How to apply for your PhD

We welcome applications for PhD study at the University of Brighton, where you will enjoy a full programme of research support, training and advice designed for students working towards doctoral degrees (PhD/EdD).

Your applications will need to be based on an appropriately detailed research proposal. This may outline your suitability for an advertised or established research project, as detailed on our Funding and opportunities page. Alternatively it may propose a personally developed project.

For personally developed projects, we recommend an approach to a lead supervisor, following which you will have help and support with your application.

We look forward to applications for research degrees from all suitably qualified home, EU and international students. Please find information below on:

Before and after you apply

Entry requirements and deadlines

Fees and funding

Making your online application

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Go to our online application portal for all disciplines

Before and after you apply for your PhD

Before you apply

We recommend you consider the following steps carefully.

1. Develop your idea

If you are interested in applying for research study, you need to make sure you read around your subject area of interest so you can write an informed and clear application.

2. Check for appropriate expertise and supervision

We encourage applicants to examine the research currently taking place within the University of Brighton and to find a suitable supervisor to support the proposal and assist with the application.

If you are in doubt about whether we can offer the appropriate supervision, please contact the Doctoral College

3. Funding

Before you make your application you will need to think about how you intend to fund your research degree.

The only funding streams available at the University of Brighton are those formally advertised on our website. We are unable to accept speculative applications. You should have funding secured, or an idea of where you will be applying to for funding, before submitting your application.

4. Research proposal

You need to submit a research proposal alongside your application. Within this you should take the opportunity to clearly outline your research idea; your research methodology and critical approaches; experience; and original contribution to knowledge and key themes, concepts and ideas. See [making an online application] below for guidance on how to write a research proposal.

5. Application

Your application is for admission to a named degree, most typically PhD. Some schools offer standalone MPhil degrees. We also offer an EdD (in the School of Education) and an MD (in Brighton and Sussex Medical School).

When you are ready to apply, your application will be through the online application portal, to which you will upload your proposal.

After you apply / your offer

Your application will be reviewed by senior members of our Doctoral College and wider university research leaders.

It will be considered in the context of the availability and suitability of supervision, taking into account your proposal and prior contact with our academic staff.

It normally takes around four to six weeks to reach a decision on postgraduate research applications. If you have not had a decision on your application within eight weeks please contact us via the application portal.

If your proposal is feasible for our supervision at the University of Brighton we are likely to invite you to attend an online admissions interview.

Types of offer

Conditional

If we have made you a conditional offer, the conditions will be stated in your offer letter. When you have met these conditions you should provide this to the Doctoral College. When you have met all the conditions of your offer, we will provide you with a new offer letter.

Except where indicated in the offer letter, there are no specific deadlines for meeting the conditions of your offer. However make sure you leave enough time after meeting the conditions to make arrangements to start your course, for example if you need to arrange accommodation or a visa.

Unconditional offers

An unconditional offer has no conditions. You just need to let us know whether or not you wish to accept or decline our offer of a study place and you do this by accepting/rejecting the offer via the new applicant area.

Deferring your offer

If you have been made an offer of study, and due to unforeseen circumstances you cannot attend at the start of your course, you may ask to defer your place to the next admission point.

To request a deferral you should contact us through the portal's new applicant area. Please note that a change of start date is at the discretion of your supervisors and Director of Doctoral Studies. It is not automatically given and you may be asked to apply again.

Normally applicants are only permitted to defer their start date a maximum of two times.

Withdrawing your application

If you wish to withdraw your application please notify your Research Student Administrator via the applicant area and they will update your application for you.

Post offer

CAS number
International students who require a student visa to study in the UK will need to apply for a CAS number. A CAS is a unique reference number that is 14 digits long that is given to you by the University of Brighton. It confirms to the Home Office that you have accepted an unconditional offer and met with the Home Office requirements regarding length of study in the UK and academic progression.

As part of your unconditional offer you will be asked to complete a visa questionnaire. Our visa compliance team will then review your eligibility and issue a CAS number as appropriate.

More information is available on our international pages.

Tuition fee deposit

If you are self-funded we cannot issue you with a CAS until you have paid your tuition fee deposit. We would advise that you pay this as soon as possible so that you are able to make your visa application in plenty of time.

More information about the tuition fee deposit and how to pay it is available international student fees page.

If you are a funded student you will need to provide proof of your sponsorship before the tuition fee deposit can be waived.

See more information on visa applications.

ATAS statement

You will need to obtain an ATAS certificate every time you make a student visa application if you are studying or going to study one of the following research degree programmes:

Pharmacy
Biomedical Sciences
Healthcare Professions
Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
Engineering
Environment
Civil Engineering
Built Environment
Computing
Mathematical and Information Sciences
Information Technology.

Where an ATAS statement is required, the process of how to apply for this will be provided in your offer letter so do read your offer letter carefully.

For details about the scheme and how to apply for your ATAS certificate visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office information about ATAS.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

You will apply for entry to a named disciplinary area. Your final award will not use this name, it is only for application.

The entry requirements for the PhD are:

a recognised Masters degree with a significant research component, for example MPhil from another university, or similar qualification which is regarded by the University of Brighton as being equivalent and relevant
or substantial appropriate research or professional experience at postgraduate level which resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment. An application made by someone with this experience will be considered on its merits and will normally require independent academic references
or, unless a school exercises their right to specify more stringent entry requirements, we may consider a first or upper second honours degree or other qualification which is regarded by the University of Brighton as being equivalent and relevant.

The normal entry requirements for the EdD (Professional Doctorate in Education) are:

a qualification, normally at Masters level in a relevant subject or appropriate research experience. An application made by someone with research experience but with no Masters level qualification will be considered on its merits and will normally require independent academic references.
at least four years of appropriate professional experiences.

Entry requirements for the MPhil (available as a standalone degree in some schools) are:

a first or second class honours degree, or other qualification which is regarded by the University of Brighton as being equivalent, and which is normally relevant to the programme of study
appropriate experience in a professional or research environment. An application based on professional experience will be considered on its own merits and will normally require independent academic references.

English language requirements

Applicants from outside the UK need to meet specific English language requirements in order to study for a PhD at the University of Brighton.

The UK Visa and Immigration Authority (UKVI) has a defined list of Majority English-Speaking Countries. (N.B. this list is not generated by the University of Brighton and we are not able to adjust or deviate from its definitions.)

You may not need to prove your knowledge of English language if:

You are a national of one of the countries listed on the Government’s UKVI webpage
You have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher in the last 3 years from one of the countries listed on the Government’s UKVI webpage*

*If you have a qualification from one of the listed countries but it was completed more than 3 years ago, it is a University of Brighton requirement that you provide further evidence of your English Language in the form of one of our accepted English tests.

For more information on the accepted tests, please see our English language requirements.

Please note that the results from the tests are valid for 2 years from the test date. The results must be valid on your course start date.

The minimum standard of English competence accepted is equivalent to the International English Languages Testing System (IELTS) scores in the table below.

Minimum IELTS scores required by University of Brighton disciplines
Subject	IELTS requirement
Applied Sciences Technology and Engineering	6.5 overall, no component below 6.0
Architecture Art and Media Business and Law Education Humanities and Social Science Sport and Health Sciences	7.0 overall, 7.0 for writing, no component below 6.5

TOEFL iBT, Pearson Academic or KITE results should be equivalent to the IELTS scores above.

If you are concerned that you might not reach the required level for the course, and therefore may need to take an English Language course, we recommend that you take the ‘IELTS for UKVI Academic’ at an approved test centre, details of which can be found on the Government website.

If you need further advice, please email DoctoralCollege@brighton.ac.uk.

Terms and deadlines

It is common for PhD students to begin in the October following their application, fitting to normal academic term calendars. This also suits the funding cycle for a number of funding bodies.

However, we operate a rolling intake so students can make applications at any time throughout the year. Start dates will always be on the first working day of the month and will normally be determined as follows:

UK/EU students: Normally one month after an offer is made

International students: Normally three months after an offer is made

Professional Doctorates and programmes with a taught component usually have one intake a year in October or January.

Fees and funding

Funding

Undertaking research study will require university fees as well as support for your research activities and plans for subsistence during full or part-time study.

Funding sources include self-funding, funding by an employer or industrial partners; there are competitive funding opportunities available in most disciplines through, for example, our own university studentships or national (UK) research councils. International students may have options from either their home-based research funding organisations or may be eligible for some UK funds.

Learn more about the funding opportunities available to you.

Tuition fees academic year 2023–24

Standard fees are listed below, but may vary depending on subject area. Some subject areas may charge bench fees/consumables; this will be decided as part of any offer made. Fees for UK and international/EU students on full-time and part-time courses are likely to incur a small inflation rise each year of a research programme.

MPhil/PhD
	Full-time	Part-time
UK	£4,712	£2,356
International (including EU)	£15,300	N/A
International students registered in the School of Humanities and Social Science or in the School of Business and Law	from £13,900	N/A

PhD by Publication
Full-time	Part-time
N/A	£2,356

Learn more about funding for doctoral degrees at the University of Brighton

Making an online application through our portal system

All applications are made online via our online application portal.

By the time you are making a formal application you should have all of the following prepared and ready to upload.

Your research proposal - This should have been discussed with an established academic, ideally in consultation with your likely supervisor at the university. Please find below some useful guidance for writing your research proposal

Writing a research proposal for PhD study

Your qualification certificate(s) - You will need to provide copies of your degree certificates and transcripts. Official translations should be provided where appropriate. If your degree has not yet been awarded please note this on your application form.
Evidence of English language (EU/International applicants) – this is normally an IELTS or Pearsons certificate. All language tests must have been obtained within the preceding two years of the course start date. If you cannot provide a language test certificate, please contact us for advice.
References - you need to provide two references; one of these must be an academic reference from someone who taught you during your most recent period of study. All references must have been written within the last 12 months and need to be signed, dated and stamped with the organisation's stamp or on headed paper. Alternatively, you can provide contact details for your referees as part of the application process and we will contact them on your behalf.
Passport – please provide a copy of the photo page and where applicable a copy of your current visa. These documents can be uploaded to the ‘Education’ tab.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What are the differences between the different research degrees: for example PhD, DPhil, MPhil, EdD, MRes?

PhD The primary doctoral degree offered at the University of Brighton is the PhD. This is called DPhil at some other universities. Both are titles that stand for Philosophiae Doctor or Doctor of Philosophy. The same title is given to all successful graduates regardless of discipline.

The degree normally requires between three and four years of full-time study through supervised research, resulting in a contribution to knowledge in the field. The University of Brighton also welcomes and supports part-time doctoral study.

EdD The University of Brighton also offers a Professional doctorate in Education for teaching professionals at all levels who successfully complete original research based on their teaching practice.

After you are conferred with your degree you will be entitled to use Dr before your name.

MPhil A two-year research degree is available as a degree in its own right in some schools. These usually do not result in the same level of original contribution to knowledge.

MRes A one-year programme of research training is available from a number of subject areas at the University of Brighton and provides a base for further research work. See our links to current MRes programmes.

What support do I get with my academic work if I have proposed my own project?

Supervisors All research students are allocated a team of at least two supervisors. Your supervisors will be knowledgeable in your field of research and they will provide guidance and advice throughout your research degree.

It is important to recognise that a research degree is an independent piece of work and you and your supervisors need to agree the amount and nature of that support at the start of your studies.

Training As well as supervision, there is a full programme of training and academic engagement events, designed in line with the training policy directions of the UK Research Councils and Vitae to meet the needs of all research students.

In addition to this programme, research students are encouraged to attend and present at appropriate research, seminars and workshops that are offered throughout the university.

How is my progress monitored?

Research degrees at Brighton are structured so that progression is checked at least annually throughout your studies. The Doctoral College, together with your supervisors, will carefully support and monitor your progress, ensuring that you have access to the full range of opportunities that are available to you, and that any problems are identified and dealt with as soon as possible.

More information on monitoring and progression can be found in our Regulations and Code of Practice.

Will there be work experience or part-time employment at the university such as teaching?

The university cannot promise teaching or paid research/research-assistant opportunities. These are organised through the academic schools where relevant and possible. You are advised to speak with your supervisors about potential opportunities.

If teaching is available to you, the university requires that you are suitably trained and qualified to teach, and offers a free programme for those who require such training and qualification. A maximum of six teaching hours per week for full-time students is allowed, and those students who take up this opportunity are supported through the university’s teaching and learning workshops.

Members of the university's staff are encouraged to consider research degree qualifications alongside their current work.

Who can be my referees?

You will need to ask two people to provide references for you and at least one of your referees must be from your most recent period of study.

All references should have been written within the last 12 months and need to be signed, dated and stamped with the organisation's stamp, and if not on the template that we provide, then written on headed paper.

Alternatively, you can provide your referees’ contact details as part of the application process and we will contact them on your behalf. If you need us to make a quick decision on your application, please ensure that your references are fully completed and submitted with your application.

If you are applying as a professional or practitioner your referees should give an evidenced appraisal of your likely academic abilities as well as your professional skills and experiences.