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English Studies is no longer accepting new applications.
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.
If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.
Selection Process
Applications, once made, are passed directly to the Faculty's Postgraduate Admissions Committee which decides whether to accept or reject candidates.
Certain applicants applying for funding competitions with an early closing date (e.g. in October) will have their applications considered by this committee in November, and they will either receive a decision at that point or will have their file held over pending a final decision when the main field of applications is considered in January.
Most applications are considered together as a single field after the normal (January) closing date, and applicants will receive a decision by mid-February.
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 - Project title (M)
- Research summary (M)
- Research Proposal (M)
Please submit a 500-word research proposal. Information on how to write a research proposal and examples of previous, successful proposals can be found on the following webpage: http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/research_prop.htm - Sample of work (max. 5)
Please submit a sample of work which can be one long piece or several shorter essays amounting to around 5,000–7,000 words. - Proposed Supervisor (Optional)
- Research experience (O)
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
Please note that although prospective postgraduate students may wish to look at the list of Faculty members' research interests before they decide to apply, supervisors are not appointed until well after candidates have been accepted, specifically shortly before the start of Michaelmas Term. It is the responsibility of the admissions committee to consider research applications and to match appropriate supervisors to research projects. Lecturers cannot appoint themselves to supervise a particular project, although they can indicate to potential applicants in advance whether or not they would agree to supervise the project if they were to be asked to do so by the admissions committee.
For a list of Faculty members, see here.