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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.
We strongly recommend that students (even those not seeking funding) submit their application by the funding deadline at the beginning of December. If places are still available beyond this deadline, self-funded applicants may apply until 16 May.
Selection Process
Applicants who apply for US Gates funding by the October funding deadline may normally expect to receive an admissions decision in December. All other applicants who apply by the funding deadline in December may normally expect to receive a decision before the end of March, and the majority of offers are made in February and March. Following the funding deadlines, applications are processed on a rolling basis. Applicants may expect a decision within 12 weeks after submitting their completed application and required supporting documents. Occasionally, applicants may not receive a decision within the expected timeframe due to being placed on a reserve list. If this is the case, then the Faculty will get in touch to let applicants know. Usually, the latest date for decisions to be communicated is the end of June.
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 - Research Proposal (document upload) (mandatory)
Please upload a 500–1,000-word research proposal. - Sample of Work (1) (document upload) (mandatory)
Please upload a sample of recent research writing of approximately 5,000–10,000 words. The sample can be either an essay produced during master's-level studies or a section of a dissertation and must be a single-authored work. - Language Attainments Certificates (document upload) (optional)
- Multiple Proposed Supervisors (200 characters) (mandatory)
It is recommended that you informally approach a potential Supervisor to discuss your proposed research project in advance of applying. For more information on finding a Supervisor, see below. - Project Title (250 characters) (mandatory)
- Research Summary (2500 characters) (mandatory)
- Research Experience (2500 characters) (optional)
- Your Motivation
Explain what motivates you to apply for a PhD and what drives your interest in pursuing this program. Highlight your motivation to learn and develop. - Responding to Challenges
Describe how you persist through challenges, learn from feedback, and use problem-solving or creative thinking to explore issues from new perspectives. Draw from examples from your academic, professional or personal life. - Independent Study
Describe how you manage your own learning and meet important milestones. Provide examples from your academic, professional, or personal life that demonstrate how you have successfully handled independent tasks or how you have developed these skills in preparation for doctoral study.
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
Doctoral study is a team effort. It is conducted under the supervision of at least one Cambridge academic staff member.
Before submitting a PhD application, students are strongly recommended to contact relevant professors and inquire about the possibility of their service as Supervisors. This approach is normally done via email and is entirely informal. Its purpose is to help the candidate determine the availability and degree of research fit of relevant professors at Cambridge.
As a first step, consult the academic staff pages and familiarise yourself with the publications and projects undertaken by our professors. Once you have identified a potential Supervisor, please send an expression of interest to them via email with your CV and as much of your research proposal as possible. Please do not reach out to more than one professor at the same time. (If needed, you may request advice from the relevant Postgraduate Teaching and Examinations Officer (PTEO) listed on the Postgraduate Contacts page.)
Making such an approach will help you nominate a Supervisor when you eventually submit your application. The Faculty will consider this nomination, although there is no guarantee that this Supervisor will be formally appointed if you are accepted to the PhD program. The MMLL Degree Committee regularly monitors the supervision load for each academic staff member and may decide to appoint another suitable Supervisor if necessary.
Please note that admission to the PhD is made by a committee at the Faculty level in accordance with University standards and guidelines; potential supervisors can only contribute to admission decisions.