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Postgraduate Study

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.

We strongly encourage all applicants to apply by 23:59pm (midnight) UK time on 4 January 2024 for admission in October. However, later applications will still be considered where possible (up until the general, University deadline). It is also important to note that earlier applications may be necessary in certain subject areas (HEP and GR), as described below. Certain funding opportunities may also depend on meeting earlier deadlines.

Applicants wishing to explore the possibility of a later start date (January or April) should contact phd-admissions@maths.cam.ac.uk prior to submitting an application. Applicants will usually only be considered for admission in January or April in exceptional circumstances.

Details of our research areas and available supervisors are provided on our website.  When making an application, applicants are required to indicated at least one broad research area of interest from those listed on the form, and provide more specific details of the areas or topics in which they intend to undertake research in the 'Research Summary' field.   In addition, applicants are encouraged to indicate a ‘proposed supervisor’ in the relevant field, detailing the name(s) of those member(s) of academic staff with whom they wish to work, but this is not mandatory.

Please note: 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.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The Department would particularly welcome applications from women and /or candidates from a BME background.

Selection Process

Applications are under review from November, with the majority of applications considered following the January funding deadline. We expect to have made the majority of decisions by mid-July. The Department makes every effort to take decisions on applications at the earliest opportunity. In some cases, however, it may take some time for a decision to be made.  Applications may need to be viewed by several potential supervisors before a final decision can be reached. Once a decision has been taken on your application, the result will appear in your Applicant Portal.

Applicants to the High Energy Physics (HEP) and General Relativity and Cosmology (GR) groups should note that we anticipate making some offers to outstanding candidates in February/March – for full consideration you should submit your complete application (including references and other supporting documents) to the Postgraduate Admissions Office by 15 December 2023 (this arrangement applies equally to UK, EU and Overseas applicants). These offers will be made on the basis of academic track record and the applicant may also be asked to sit a written admissions test. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview. However, it is also expected that some of the PhD places in the HEP and GR groups may be offered in June/July once the Part III Mathematical Tripos results are available and your application may be put 'on hold' until this time. Because of the very high level of preparation required, the great majority of successful applicants for PhD places in these research groups will be taking or have taken Part III Mathematics.  Further guidance for HEP and GR students is available from the Department website.

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
  • Reasons for applying (1500 characters)

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

The topic of the research thesis may be chosen from the wide range of subjects studied within the Department. Applicants are expected to have investigated our research and expertise prior to making an application.  This should be done by consulting our dedicated page on finding a supervisor, as well as our current areas of research, and individual profiles of our academic staff.

Applicants are encouraged to make informal contact with potential supervisors prior to making an application.

Apply Now

Key Information


3-4 years full-time

4-7 years part-time

Study Mode : Research

Doctor of Philosophy

Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics This course is advertised in multiple departments. Please see the Overview tab for more details.

Course - related enquiries

Application - related enquiries

Course on Department Website

Dates and deadlines:

Applications open
Sept. 15, 2022
Application deadline
Oct. 4, 2023
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2024

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 15, 2022
Application deadline
Jan. 15, 2024
Course Starts
April 17, 2024

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Michaelmas 2024

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
May 16, 2024
Course Starts
Oct. 1, 2024

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
Oct. 2, 2024
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
Jan. 15, 2025
Course Starts
April 17, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Course Funding Deadline
Jan. 4, 2024
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 11, 2023

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.


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