Required supporting documents
| Document | Details |
|---|---|
| Research proposal | Your research proposal of approximately 3,000 to 5,000 words. |
| Degree certificates | Please provide a certified English translation if applicable. |
| Degree transcripts | Your official transcript and grading scheme must be provided on submission. Please also provide a certified English translation if applicable. |
| Reports from two referees | Alternatively, you can provide the email addresses of two referees and the system will request these reports directly. |
| English language qualification | Required if English is not your first language. See Entry requirements for accepted certificates. |
| CV | Please provide a summary of your education, employment experience and achievements. |
Research proposal
Your research proposal is an essential part of your application that will be used to assess your suitability for the PhD programme. It should be approximately 3,000 to 5,000 words in length and clearly explain the research hypothesis, objectives, and why the research is important.
Please note: Your research proposal is liable to be submitted to the Turnitin plagiarism detection system.
Degree certificates and transcripts
Degree certificates and transcripts of an applicant's academic record are required in support of a postgraduate application. These should provide full details of the degree class and grades obtained in each unit or module and include the grading scheme. The official transcript and grading scheme must be provided on submission.
If these documents are not in English they should be accompanied by a formal certified translation into English.
Transcript grading scheme example (PDF)
References
Please ensure that you provide at least one academic reference in support of your application, this should be from your most recent studies, commenting on your suitability for the programme.
You may either:
- Upload two references on letter-headed paper signed and dated by the referees
- Select for the system to send an automated email request to your chosen referees with guidelines for uploading statements to the system
Uploading references
If uploading references to the system, please ensure that your references are:
- On official letter-headed paper (not a web download)
- each signed and dated by the referee
- No older than one year prior to the proposed start date
In addition, references should contain contact details for the referee including an email address belonging to an institution or organisation.
Sending reference requests
If sending an automated email request to your chosen referees, please note the following:
- Contact your referees prior to submitting your application to obtain their agreement to act as a referee for your application.
- Check your in tray on the university's online application system, EUCLID, to ensure your referees have uploaded their reports. We are unable to contact referees on your behalf, so it is your responsibility to issue any reminders should the need arise.