Applying for a PhD in the UK

Planning on applying for a PhD in the UK? This guide covers what’s required to get onto a UK PhD programme and how to submit your application.

There are over 150 universities in the UK. The vast majority are public universities, meaning that they receive funding (including budgets for PhD studentships) from the UK Government. All British universities are free to pursue their own research objectives, but the amount of funding each institution receives is partly based on regular assessments of its performance as part of the Research Excellence Framework (REF).

A small number of private universities also operate in the UK. They tend to specialise in specific subjects, such as Business or Law.

UK countries

The four parts of the UK each have slightly different higher education systems:

• England is home to the majority of the UK's universities, including the two oldest (Oxford and Cambridge)
• Scotland is home to 15 of the UK's universities, including four 'ancient universities' (St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh) dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
• Wales has eight universities, all of which are public institutions, dating from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
• Northern Ireland has two universities, each of which operates multiple campuses

The governments of each part of the UK have powers to decide on higher education policy, including fees and funding. But, in practice, PhD research works pretty similarly across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The country that's best for you will depend on the research opportunities available at specific universities.

UK university groups

Some UK universities are organised – officially or unofficially – into different groups. Here are some of the more common ones you may come across, together with what they mean:

• The Russell Group is an association of 24 universities across the UK. The group is self-selecting (it decides on its own members) and positions itself as representing the country's leading research universities. In practice this is broadly accurate as the Russell Group includes some of the best ranked British universities and – perhaps more importantly – awards the majority of UK PhDs.
• The ancient universities are a group of seven institutions that date from the sixteenth century or earlier, including Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh as well as Trinity College Dublin (in Ireland). 'Membership' of this group isn't based on anything other than chronology (unsurprisingly, new universities can't join) and the ancient universities don't collaborate as such, though some are members of the Russell Group. Of more importance is the fact that some ancient universities award their doctorates as a DPhil rather than a PhD. The degree and its recognition are fundamentally the same.
• The red brick universities are another informal grouping based on history rather than collective organisation. They include nine civic universities founded during the nineteenth-century industrial revolution with the aim of providing education and training for their cities. In contrast to the medieval buildings of the ancient universities, their campuses were built largely from red brick – hence the name.
• The term 'post-92' is sometimes used to describe universities that were originally polytechnics (higher education institutions focussing on teaching and training rather than research) before being granted full university status in 1992. Many of these 'ex-poly' universities actually have long and proud histories and are now some of the UK's most innovative research centres.

There are a few other formal and informal groups, including 'plate glass' universities (founded in the 1960s – the UK has a thing for associating universities with building materials) as well as membership organisations for newer universities such as MillionPlus and GuildHE.

You don't generally need to worry about which group your prospective university is or isn't part of. It's true that some groupings confer a degree of prestige, but universities are invited into the Russell Group because of their research performance and reputation, not the other way around. There are also many excellent universities which haven't chosen to join particular associations.

Accreditation and research quality

The UK takes quality assurance for universities very seriously, with several levels of official recognition and accreditation.

The right to use a university title is protected by law in the UK and can be granted by royal charter, Act of Parliament or similarly official means.

The right to award degrees is also protected. A university must either be a 'recognised body', in which case it can award its own degrees. Or it must be a 'listed body' in which case a recognised body must award degrees on its behalf (listed bodies are often newer universities or specialist colleges with qualifications accredited by more established neighbouring universities).

You can use the UK Government website to quickly check if a university is officially recognised.

UK universities' research quality is separately monitored through an exercise known as the Research Excellence Framework (REF). This examines the research a university is producing as well as its impact on society in general. The environment and support provided for PhD students is also considered as part of this process. The most recent REF results were published in 2021.

UK university cities

There are excellent universities located across the UK, from London and the South of England to the Scottish Highlands and Islands . With that said, here are a few of the UK's most popular student cities:

• Study in London
• Study in Edinburgh
• Study in Manchester
• Study in Cardiff
• Study in Birmingham
• Study in Sheffield

You should apply directly to a university for a place on a UK PhD project or programme. There are two ways to do this:

• Some PhD projects are advertised by universities with set aims and objectives. These are most common in STEM subjects and often have funding attached. You can browse UK PhD adverts here on FindAPhD.
• Other PhD projects are designed by students who put forward a research proposal for the work they would like to do. These are more common in Arts, Humanities and some Social Science subjects. You can browse UK PhD programmes to apply within here on FindAPhD.

It's often a good idea to contact a prospective PhD supervisor before applying, but this isn't usually a necessary step. Universities will usually pair students with the most appropriate supervisor for their project.

We’ve written dedicated guides to applying for a PhD in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as STEM subjects.

Admissions requirements

You will normally need the following to be accepted for a PhD in the UK:

• A suitable undergraduate degree (equivalent to a UK 2.1 or higher). A Masters may also be required in some subject areas.
• Evidence of language proficiency (if English is not your first language).
• Evidence that you possess the necessary materials to gain a UK student visa (for international students).
• Other application materials including a research proposal, personal statement or references.

Actual requirements vary between projects and programmes.

Interviews

Not all UK PhD applications require a formal interview, but this is more common for funded positions or programmes with limited space.

Interviews can often be conducted online. You may be asked to answer some questions about your application and / or give a short presentation on your intended research.

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