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MPhil in Biological Sciences by Advanced Study

 
student admissions in Cambridge. Credit: Sir Cam

Apply using the Applicant Portal

You can create, submit and pay for your application through the Applicant Portal, and indicate whether or not you wish to be considered for funding. You can also request references, manage your reference requests, and upload any other required supporting documentation.

An application is only complete when:

  1. you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
  2. you have paid the application fee if applicable. For further information on application fees, and which courses require an application fee, see the Postgraduate Study website.
  3. your referees have provided their references.

If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.

This course is part of a scheme within the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences which enables three applications to be made with payment of a single application fee. A list of other eligible courses and further information can be found on the Postgraduate Study website.


Selection Process

Applications are considered in gathered fields which roughly correspond to the University’s central funding competitions and then on a rolling basis until the application deadline. 

Interviews will last approximately 20-30 minutes and may be conducted in person, or by video conference.  Applicants are interviewed by at least two academic members of the pathway, including a member of the course management committee. 

Applicants who apply by the January funding competition deadline will be reviewed in January and can usually expect to receive a decision in February. We aim to have all decisions made by 15 June 2023. 

Further information on How To Apply


Things You'll Need

In order to apply for this course you'll need to think about getting a few things ready before you apply.

  • Two academic references 
  • Transcript 
  • CV/resume
  • Evidence of competence in English 
    If required - you can check using our tool
  • Statement of Interest (O)
  • Extra materials
    Widening Participation: we are working to improve contextualised understanding of the applications we receive. This course is piloting a mandatory supplementary application form. For more information about what the pilot aims to do and how your data will be used, please see here: www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/pilot-selection-procedures.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships

If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:

  • Gates Cambridge Reference 
  • Research Proposal (PhD applicants only)

See Gates Cambridge for more information.


How to Find a Supervisor

Students will be informed about available research projects after the start of term and the contributing research project supervisors will give short presentations about their research topics in the first few weeks. Students will then need to discuss project possibilities in detail with prospective project supervisors before coming to any decision. Three ranked choices should be emailed to the Course Director by the mid-October date detailed in the Course Handbook.

Note: Each lab may only choose one MPhil student from this course. 

The research project will start in late October, as detailed in the Course Handbook. Research will last for 32 weeks, ending in late June, followed by a 6-week writing-up period. 

 

Tips for MPhil applicants

Key contact

MPhil Coordinator

Email: mphil@bio.cam.ac.uk 

Dates and deadlines

Application deadline: 24 April 2024

Funding application deadline: 4 January 2024