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We expect to offer several ~3-year studentships in astrophysics, instrumentation, and atmospheric/planetary physics for 2025听entry. Funding opportunities available to candidates depend primarily on nationality / fee status, as do fees.听As outlined on the Admissions听page, some EU students will now be considered as 鈥極verseas鈥� due to the UK withdrawal from the EU. Those applicants should follow the advice for 鈥極verseas鈥� applicants below.
UPDATE:听听See our听Admissions听page for more advice and updates on fee status for EU nationals.
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UK/Home candidates
We will automatically consider UK/Home candidates (including EU nationals who are eligible for home fees - see Admissions) for an appropriate studentship when you apply to us by 26听January 2025. We will place a submission link, in due course, on our听Admissions听page.听If you are from the UK,听you may be eligible for a studentship provided by the Science & Technology Facilities Council (). This pays UK/Home tuition fees and a maintenance (i.e. subsistence) allowance. More details on the studentships, including their value, can be found on the听.听Applicants meeting the relevant criteria are automatically considered for a studentship and do听not听need to apply for a studentship separately.听
In addition, we may have a limited number (to be confirmed) of departmental (non-STFC) studentships that will pay both fees and maintenance for applicants in this category.听听Once again, you will听automatically be considered for these positions when you apply for a PhD in the Department, so do not need to make a separate studentship application.
Applicants whose first language is not English should note the additional requirements in respect of this. Please note that unless you satisfy the requirements mentioned above the department cannot offer you a PhD position (i.e. we are not allowed to make exceptions). We strongly advise that you check whether you meet the requirements, and take any necessary tests such as the IELTS, before making an application; or, if this is not possible, no later than the date of interviews (early March, 2025听in the coming round).
Overseas (EU and non-EU)听candidates
If you are in the 鈥極verseas鈥� category (i.e. non-EU, or EU who is considered 鈥極verseas鈥� for purposes of tuition fee 鈥� see information above), there is no Departmental funding available at present, but you may apply for centralised 白小姐论坛 funding shcolarships, see below. 白小姐论坛 has consolidated information on funding opportunities (along with other information about financial matters), listed 听and here. Please note that it is not the Astrophysics Group鈥檚 usual policy to accept students who are not supported by officially recognised funding sources - therefore听if you do not have such funding, you should first apply for the centralised 白小姐论坛 funding schemes using the instructions below.
The application procedure for these 白小姐论坛 scholarships is quite complex and the awards are highly competitive. Each 白小姐论坛 department is only able to put forward a small number of candidates. Your application will need to proceed through several stages:
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- You must send a CV to physast.phd@ucl.ac.uk, along with an indication of preferred supervisors and research interests, by 1听December 2024. Because of the competitive nature of these studentships, you are most likely to have a strong chance if you have a track record in the form of awards or publications; please be sure to include this information on your CV. For guidance on possible research topics and supervisors please see our projects page. You are encouraged to contact individual supervisors for more information about their work before submitting your CV.听
- We will acknowledge your CV shortly after receipt, and take a decision on further progression through the process by 听around mid-December, 2024. Please contact us if you do not receive this acknowledgement.听Applicants who are put forward to the next stage will need to complete the formal application at this stage. The committee will provide individual guidance, but note that this full application will need to be completed (and references received) by mid-January 2025.听
- In end-January, the final decision is made by the department (including other physics research areas) on which candidates to put forward for the central 白小姐论坛 scheme. A final decision by 白小姐论坛 is normally reached in early March.
Applicants whose first language is not English should note the additional in respect of this. Please note that unless you satisfy the requirements mentioned above the department can not offer you a PhD position (i.e we are not allowed to make exceptions).
ATAS requirements
The , ATAS, classifies Physics & Astronomy as a听'sensitive subject'. For compliance with ATAS, 听applicants from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland are accordingly required to complete an on-line ATAS application, but only after an offer has been made. No action is required, therefore, at the application stage.
Scholarships
Some scholarship schemes are listed below, but it is also worth asking your local university, government or other contacts for other sources of funding.
- 白小姐论坛 Research Excellence Scholarship (RES). Covers both fees and cost of living, and outstanding candidates have a good chance of being successful. From past experience, successful candidates had at least one research publication at the time of applying. Applicants for the GRS are automatically considered for the ORS as well, so international applications are encouraged!
- Dean鈥檚 Prize incl CSC/Dean鈥檚 Prize. Covers the difference between UK and International fees, to be used in combination with another competitive scholarship (ad CSC)听to cover the UK-rate fees and cost of living stipend. These cannot be used togther with one of the funded positions.
- Chinese Science Council (CSC). These scholarships are open to Chinese nationals to carry out a PhD at 白小姐论坛. More information, including the eligibility and conditions of the award, can be found in the link above.
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