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:
- you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
- you have paid the application fee if applicable. For further information on application fees, and which courses require an application fee, see here.
- your referees have provided their references.
This course allows you to use one professional referee, as well as one academic referee, even if you have only recently left higher education. If you have been out of higher education for more than 6 years, you may use two professional referees, in line with our general rules (see References to support your Cambridge application | Postgraduate Study, and guidance on the course website).
You must fully explore the MPhil PHS course website, including the advice for applicants, and make thorough use of the pre-application self-screening tool, before completing your application. You must carefully follow all instructions given here and on the website.
Before applying, you should consider how you will address each of the questions on the application form. Your answer to each question should be no more than the stated character limit: we value clarity and succinctness, and longer answers may negatively impact the impression you create.
Please note that we are interested in your academic motivation for taking this course. We explicitly discourage the use of personal anecdotes describing the particular circumstances of an individual's poor health or death to illustrate a desire to pursue a career in population health. Please remember that our discipline is about populations rather than about individuals. More guidance on this (from medicine, but applicable more widely) is available on ethics of confidentiality, storytelling ethics, and ethics of medical memoirs.
Selection Process
The assessment panel will be seeking assurance that the candidate has the experience, ability and commitment necessary to complete the MPhil course, become a future leader in the field of Population Health Sciences, and that the course will support their future career goals. The following criteria are used to consider applications:
Class of first degree.
References from senior staff at the most recent university and/or place of employment.
Relevance of previous academic and work experience.
Candidate's responses to course specific questions, and statement of their reasons for wishing to take the course.
Candidate's reflection on their engagement with the pre-application self-screening tools.
Other supporting evidence, including an up-to-date curriculum vitae and degree certificates.
All applications are considered in batches on an approximately monthly basis (rolling admissions) and offers are made throughout the application period. As this is a popular course, we strongly recommend that you submit your completed application (including references) as early as possible. Please note: we also recommend you check back to the website frequently while making your application, as specialisation themes may close early if oversubscribed and all places are taken.
You should normally receive a response to your application within twelve weeks of applying.
Things You'll Need
You should start preparing the things that you'll need when you apply. These will be mandatory, unless specifically flagged as optional.
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Two referees willing to give you a reference
Either academic or professional – please see our References guidance for more information about which type you need. Your referees will need to have submitted their reference by the course deadline. - Transcript
- CV/resume
- Evidence of competence in English
If required - please see our Competence in English guidance for more information. - Medical Science - Verification of Qualifications
Verification of Qualifications: You will need to confirm that your qualifications meet all the course entry requirements. You can check these on the requirements tab. If you do not meet these requirements, you must provide justification in the application on why you should be considered. - Career Goals
You will need to provide a statement on why you would like to do the MPhil and how it would you help develop a career path in population health sciences and how it will impact your career options. - Core - Statement of Interest (2500 characters) (mandatory)
You will need to express your interest specifically for this MPhil course. You will need to discuss two population health problems that interest you and align with the material taught in our modules (see course website) including some causes and potential solutions to those problems. - Core - Relevant Experience (1000 characters) (mandatory)
Describe how your prior experience (research, academic, work, extra-curricular) might be relevant to your application for this MPhil, and your success on the course. - Core - Maths and Stats experience (1000 characters) (mandatory)
You will be asked to explain how your previous experience in maths and statistics has helped prepare you for the course, including your reflection on the self-screening tools on our website. (https://www.phs.group.cam.ac.uk/mphil-population-health-sciences/pre-ap…) - Core - Widening Participation (2000 characters) (optional)
Gates Cambridge Scholarships
If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:
See Gates Cambridge for more information.
How to Find a Supervisor
You do not need to decide on a dissertation topic nor identify a supervisor prior to starting the course. However, we encourage you to review the modules on offer within the MPhil and the research areas of members of the Departments hosting the MPhil, to ensure that potential areas of interest to study for your dissertation align with the strengths of the course.