Postgraduate opportunities
Postgraduate students are crucial to the research done in Theoretical Physics. Each year we take on new PhD students, as well as MSc by Research students who often go on to a full PhD.
Research opportunities for students can, in principle, span any of the activities of the theme. They are completed under the supervision of an academic.
As a member of the Theoretical Physics theme, a research student’s work will likely involve developing sophisticated analytical and/or numerical tools. These will be used to answer challenging scientific questions in quantum information, condensed matter and soft matter physics.
A list of frequently asked questions about applying for a PhD in Theoretical Physics are answered below.
Who to contact
What projects are available?
You are not required, and nor is it advisable for you, to propose a complete PhD project. Instead, each year we offer 3-4 projects supervised by academics in Theory.
Please email the postgraduate admissions tutor (see “Who to contact” box) to get the Theory project list for the current academic year.
Should I contact potential supervisors directly?
As mentioned above, your first point of contact should be the postgraduate admissions tutor. They will let you know what projects are available and which academics are looking for PhD students. After this you can contact those academics directly to find out more information.
What should I write in the “Personal statement” section of the application form?
It is common, and useful, for the personal statement to form a cover letter tailored to Bristol for your application. You can discuss past physics projects you have completed and the skills you have learnt. You can also explain how this has informed the choice of PhD topic you now wish to pursue.
You should reference a specific project and supervisors available in the Theory project list. This is your opportunity to show your passion for a topic, describe why you find it so interesting, and what you would like to get out of a PhD in that area. Most importantly, it is your opportunity to sell yourself as our next new research colleague in Theory.
There is no formal word count; it can be a couple of paragraphs or a page at most.
What should I write in the “Research Proposal” section of the application form?
The title of this section is a bit misleading. As stated above you are not required to propose a complete PhD project and title.
We recommend that you insert the name of the supervisors and title from the list of Theory projects available. You can list more than one if you wish. This will help us ensure the correct academics review your application.
How important are academic references?
In short, references are very important. To review your application, we need a full picture of your performance over your degree course. We also need an overview of your aptitude and potential for research.
Typically, one reference will be a personal tutor, and another will be your final year project supervisor. References from outside your home institution are also very welcome, for example, if you have completed a summer project.
How does PhD funding work?
You are not expected to have secured funding before applying for a PhD. Like most top research-intensive universities, PhD offers will usually come with a fully funded studentship. In physics there are two main sources for such funding.
The first and most common source is for a PhD offer to be awarded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). A limited number (<10) of studentships are allocated to the School of Physics as a part of its doctoral training partnership (DTP).
The second source is University of Bristol and Alumni endowment funded studentships. The number of these studentships has increased significantly recently. Both these sources of funding can also be supplemented by industrial funding, say on a 50:50 basis.
In the “Funding” section of the application form, it is enough to write: “I would like to be considered for an EPSRC DTP or University of Bristol studentship for 100% funding”. Should a supervisor in Theory wish to consider you for a PhD, they will put your name forward to the internal competition for one of the studentships. You will be made a formal offer if funding is secured in the process.
Are there alternative forms of funding?
Another option for funded PhD studentships is a doctoral training centre (or CDT). They often have a separate application process. In Bristol we have the Quantum Engineering CDT. Once accepted on this programme it is possible for your main project to be supervised by someone in Theoretical Physics.
We also consider applicants who have secured their own funding or are self-funded. Please provide details on the form.
Is the funding available for international or EU students?
Yes. A sizable fraction of the funded studentships mentioned above can be awarded to international and EU students. For a limited number of exceptional overseas students, we can also support applications for studentships from their own government. One example is the China Scholarship Council.
How many PhD students does Theoretical Physics take on each year?
It depends on the funding and supervisory capacity available on a given year. However, as a guide, Theoretical Physics often secures 1-3 such studentships each year from the sources mentioned above. This is based on 30+ applications.
What happens in the review process of my application?
All applications to Theoretical Physics are reviewed by the postgraduate admissions tutor for the research theme. They are also reviewed by at least one other academic, typically listed as a potential supervisor.
We are looking for academically exceptional students who show strong potential for research. This means that your CV, university transcript and references all play an important role in our judgement.
We will short-list around a dozen students for interview. Over the past couple of years these have been online but may switch back to in-person in the future. Of the interviewed candidates, we may put 3-4 forward for the internal studentship allocation competition.
When is the best time to apply?
In principle, PhD applications can be made all year round. There is, however, a recruitment cycle which it is advisable to be aligned with to maximise your chances of success.
For this reason, we recommend to begin researching PhD projects at the start of the new academic year. You should consider submitting your application around December-January time.
Typically, we start interviewing candidates in early-mid February. The first round of studentship awarded from our internal competition is usually around March. Formal PhD offers will then be made shortly after this.
Later applications are also be considered in further rounds, but there may be a much smaller number of studentships available.