Materials and Condensed Matter Physics

Applications

Applications for postgraduate positions in the MCMP group must ultimately be made through the Graduate School. Before making an application, you need to identify a prospective supervisor and a means to fund your studies (both bench fees and living costs). Please see our current projects for a list of indicative doctoral research topics and supervisors. There are currently four main mechanisms for funding your studies.

• Competitive scholarships are awarded directly to students and usually provide bench fees and living costs (but check each scheme for details). Students from any country can apply for scholarships or prize studentships from the College of Science & Engineering. These are generally advertised in late autumn/winter for entry the following October and many have deadlines in January. We particularly welcome Chinese applicants through the Chinese Scholarship Council. In most cases, a scholarship application must be coupled to a separate application for a research project and supervisor. Please talk to us so that this can be coordinated as well as possible. (A broader list of scholarship opportunities is hosted on our Graduate School webpages, but note that the scope and eligibility of opportunity differs: for example, many are not appropriate to Physics and/or overseas students, or may not cover living costs.)

• Research council studentships are only open to UK or EU residents (see EPSRC eligibility). Residents of other countries are ineligible for these positions. They cover bench fees (EU & UK students) but may only provide a stipend to UK students. Eligible students will be considered for these studentships by completing an application to the Graduate School and must again identify a prospective supervisor. Numbers are limited and the MCMP group typically accepts only one or two students per year through this mechanism. Applications are accepted throughout the year and until positions are filled: the most competitive applications tend to have been submitted by Easter.

• There are two Centres for Doctoral Training , which provide a further route to doctoral study (which could be in the MCMP group) as well as the James McCune Smith scholarships for black British students. Details vary for all these schemes. Applications for these are handled separately and details can be found at the relevant websites:
  • DiveIn CDT
  • Applied Quantum Technologies CDT
  • James McCune Smith PhD Scholarships

• It is possible to bring your own funding, most typically through an overseas scheme. Any such funding must cover bench fees and subsistence & accommodation costs. Students must identify and contact prospective supervisors in advance of making such an application. A wealth of information for international students is available on the University's international webpages.

For further information for prospective postgraduates in the School of Physics and Astronomy please see the following Physics and Astronomy PhD pages. For details of application forms, the application process and scholarships please refer to the College of Science and Engineering Graduate School webpage.