MPhil in Chemistry

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:

1. you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
2. you have paid the application fee if applicable. For further information on application fees, and which courses require an application fee, see here.
3. your referees have provided their references.

If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.

Please upload your up-to-date undergraduate transcript to enable us to better assess your academic background. Failure to upload your undergraduate transcripts will delay the processing of your application. 

Selection Process

Due to the large volume of applications that the Department of Chemistry receive we strongly encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible in order that prospective supervisors have a chance to view the applications before they are in the gathered field.  In this department, all applicants eligible for the funding competition will be considered in a gathered field after the funding deadline.

Please note that incomplete applications (those missing one or both academic references) will be seriously disadvantaged. Applicants should ensure that academic referees submit references BEFORE the funding deadline.

The Department will conduct interviews of shortlisted applicants by panels of at least two academic members of staff. Most of these interviews will take place in January, but some groups may also schedule interviews in December. Successful applicants will be made offers and entered into the funding competition by mid-February. 

There are several categories of outcomes you could fall into following your application submission. Please make a note of the dates below before contacting admissions regarding the status of your application:

• Shortlisted scholarship eligible candidates interviewed for competition – January (if you are not interviewed in January you are unlikely to be put forward for the scholarship competition).
• Entered into scholarship competition – your offer will be processed at the Departmental level and you will be informed that you have been entered into the scholarship competition by mid-February. Candidates who require an offer for specific external funding should inform the postgraduate office of this before mid-February
• Interviewed but not entered into scholarship competition – your application may be on hold until the outcome of the scholarship competition is known (this can be up to the end of June) in order to gauge available places. During this time, you may be offered a place if other funding becomes available – this should be discussed directly with your prospective supervisor. If you are able to self-fund, please indicate this on your application. 
• Not interviewed for scholarship competition - Your application will be considered with the gathered field for the supervisor’s own funding. You will either receive a rejection or your application may be kept on hold until the outcome of the scholarship competition is known.

If you have not heard anything by mid-April, please get in touch with admissions@ch.cam.ac.uk

Applications submitted after the University funding deadline will be considered on a rolling basis. We strongly advise that you contact any prospective supervisor(s) BEFORE submitting an application as the small number of places available will have been filled by earlier applicants. These applicants should expect to hear whether they have been successful within six weeks of their completed application having been received. 

For more details please check here.

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
• Experience
• Supervisors
  It is strongly recommended that you speak to prospective supervisors before applying. Not doing so may disadvantage your application being dealt with in a timely manner. For more information on finding a supervisor, see below.
• Research interests
• Extra Materials
  Widening Participation: We are working to improve contextualised understanding of the applications we receive. This course is piloting a mandatory supplementary application form. For more information about what the pilot aims to do and how your data will be used, please see here: www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/pilot-selection-procedures.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships

If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:

• Gates Cambridge Reference  
• Research Proposal (PhD applicants only)

See Gates Cambridge for more information.

How to Find a Supervisor

It is expected that applicants will have a good idea of the area of chemistry in which they wish to conduct research, and that they will have already identified and made contact with the most suitable supervisor(s). A list of Prospective MPhil Supervisors can be found on the Department website. 

Please note general and unfocused applications with no suitable or prospective supervisor are likely to be seriously disadvantaged or rejected.  Please check that the supervisor you want to work with is still current in the Department and taking students.

Part-time study may not always be viable and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, so please discuss this option with your proposed supervisor before making an application for this mode of study.