Primary tabs
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:
- you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
- you have paid the application fee if applicable. For further information on application fees, and which courses require an application fee, see here.
- your referees have provided their references.
If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.
Applicants that have not identified a potential supervisor may not be considered. Although it is possible to submit an application without naming a supervisor we will not be able to take your application forward if we do not have a suitable and willing supervisor available.
Selection Process
All applications are considered as they are received (rolling admissions).
All candidates who submit an official application and meet the minimum academic requirements will be interviewed ONLY if they have identified a suitable and willing potential Supervisor. It is therefore vital that applicants approach potential supervisors to discuss a project before applying. While it is possible to submit an application without a supervisor in place we cannot guarantee that we will be able to take such applications forward even to the primary interview stage.
We would aim to interview within one month of receiving the complete application and notify the candidate within one week of the outcome of the interview. However, at peak times or in exceptional circumstances this may take longer. If accepted by the Department the application would then move on for consideration by other offices in the University.
Offers made of places on this course are conditional on clearing any security checks the University deems necessary. Security checks are routinely required for all individuals involved in research activities that include working with sensitive information; working with children and vulnerable adults; working with live animals or with tissues supplied from live animals or working in an environment in which such work is pursued by others; working with dangerous pathogens or in a category 3 containment laboratory; or working with some other sensitive technologies.
Where necessary the University will ensure that applicants are not disproportionately impacted by the requirement for any security checks by allowing new students to take up places and start appropriate areas of their work prior to a check in other areas being completed.
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 - Proposed Supervisor
- Research Proposal (M)
- Statement of Interest (M)
Gates Cambridge Scholarships
If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:
See Gates Cambridge for more information.
How to Find a Supervisor
Before making an official application, candidates should first identify a suitable supervisor. To do this you should read about our Researcher staff and their work on our Research pages (as well as looking at our currently available PhD projects). You should then make contact with those Researcher staff (list here) whose work interests you, explain why you are interested in doing a PhD under their supervision, outline your own previous research experience and research interests and include any other useful information (eg funding) and a copy of your CV. You can then discuss possible projects and supervisor availability.
Although it is possible to submit an application without naming a supervisor we will not be able to take your application forward if we do not have a suitable supervisor available. Please visit the How to Apply page on our website to find more information about how to apply and how to find potential supervisors.
For more details, please visit the How to Apply page on the Department of Veterinary Medicine website.