Your completed online application should contain:

1. Two academic references. References should comply with our standard requirements outlined on our guidance pages
2. University degree certificates and transcripts to date (transcripts are documents showing your grades for individual units/essays/exams throughout your degree). Please provide documents from all previous undergraduate and postgraduate study.
3. Your IELTS certificate or equivalent documentation to show that you meet the minimum language requirements detailed in Profile B.
4. A 3,000 word research proposal (stating the aims and objectives of the research, detailing the research design and methods, and including a bibliography). 
5. A personal statement highlighting the motivation for applying for the course, and any relevant experience and/or skills (1-2 pages only).
6. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) which might include details of other relevant work experience and qualifications to support your application (1-2 pages only).

Please note that your application is not considered complete until all of the above has been received. 

Once your application has been submitted and checked it will be sent to potential supervisors for review. Please note that it can take a number of weeks to review an application and make a decision. Decisions will be published to you via the online application portal. 

If you wish to commence a PhD starting in September 2025 you would generally need to have submitted your complete application before July 1st 2025. Earlier deadlines will apply for scholarship applications.

Please note that if you are wishing to commence your study at any time after September (such as January) this is only possible at the discretion of your supervisors. 

If you are interested in being considered for any scholarships, we strongly advise that you submit your complete online application form for the relevant PhD programme well in advance of the advertised deadline. 

Please read through the eligibility criteria and application instructions carefully for each scholarship. You may be asked to complete the application form in a certain way or be required to submit separate documents to be eligible for consideration.

Please specify the scholarship(s) that you wish to apply for by selecting the corresponding funding source drop-down list in your application form, if the funding is not listed please select 'other' and specify the award in the free text box. This will highlight to our admissions tutors which funding you wish to be considered for should you be made an offer of study on the programme.

Applicants wishing to apply for SWDTP ESRC-funding should apply to the relevant PhD programme directly.

**Note: You must hold an offer from the University of Bristol before submitting the application documents for a SWDTP ESRC studentship.**

The SWDTP ESRC scholarship application is a three step process;

1. Submission of complete University of Bristol PhD postgraduate application form. (including all references) - Deadline for 2025/26 is 12.00 (Noon) GMT Monday 2nd December 2024
   
2. Submission of completed SWDTP application documents (PhD offer holders only) to spais-pgr@bristol.ac.uk - Deadline for 2025/26 is 12.00 (Noon) GMT Tuesday 14^th January 2025
3. Offer holders and their supervisors must meet for an online "research conversation" as part of the SWDTP application process (this must take place before January 21st 2025)

To be eligible for consideration for China Scholarship Council studentships you must submit your PhD postgraduate application form with a valid English language certificate by 12 noon (UK time) on Monday 2 December 2024.

If nominated by the University of Bristol, you must apply directly to the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for a scholarship by Monday 31 March 2025.

• Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarship
• Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarship ring-fenced for candidates of Black and mixed Black heritage, who are UK domiciled with Home fee status   applicants must also complete this online form by the above deadline to be eligible for consideration.
• Cotutelle scholarship with Macquarie University Please read the eligibility requirements carefully if you wish to apply for this funding. Candidates for this Cotutelle must have also applied directly to Macquarie for a PhD enrolment here.

The final deadline for submission of complete online applications for the above scholarships is: 12 noon, Friday 24^th January 2024.

Please note that it can take several weeks to review PhD applications. We strongly recommend that applications are submitted well in advance of the deadline to ensure offers can be made before the school scholarship committee meets. Offer holders will be sent a scholarship nomination form which will include the submission of a 1000 word research proposal. The deadline for nomination forms to be completed and returned to spais-pgr@bristol.ac.uk is 12 noon,  February 6^th 2025.