Physics
- PhD
- MSc by research
Overview
The School of Physics at Bristol University is one of the best Physics research environments in the UK - Bristol Physics research is ranked 4th in the UK (THE analysis of REF 2021). Our success today is built on immensely strong foundations: for more than 100 years, Bristol Physics has made major research contributions, including the discovery of the pi meson (Nobel Prize in Physics, 1950) and fundamental advances in quantum mechanics.
As a research student you will be a member of the Physics Graduate School, which comprises a community of up to 250 students from a diverse global background, and with a great gender balance. We have strong interactions with industry, and are well connected to the unique Bristol start-up and SME community, with opportunities for placements during your research programme and joint training activities.
Our Physics Graduate School organises social and scientific events to support you, coordinates skills training in Physics, organises induction, builds a community, and helps you navigate through the University procedures. We will also support your professional development as a teacher - many of our research students take up roles as paid Graduate Teaching Assistants for part of their working week, helping to support undergraduate programmes.
The School of Physics has a world-class reputation for cohort-based research training and has over the past ten years received UK national funding for Centres of Doctoral Training in Functional Nanomaterials, Condensed Matter Physics, Quantum Engineering, Particle Physics, Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning, and Advanced Computing.
Our research degree programmes are offered across six diverse research themes. For informal discussions before making an application, prospective students are encouraged to contact either the academic lead in the research theme of interest for guidance, or the potential supervisor for project discussions.
For your application you will need a CV, a personal statement introducing yourself and outlining your motivation for research, and details of your qualifications. Please see our Admissions Statement for more information.
Research Area:
Please make sure to indicate your preferred area of research at the top of your personal statement. This will help us to process the application effectively.
Choose from the research themes of the School of Physics:
- Astrophysics
- Materials and Devices
- Particle Physics
- Quantum and Soft Matter
- Quantum Engineering Technologies
- Theoretical Physics
If you have already contacted a potential supervisor or are replying to a studentship advert, please indicate the potential supervisors name on the application form.
Entry requirements
A first degree in physics or a related subject, normally at a level equivalent to at least UK upper second-class honours, or a relevant postgraduate master's qualification.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
Go to admissions statementIf English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level F.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £4,850 per year
- Home: part-time
- £2,425 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £26,700 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
In each academic year, the School of Physics has a number of scholarships for PhD degrees, which are awarded competitively to candidates with the highest research potential. The type of scholarship varies according to the research theme of the PhD opportunity. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Academic Contact in the research theme of interest for more information. The School also typically receives a number of University of Bristol PGR Scholarships each year.
The School also offers a number of MScR Research Bursaries, which provide financial support for part of the costs of the MScR research degree.
We warmly welcome applications from candidates who are applying for funding in their home country, for example; your own Government scholarships, China Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships, charities.
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
Graduates with Bristol Physics research degrees are highly valued by employers and universities across the world, as evidenced by our research graduates working successfully in a huge variety of fields spanning finance, large corporates, high-technology start-ups, education, academia, and many more. For all these professional occupations, the skills you will gain through your research degree will be invaluable.
A Bristol Physics research degree will equip you with a unique set of skills: the ability to analyse problems; the capability to plan a project; the expertise of communicating complex ideas; the ability to work independently for periods but also to work productively as part of a team; the confidence to write technically at different levels; and an ease in presenting and speaking. Your degree will give you many opportunities to practice and refine these important skills. All of these and more are highly valued by employers looking for leadership, initiative, numeracy, and an ability to plan and execute strategically.
Meet our supervisors
The following list shows potential supervisors for this programme. Visit their profiles for details of their research and expertise.
Research groups
The School of Physics has a strong international reputation across various research fields. The main themes include:
Astrophysics
Academic Contact: Dr Natasha Maddox natasha.maddox@bristol.ac.uk
Researchers study phenomena like extrasolar planets, black holes, galaxies, clusters, and cosmology using world-class telescopes. Theoretical and computational work interprets these observations, utilising Bristol’s supercomputing facilities. Students present at major conferences and engage in international projects, gaining training in observations, data analysis, and computational methods.
Materials and Devices
Academic Contact: Dr Natasa Vasiljevic n.vasiljevic@bristol.ac.uk
This theme focuses on innovative applications of physics in industries through advances in materials and devices. Research areas include semiconductor devices, nuclear materials, surface physics, and nanomaterials. The Centre for Device Thermography and Reliability (CDTR) leads in optimizing thermal management and electrical performance of devices. The Interface Analysis Centre (IAC) and the EMAM group also explore material surfaces, nuclear materials, and aerospace applications, collaborating with key industry players.
The Nanophotonics and Biophysics group focuses on imaging and characterization techniques for biological and medical applications, with strengths in scanning probe microscopy and surface physics research involving ultrathin films and catalysis.
Particle Physics
Academic Contact: Dr Sudarshan Paramesvaran sudarshan.paramesvaran@bristol.ac.uk
This theme is at the forefront of data analysis and operations for the CMS, LHCb, LZ and NA62 experiments. They work on the leading edge of research and development on novel detectors and systems for future experiments, such as the LHC upgrades, DUNE, Mu3e, XLZD, Linear Colliders and other related fields of study and research. More details on the research program and available areas for postgraduate study can be found on our website.
Quantum and Soft Matter
Academic Contact: Prof Antony Carrington a.carrington@bristol.ac.uk
Soft matter includes materials where thermal energy plays a key role, such as colloidal particles that exhibit non-equilibrium behavior. Our research explores quantum and classical matter, with a strong focus on high-temperature superconductors and liquid interfaces. Students work with low-temperature and high-pressure techniques to investigate phase transitions and novel phenomena in condensed matter.
Quantum Engineering Technologies
Academic Contact: Dr Carrie Weidner c.weidner@bristol.ac.uk
Quantum technologies enable tasks beyond classical systems, such as factoring large numbers or simulating quantum systems. Research focuses on quantum computing, communications, and sensing. Students work on creating devices and protocols for quantum information processing, exploring theory and experiments in these areas.
Theoretical Physics
Academic Contact: Dr Stephen Clark stephen.clark@bristol.ac.uk
Theoretical physics complements experimental work, interpreting results. Bristol’s notable contributions include the discovery of the Aharonov-Bohm effect and the Berry phase. Our research explores topological defects, solitons, and phase transitions in condensed matter, using novel computational techniques and machine learning for statistical physics. Students engage with quantum information research and the foundations of statistical mechanics.
Contact us
- Contact
Dr Ian Lindsay, Director of the Graduate School
- Phone
- +44 (0)
117 455 1593
physics-pg@bristol.ac.uk
- Contact
Ms Eszter Szatmari, Deputy Student Administration Manager
- Phone
- +44 (0)
117 455 1117
physics-pg@bristol.ac.uk
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