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Astrophysics PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
We have 44 Astrophysics PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
A PhD in Astrophysics will give you the chance to lead your own research project that will further our current understanding of our cosmos. Whether you are interested in dark matter and dark energy, evolution of galaxies or how stars are formed, you will be aiming to improve our knowledge of the great space beyond our planet.
What's it like to study a PhD in Astrophysics?
Doing a PhD in Astrophysics, you will become proficient in the skills necessary to contribute to a research portfolio which spans observational, theoretical and experimental projects. You will work with your supervisor, university and experts in the field to answer some of the biggest research questions pulsar astronomy, solar physics, galactic astrophysics and instrument development.
Some typical research topics in Astrophysics include:
- cosmology
- active galactic nuclei and related objects
- nearby galaxies
- stellar astronomy
- star formation
- planet formation
Typical Astrophysics PhD research projects take between three and four years to complete. As well as undertaking research training within your department, you will also attend external meetings and conferences and may be submitting research posters as your research develops.
To be awarded your PhD, you must submit a thesis of about 60,000 words and defend it during your viva exam.
PhD in Astrophysics entry requirements
The entry requirements for a typical PhD in Astrophysics usually involves 2:1 Masters degree or a first degree Bachelors and Masters degree in a related subject such as Astronomy, Physics, or Astrophysics. Research experience will also be taken into consideration if you don’t quite meet the Masters degree requirement. You will also need to submit a compelling research proposal detailing your study plans.
PhD in Astrophysics funding options
In the UK, PhDs in Astrophysics are funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) who provide a tuition fee waiver and a living cost stipend. Depending on the programme, you may submit your own research proposal before being considered for funding or apply for a project that already has funding attached.
It is also possible to apply for a PhD loan to help with the costs of a doctorate in Astrophysics (although this cannot be combined with Research Council funding). Other options for financial support include university scholarships, graduate teaching assistantships and charities.
PhD in Astrophysics careers
You may choose to continue your research in your chosen area at a university, or work with the commercial sector, sharing your knowledge and expertise.
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The explosion environments and host galaxies of Supernovae
We invite applications from outstanding and highly motivated students for the Warwick Prize Scholarships in Astrophysics. The successful applicant will work with Dr Joe Lyman within the Astronomy and Astrophysics group in the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick. Read more
Discovering exoplanets around compositionally-diverse stars across the Milky Way by mitigating stellar signals
We invite applications from outstanding and highly motivated students for the Warwick Prize Scholarships in Astrophysics. The successful applicant will work with Dr Thomas Wilson within the Astronomy and Astrophysics group in the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick. Read more
Mapping the climate systems and the evaporation of exoplanet atmospheres
We invite applications from outstanding and highly motivated students for the Warwick Prize Scholarships in Astrophysics. The successful applicant will work with Prof. Read more
Investigating the origin of the lowest-mass white dwarf stars
We invite applications from outstanding and highly motivated students for the Warwick Prize Scholarships in Astrophysics. The successful applicant will work with Dr Ingrid Pelisoli within the Astronomy and Astrophysics group in the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick. Read more
What time can tell us about space: Using time-resolved observations of young stars to explore the circumstellar environment beyond what direct resolution can achieve
What happens in the planet-forming region when planets form? How are stars like our Sun formed? Observational answers have to deal with one fact. Read more
PhD studentship in Astronomy: Studying Massive Star Physics of Blue Supergiants with Asteroseismology (SYMPHONY)
Overview. A funded 4-year PhD position at Newcastle University on massive star asteroseismology is available through the UKRI Frontier Research Grant SYMPHONY [EP/Y031059/1]. Read more
Coronal genealogy: the evolution of high-energy emission from low-mass stars
This PhD project will use models and observations of forming low-mass stars to shed light on the history and evolution of Sun-like stars. Read more
A long-term variability study of young stars: Periodicity, hot spots, accretion and early evolution at the time of planet formation
Young stars are variable due to the processes happening on the star and its protoplanetary disk at the time of planet formation. The star-disk connection holds the clues to several open questions including rotational evolution, the origin of our Solar System and the feasibility of habitable planets. Read more
Space Plasma Turbulence Throughout the Solar System and Beyond
The vast majority of the visible Universe is in a plasma state, and one of the most widespread behaviors observed in such plasmas is turbulence – the transfer of energy across a broad range of scales that leads to complex chaotic motions, structure formation, and energy conversion. Read more
PhD Studentship in Hybrid quantum communication and sensing networks
Applicants are invited to undertake a 3.5-year PhD programme in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sussex in partnership with DSTL to investigate the theory of quantum communication and sensing networks. Read more
Spacecraft Trajectory Optimisation
The University of Auckland is developing a research programme in low delta-v spacecraft trajectory optimisation. We are looking for a PhD candidate to continue work in this area and develop our existing algorithms. Read more
Improved time-stepping schemes in weather and climate models
"The task of predicting weather and climate may be reduced to the following iterative procedure. First, given the state of the system at any time (the input), use the governing equations to compute the state at a slightly later time (the output). Read more
Cosmic-Ray Muons in Different Applications
Cosmic-ray muons are known to be useful in applications beyond particle astrophysics. They have helped with mapping structure of volcanoes and with finding voids in various geological structures. Read more
PhD Scholarship in deep learning for image reconstruction and analysis in astronomy and medicine
The Biomedical and Astronomical Signal Processing group (BASP) at Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh (HWU), headed by Professor Yves Wiaux, jointly with Edinburgh's prestigious Centre for Doctoral Training on Mathematical Modelling, Analysis and Computation (MAC-MIGS), are recruiting a PhD student for research on optimisation and deep learning theory and algorithms for computational imaging. Read more
