PhD in Criminology

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:

1. you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
2. you have paid the application fee if applicable. For further information on application fees, and which courses require an application fee, see here.
3. your referees have provided their references.

If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.

Full-time Applicants

Applicants for the full-time PhD should expect to enter the department in October, as we no longer accept entry at other times of the year because our research training programme begins in the first term (Michaelmas).  ​

Part-time Applicants

Applicants for part-time study can apply for a flexible start date (in either the Michaelmas, Lent or Easter Terms).  However, it should be noted that the deadlines for the University's funding competitions run on an annual basis. For residence, visa, and other requirements, please check the Part-time Graduate Study Guide.  It is important to note that the part-time PhD at Cambridge is not a distance-learning course. Part-time students are expected to fully engage with the Institute, integrate into the research culture of the University and attend the University on a regular basis for supervision, study, skills training, research seminars and workshops.

Applications for the PhD in Criminology must be made through the University's Postgraduate Admissions Office. The formal PhD application process will begin with the submission of your application through the online Applicant Portal.

Selection Process

Applications are considered as they are received on a rolling basis. Depending on the location and availability of the parties involved, interviews will be conducted in person, over the phone, or online. Applicants applying for funding need to ensure their applications are submitted in full by the relevant deadlines, and that their applications make clear how they meet any specific selection criteria stated by the funder.

Applicants should expect to hear whether they have been successful within 12 weeks following the submission of their completed application and the required supporting documents.

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
• Statement of Interest (1500 characters) (mandatory)
  Your statement of interest should: 1) Capture more broadly why are you interested in Criminology as a subject. What are the criminological themes that attract you and why? 2) Outline some of your reasons for studying Criminology. You should mention particular academic interests you may have in the field of criminology and how you see these fitting in with your medium- and long-term plans.
• Research Proposal (document upload) (mandatory)
  Please upload a research proposal no more than four pages (~2,000 words) in length (not including the bibliography). Your proposal should include: 1) Suggested title of PhD project; 2) a literature review that shows the respects in which your proposed work builds on and will augment, clarify, or qualify existing knowledge; 3) a clear statement of research questions and hypotheses; 4) methodology - a feasible research design including a discussion of the methods you will employ (qualitative research; quantitative research; mixed-methods approach, etc) and why they are appropriate; study participants / data sources you plan to utilize, including how you expect to obtain access to them; further details about how the fieldwork will be conducted, etc.; 5) a timeline of research (indicating a general timeline about when literature review will be completed, when it is hoped that fieldwork will commence and be completed, writing up stages, etc.; 6) implications for policy and practice arising from the suggested research; 7) a suggested Supervisor: applicants are strongly encouraged to look at the profile of our academic staff members and indicate their preference about potential supervisors (up to 3 suggested names). Applicants should keep in mind that beyond the quality of the PhD proposal, it is important that a Supervisor is in place who is able to supervise the specific topic.
• Sample of Work (1) (document upload) (mandatory)
  Please upload one sample of your academic writing. This should be between 1,500–5,000 words long. Applicants can submit either an essay or piece of coursework from a previous degree, or a chapter from a dissertation. The sample of written work is more about showing your academic abilities and style of writing, so it doesn't need to be on a Criminological subject or directly related to Criminology. Many applicants don't come from a criminological background, and most tend to submit a piece of coursework from their current or previous degree.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships

If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:

• Gates Cambridge Reference  
• Research Proposal (PhD applicants only)

See Gates Cambridge for more information.

How to Find a Supervisor

Postgraduate PhD applicants are required to nominate a Supervisor as part of their application. 

Applicants can see the list of current PhD topics for an indication of the wide range of topics currently being researched within the Institute. Please consult the list below to see which staff members are available to supervise PhD students starting in October 2025. Availability depends on several factors, including sabbatical leave arrangements, contractual arrangements, and the number of students already being supervised by each member of staff. Proposals for doctoral research are unlikely to be successful if no suitable Supervisor is available within the Institute.

You can find more detailed information by clicking through the supervisors' research profiles (see below). Each entry includes a few words outlining research/supervision interests. When choosing your nominated Supervisor, it is important that there is some overlap with your own research interests or approach.

If you are confident that your proposed research is a good fit with your nominated Supervisor, we recommend that you contact them in advance. If no potential Supervisor is expressly stated in your application, the Admissions Panel will try to match applicants with willing supervisors based on academic interests and area of expertise, but there is no guarantee that this will always be possible.

If you have any questions about whether your topic is a good fit with your potential Supervisor's interests, you may email them, attaching both a CV with details of the degrees you have taken and the marks you have obtained and a brief research proposal (1-2 pages maximum). Please include the following:

• include in the main text of your message a short statement about your background (what you have studied so far, your degree result or grade average, any relevant experience) and research interests
• indicate why you wish to work with that member of staff, in particular (not just Cambridge in general), and what you can bring to the research group; demonstrate your awareness of their research and how it aligns with your research interests
• It is helpful to include information on your funding situation and plans

There is no need to attach references or transcripts.

Please be aware that our PhD supervisors receive a large number of enquiries and, therefore, cannot give detailed feedback on your proposal.