UCL Department of Physics and Astronomy

UCL Astrophysics Group

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How to Apply and FAQs

The call for applications is now close. 

The information below will be updated in due course for the 2014 call for applications.

You will need to complete a UCL application form and provide two letters of reference. On-line applications are encouraged but we ask that you first fill in few details for our own record  (to know why see important note below). Once you have filled in our pre-registration form, you will be redirected to the official UCL application form. The paperwork is largely straightforward, but please include in your 'personal statement' an explicit note of which of our research areas interest you most (e.g., "cosmology, brown dwarfs"; if you haven't decided what interests you most, or if you're interested in anything and everything, that's also useful information for us).

You can of course also send in paper copies if you prefer - the application and reference forms (pdf format) are available for download. Applications on paper should be sent to:

Group A Admissions,
Dept. Physics & Astronomy,
UCL,
Gower Street.
London WC1E 6BT
United Kingdom

and not, as instructed in the form, to the UCL Registry – this will only delay processing of your application (see the "important note" below). We will forward the paperwork within UCL, on your behalf (far more promptly than they forward paperwork to us).

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:   Due to delays in the UCL central processing we would like to keep a record of everyone that applies online. This is why before you are redirected to the main UCL online application we ask you to fill in few details.

• The deadlines for PhD applications to reach the Dept. of Physics & Astronomy are 15th February for UK (or UK residents) candidates and 28th of January for overseas or EU candidates seeking scholarships (why?). 
  

• Our normal minimum requirement for admission is a 2:i MPhys/MSci or equivalent (if your course can lead to that qualification; 2:i BSc otherwise), in an appropriate subject (normally, but not exclusively, physics or astrophysics).

  If you don't meet these requirements, you may be interested in our MSc programme; the MSc meets entry requirements for our PhD programme. At the risk of confusing you...for obscure administrative reasons, all students entering our PhD programme are initially registered for an MPhil (not an MPhys, MSci, or MSc!), and formally transfer to PhD studies at the end of the first year. If you encounter reference to the "MPhil" anywhere, just ignore it - in practice, our Master's-level degree is the MSc.

• Note that if you are eligible for STFC funding (see eligibility criteria) you do not need to apply for funding separately - all you need to do is click 'Studentship' under the funding header of the application. If we offer you a place, this will automatically come with a studentship. If you are not eligible for STFC funding, look at sources of funding for non-UK residents

IMPORTANT NOTE:
SUBMIT PAPER APPLICATIONS TO PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY, NOT THE UCL REGISTRY;
EMAIL CONFIRMATION, AS WELL AS PDF IF POSSIBLE, OF E-SUBMISSIONS TO PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY

Why do we ask you to do this? Every year around Jan/Mar, the central UCL system is overwhelmed by applications to its many Departments, and our experience is that delays in forwarding papers of several weeks or more invariably arise as a consequence (e.g., an application received at the Registry on 2007 March 12 arrived in P&A in July!).

We will forward paper submissions to the College Registry. E-submissions automatically go to the registry, but send a note of your submission to phd AT star.ucl.ac.uk