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PhD opportunities

Explore the different ways to apply for a PhD at NTU, including advertised projects, submitting your own research proposal, and studying at-distance. Find a PhD that works for you, and begin your research journey today.

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Applying for a PhD

A PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve. It usually takes three to four years to complete full-time, or up to eight years part-time. During your PhD, you will work on an original research topic under the guidance of our supervisors.

At NTU, we encourage and support a huge range of PhD opportunities. We invite you to apply for a project designed by our research staff, as well as submitting a proposal for your own novel research project.

Search our PhD projects

We provide funded, part-funded and self-funded PhD projects across a range of disciplines. Opportunities are available year-round. Search the PhD projects currently available, filtering by keyword, title or academic school.

Find a PhD

Propose your own PhD project

Decided on your own research topic? You’ll need to identify a supervisor whose expertise aligns with your own before putting together a research proposal. Explore our research strengths and staff interests to see if we can support you.

Find a supervisor

PhD Application Workshop

Join us on campus for an in-person workshop guiding you through the PhD application process and more.

Newton Building, City Campus - Monday 22 April 2024, 4 pm - 6 pm

Book now

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At-distance PhDs

Our at-distance PhDs have been designed for candidates who require a more flexible mode to complete their doctoral research. They particularly suit professionals looking to undertake research alongside their job, individuals with research interests local to where they live, or candidates with caring or other personal responsibilities.

These part-time, structured programmes are delivered online over four to seven years. Every researcher must normally spend at least eight weeks at NTU in any one academic year, to establish personal relationships with supervisors and benefit from face-to-face participation in the academic community.

We can offer at-distance PhDs across the majority of disciplines with projects aligned to our research centres. Contact the relevant Director of Doctoral Studies to discuss at-distance opportunities in more detail.

PhD start dates

We have four PhD intakes per year in October, January, April and June. The application deadlines for these are:

Start dateApplication deadline
October1 July
January1 October
April5 January
June1 April

How to write a research proposal

Whether you apply for a PhD project or submit your own research question, you will need to produce a research proposal and personal statement as part of your application. Read our advice on how to construct a successful proposal.

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PhD fees and funding

How much does a PhD cost? What is a stipend? Can I get a loan? Find out about our PhD tuition fees and the different ways you can fund it.

Funding your PhD