov. 17, 2026
Course starts
Sep. 1, 2027
Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.
Funding Deadlines
Course Funding Deadline
Dec. 8, 2026
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 14, 2026

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2027, Lent 2028 and Easter 2028.

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