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.
Selection Process
Applications are considered on a rolling basis (as they are received) until the course deadline of 25 February 2027. The funding deadline falls earlier than the course application deadline, so applicants who wish to be considered for funding should ensure that they submit a complete application by the funding deadline of 8 December 2026.
As part of the selection process, applicants may be invited to attend an interview. Depending on the location and availability of the parties involved, interviews will be conducted either in person or online. Applicants should expect to hear whether they have been successful within 12 weeks of submitting their completed application and the required supporting documents.
Applications for part-time study will also be assessed as to whether:
The proposed research is feasible for part-time studies.
The applicant can sustain a part-time approach to study.
The applicant can fund five years (up to seven years) of study.
The applicant is able to fully fulfil attendance requirements.
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.
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
Applicants are required to nominate a potential supervisor on their application form. When choosing who to nominate as a potential supervisor, it is important that there is some overlap with your own research interests or approach. Before applying, applicants should consult the list of academic members of staff who are currently available to supervise PhD students.
Applicants are welcome to contact the academic staff on this list to check if their proposed research topic would be a good fit with their research interests. Applicants should note that academic staff are unable to give detailed feedback on their proposal or engage in extended email correspondence. When contacting academic staff, applicants should send the following information: a copy of their CV; a brief research proposal (1-2 pages maximum); a short statement outlining their academic background (i.e. what they have studied so far, degree result or grade average, any relevant experience); and the reason why they particularly wish to work with them (i.e. demonstrate your awareness of their research and how it aligns with your research interests).
If you don't name a potential supervisor in your application, the department will try to match your application with a suitable academic member of staff, based on their academic interests and area of expertise. However, there is no guarantee that this will be possible, and applications are unlikely to be successful if there is no suitable supervisor available.