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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 ‘application process’ section of this page 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.

Apply online for a research degree

Please read the ‘application process’ section first.

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 Admissions Enquiries team via study@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 applicants

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.

Applicants aged under 18

If you will be aged under 18 on 1 October of the year of entry onto your course, see our guide for applicants aged under 18.

Application process

Applying for a research degree is a four-step process:

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

Visit our research opportunities directory to search for research projects, funding, supervisors and research areas.

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

Start dates vary. For advice on when you can start your research, please see the information on start dates and application deadlines.

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:

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 that you state clearly the intended project or programme.

Supporting documents

Make sure you have all the required supporting documents scanned and ready to upload with your application.

All documents should be in English or accompanied by certified translations into English.

You must provide:

  • Your official degree certificate and transcripts showing your degree class/grade and the grades obtained in each unit or module. If you are still studying, provide a partial/interim transcript as evidence of your grades so far. Please include a grading scale if this is not clear from your transcripts.
  • Evidence of English language proficiency, if you hold this at the time of application. 

If you are an international student who requires a Student visa and you have previously studied in the UK on a Student visa (or equivalent), you must also provide your previous immigration documents, such as your:

  • Visa
  • Share code
  • BRP (Biometric Residence Permit)
  • CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)

Depending on your intended research programme, you may also need to provide additional documents, such as:

  • Your CV
  • A research proposal, or a brief description of the general research area you are interested in

In most faculties, you need to provide the names and contact details of a minimum of two academic referees in support of your application. Read more about references for postgraduate research degree applications.

Please check the specific document reuirements in the programme details or with the relevant postgraduate research admissions team before you apply.

Your documents can be submitted alongside your online application or emailed to your postgraduate research admissions team after you have applied. Your email should include your student ID number (emailed to you on submission of your application), full name and your intended course of study.

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.

For advice on when to apply, please see the information on start dates and application deadlines.

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to 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 the progress of your research degree application. 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.