PhD information and how to apply
- How do I choose a project?
- How do I apply?
- How are PhDs funded?
- Overseas scholarships
- Monitoring PhD progress
- Teaching
- Courses
- Further information
How do I choose a project?
The number of studentships we can offer depends upon external funding and so varies from year to year. When projects become available, supervisors will post details in the section on “Current PhD opportunities”. The details will indicate any closing date and whether there are any restrictions on eligibility.
How do I apply?
Informal enquiries about PhD opportunities can be made at any time of year by contacting the postgraduate secretary, Elaine Sparey (elaine.sparey@bristol.ac.uk), Students wishing to apply for a PhD should submit their CV with a covering letter indicating the project(s) or areas of research they are interested in. Formal applications must be made through the Faculty using the Bristol postgraduate application form. Short-listed candidates will be invited for interview to enable us to identify the best candidate for each project.
Applicants can now apply online for all postgraduate programmes at the university. This is the university's preferred means of application. Applicants who prefer to apply on paper should use the new university forms.
How are PhDs funded?
PhD projects are normally funded by external sources so the Centre must apply to external bodies such as research councils and medical charities to obtain funding. Occasionally, funding will come from pharmaceutical or surgical companies or through University-funded studentships. The funding provided by these sources normally covers the PhD stipend (currently about £12K/anum tax free) and fees. Funding from these sources is normally for 3-4 years. Occasionally, some students will cover their own costs.
Overseas scholarships
Overseas students who have been awarded a PhD scholarship in order to study in the UK should contact the postgraduate secretary, Elaine Sparey (elaine.sparey@bristol.ac.uk) in the first instance for information about PhD opportunities in the Centre. Those wishing to apply should send a CV and a covering letter indicating their areas of interest, brief details of their award and their IELTS score so that their suitability and eligibility can be assessed. Short-listed students will be invited to submit a formal application and to participate in a telephone interview prior to making any offer.
Monitoring PhD progress
You will be in regular contact with your primary supervisor. This provides the main way of monitoring progress. In addition, all students have a secondary supervisor with whom they can discuss the project, future experiments and progress. There is also an advisory panel of two members of staff. The advisory panel are there for both formal and informal monitoring. Finally, there is the postgraduate tutor with whom you can discuss any issues related to PhD matters.
First year
Oral presentation
In year one you are required to present two work-in-progress talks. The first of these, normally in December, allows an assessment of the direction and aims of the project, as well as an assessment of your oral presentation skills. The second presentation is later in the academic year and allows assessment of progress.
Interview
In February you will have an interview with your advisory panel. This will consider issues of progress and aims of the project. This aims to identify early on whether there are any significant problems and how any obstacles to progress can be overcome.
Written report and interview
In June you have to produce a written report that provides (a) a literature review, (b) progress with experimental work, and (c) a plan of future work. Following submission of the written report, the postgraduate tutor and another member of the academic staff will interview you. These interviews and the report are used to assess both experimental progress and planning, and the development of writing skills. Following this interview recommendation will be made concerning progress into the second year.
Second year
In year two a brief written report is required and you normally give one Work-in-Progress talk. You will be interviewed by two members of staff in June to ensure satisfactory progress. The written report should indicate a brief timetable for completion of experimental work and for writing and submission of your thesis.
Third year
At around Easter of year three you will be interviewed by two members of staff. At this stage you should be confident about the final stages of the path to completion of your PhD. The interview will ensure that there is a realistic set of goals to ensure completion.
Teaching
Many of our PhD students contribute to departmental teaching. This may involve demonstrating in practical classes or running tutorials. You will be paid for any teaching that you do and it is also an invaluable experience for PhD students. You will be provided with appropriate help and guidance on teaching matters. Some of this will come through courses run specifically for this purpose.
Courses
You will be required to attend a number of courses and seminars to provide you with formal training in lab practice (e.g. safety, radiation protection), certain transferable skills (eg teaching, oral presentation, writing, statistics and IT related skills) and information about research related topics (eg ethics, intellectual property, entrepreneurship). The Graduate School in Biomedical Sciences runs these courses for all students in the faculty.
For further information
If you need any further advice or information do not hesitate to contact elaine.sparey@bristol.ac.uk