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Postgraduate Study

The Centre of Latin American Studies (CLAS) offers a full-time and a part-time PhD programme. The Centre currently has approximately 15 PhD students at different stages of the programme, working in a range of areas.

Full-time PhD students are required to be resident in Cambridge for the duration of their degrees, with the exception of extended fieldwork trips. 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 Faculty, to integrate into the research culture of the University and to attend the University on a regular basis for supervision, study, skills training, research seminars and workshops.

The students form a lively academic and social community, playing a full part in the Centre's activities, meeting regularly to present their latest research to each other and organizing seminars and conferences with the Centre's support.

Further information, including current and past student profiles, is available on the Centre's website.

Most of our PhD students come here to work on their thesis with leading scholars in their fields, but we are also committed to helping you develop your future career. CLAS provides specialized in-house training on a range of topics, including:

  • teaching undergraduates
  • publishing in Latin American studies
  • improving your academic writing
  • applying for academic posts

CLAS' own training provision is complemented and augmented by a wide range of skills training sessions offered by the University, including research skills, IT, personal development, communication skills and careers advice. Bursaries are available for those wishing to take language courses, and CLAS is currently able to offer specialist in-house training in Brazilian Portuguese. Whatever your future aspirations, you will be encouraged, if you wish, to take the opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience during your time here, in the form of small group supervisions and/or lectures.


Continuing

Students already at Cambridge applying to continue from the MPhil to the PhD should have attained, or be expecting to obtain, an overall mark of 73% per cent (with at least 75% in their dissertation).


Open Days

The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:

  • Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.

  • Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.

For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages.


Departments

This course is advertised in the following departments:

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Key Information


3-4 years full-time

4-7 years part-time

Study Mode : Research

Doctor of Philosophy

Centre of Latin American Studies This course is advertised in multiple departments. Please see the Overview tab for more details.

Course - related enquiries

Application - related enquiries

Course on Department Website

Dates and deadlines:

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2024
Application deadline
Oct. 2, 2025
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2026

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

Michaelmas 2026

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

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

Applications open
Sept. 3, 2025
Application deadline
Oct. 1, 2026
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2027

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 .


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