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Postgraduate Study

The Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) is a wonderful research environment and offers a friendly, well-integrated network. Both staff and students have been an excellent source of support and encouragement throughout my PhD, and have contributed to making it a very rewarding place to study. Both academically and socially, there is a real sense of community. 

Karla Boxall (April 1, 2022)

As a PhD student researching polar institutions and polar science communities, SPRI is a fantastic base. Grad students at SPRI get to know people from a wide range of disciplines, becoming familiar with aspects of polar research while developing friendships and collaborations. The accessibility of the museum, library, and archives here at SPRI, as well as the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research based in the building, are also invaluable.

Morgan Seag (April 15, 2020)

Studying for my PhD at SPRI is an excellent experience, both from the perspective of my academic studies, and socially. The Institute is a hub for polar social science and humanities research, hosting inter-departmental and inter-disciplinary seminars and lectures from leading UK and international scholars. This broad exposure to other subjects in the field is matched with assistance for my own research. My supervisor has been very supportive, and his interest in my work enables valuable discussion and advice, whilst a helpful network of other PhD and MPhil students makes the sometimes-solitary enterprise of post-graduate study into a great communal environment. Above all else, the flexibility to study topics that interest me, both here in SPRI and away on fieldwork, has been a fantastic opportunity.

Henry Anderson-Elliott (April 13, 2019)

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Key Information


3-4 years full-time

4-7 years part-time

Study Mode : Research

Doctor of Philosophy

Scott Polar Research Institute This course is advertised in multiple departments. Please see the Overview tab for more details.

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Course on Department Website

Dates and deadlines:

Michaelmas 2026

Applications open
Sept. 3, 2025
Application deadline
March 26, 2026
Course Starts
Oct. 1, 2026

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

Course Funding Deadline
Dec. 2, 2025
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 15, 2025

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