Applying for research degrees

You can apply for a research degree online and track your application at each stage of the process. 

Before you apply please read the following application steps and check the admissions process and requirements for your research area.

Some faculties have specific guidance relevant to their area. Where instructions or advice are different, the faculty-specific guidance should be followed. If you have any queries, please contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team.

Take a look at our most recent admissions policy.

If you are a current postgraduate researcher studying at another institution and need to use our facilities, please contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team.

If you have any difficulties using the online application form, please email our research admissions team via rp_applications@adm.leeds.ac.uk.

International applicants

International applicants can contact University representatives overseas for support.

You can also review information about visas and immigration and specific entry requirements, including English language requirements.

For specific information about visa and immigration requirements for all types of temporary study and research visits, see the visas for research and study visits page.

Disabled students

We are committed to providing high-quality advice and support for postgraduate researchers. You can choose to tell us about your disability during the application process. See how in our information for disabled postgraduate researchers.

Disability information that you disclose on your research degree application form will not be visible to admissions colleagues, but it will be made available to our Disability Services team who will contact you should you accept an offer from us. You can also register with Disability Services in advance of accepting an offer.

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the admissions and scholarships selection process , please contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team to discuss your needs.

You are not obliged to inform us of any disability, but you will still be covered by the Equality Act (2010) if that disability becomes known to us.

Application process

Applying for a research degree is a simple five-step process:

Step 1 — choose an existing research project or start your own

For information on the research degrees we offer, visit our research opportunities directory.

Please make sure that you meet the following requirements before submitting your application: 

• The University's English language requirements.
• The academic entry requirements for your course. Programmes have different entry requirements. If you need confirmation of the academic and English language entry requirements for your programme, please contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team.
• Research degree fees.

Start dates vary and some academic schools and faculties have only one or two start dates per year. Main start dates are commonly in October and February. Please contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team for advice on when you can start your research or check individual school websites.

Start your own project

If you would like to start your own research project we recommend you are up to date with related literature and news so you are ready to discuss the direction you intend your research to take with potential supervisors. You need to identify the supervisors available to work with you. They must be experts in the topic you are interested in to ensure that your research is accurate and adding to current knowledge. You will then need to develop a research proposal for your application.

Please read the procedures for investigating plagiarism in a research proposal (at the admissions stage) (PDF), which explains the actions taken when plagiarism is suspected when processing an application. 

How to search for supervisors:

• Search in our research opportunities directory.
• Browse research news: find academics who are taking part in breakthrough research at the University.
• Check faculty websites: browse our faculty site list by subject to find our academics.
• Search for authors of recent research journals and articles on The Conversation and Academia websites.

The University also offers a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) qualification.  For further information on the MPhil please visit the Types of research degree page.  Please note that the MPhil is a stand-alone qualification and there is no progression route to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) via this programme.  If you wish to apply for an MPhil degree please contact the relevant postgraduate research admissions team to discuss the application process.

Step 2 – apply

When applying, it is important you state clearly the intended project or programme.

The supporting documents your school needs to process your application may vary but you must provide copies of your academic transcripts or certificates. 

You may also need copies of:

• your CV
• a research proposal
• certificates and transcripts of any academic qualifications
• English language qualification certificates
• visa and immigration documents.

All documents should be in English or be accompanied by a certified translation into English. They can be sent via the online research degree application or can be emailed to the relevant postgraduate research admissions team after you have submitted your application. Your email should include your student ID number (emailed to you on submission of your application), full name and your intended course of study.

Please do not send original documents at the application stage and only provide documents via email.  

References

In most faculties, you need to provide the names and contact details of a minimum of two academic referees in support of your application. These should be entered in the referees section of the online application form.

Read more about references for research degree applications.

Research proposal 

Some faculties require a brief description of the general research area you are interested in, or a specific research proposal. Be aware that the faculty may have deadlines for your proposal so be sure to ask before you apply. Your research proposal is submitted via the application form.

You may not need to provide a research proposal if you are applying for a pre-defined project studentship but please check when applying. 

Declaring a criminal conviction

If you have an unspent criminal conviction, you may need to declare it to us. This is usually required when we make you an offer that you wish to accept. For a small number of our courses, you will need to declare it when you apply. Having a criminal conviction will only rarely stop you from studying at Leeds. Find out more about declaring a criminal conviction.

Deadlines

We advise you to apply at least four months before your proposed start date. This is to allow sufficient time to review your application and undertake any additional checks. You may also need adequate time to apply for ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance or a Student visa, as well as making arrangements to travel to Leeds.

We cannot guarantee that we will be able consider applications received after this date and, where there is not sufficient time, we may consider you for the next possible start date instead.

If you are applying for a scholarship or funding opportunity, this may require you to apply for a place of study much earlier and in advance of funding deadlines, which can often be up to 12 months before the proposed start date.

After you have applied

If you have applied online you will be able to log in and track your research degree application’s progress. The school will contact you if it has any further entry requirements and to let you know if your application status changes. 

Step 3 – find scholarships and sources of funding

There are many options available for you to secure the funding you need to commence your research studies including scholarships and bursaries.

• UK research councils: competition for these scholarships is high but the majority of your fees will be funded so it is well worth applying.
• University research degree scholarships: we offer scholarships centrally and on faculty level to help fund your research.
• Alumni bursary: if you are a University of Leeds alumnus you could receive a 10% discount on tuition fees.
• Other sources of funding: there are databases with funding opportunities as well as charities to help support your research.

Step 4 – accept your offer

If your application is successful you will be sent an offer letter that you will need to respond to. You can accept your research degree offer online using your web login ID and web login PIN. 

If you do accept your offer you will be agreeing to the terms and conditions outlined in your acceptance letter and you should only do so if you have secured funding for your studies.

Changing the start date

To request a new start date, you should contact the relevant postgraduate researcher admissions team. If they are able to accommodate this change then a new formal offer letter will be issued with your revised start and end date. You will have to accept this new offer as outlined previously.