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Sustainable Resources MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2026/27 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Sustainable Resources MPhil/PhD (2025/26), click here

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2026/27)

£6,400

£3,200

Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)

£31,300

£15,650

Duration

3 calendar years

5 calendar years

Programme starts

October 2026

February 2027

May 2027

Applications accepted

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but should be submitted at least three months prior to your preferred start date.

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a relevant subject, is essential. Exceptionally: Where applicants have other suitable research or professional experience, they may be admitted without a Master's degree. Applicants with a lower second-class UK Honours Bachelor's degree (2:2) (or equivalent) must possess a relevant Master's degree to be admitted. We expect any successful application to include a sufficiently strong and convincing proposal, and those holding a Master's degree are typically well prepared to provide one. Relevant work experience is desirable.

The English language level for this course is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

PhD students at the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources work on a range of research projects relating to the sustainable use of the world’s resources – including energy, food, minerals and ecosystems. Using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods, our research analyses natural and human systems, on global, regional, and local scales. Through undertaking a research degree, our PhD students demonstrate the capacity to organise, carry out and communicate a substantial piece of research, presented in a thesis that demonstrates academic rigour and originality.

If you have a research idea that falls within our research themes, an MPhil/PhD in Sustainable Resources could be the right path for you. To get started with your application visit our ‘How to apply for a Sustainable Resources MPhil/PhD’ page. On this page we cover the four steps you need to apply, from writing an outline proposal and choosing a supervisor, through to submitting an expression of interest ahead of making your formal application.

Who this course is for

Our PhD students come from a wide range of backgrounds, at different career stages. They use their research degree as a stepping stone to careers in a range of sectors. They are united by their passion to make the world a better place, and their commitment to creating and communicating evidence to achieve this goal.

Read about what it takes to become a UCL graduate research student

What this course will give you

You will work in a vibrant and cooperative academic research environment. While everyone has their own research project, we strongly encourage students to participate fully in the work and activities of our Institute and to interact with other students and staff. We run internal and external seminar series, and the many universities and societies in London offer a rich academic environment for broadening your horizons in anything that interests you.

You will have access to a desk in the department, to libraries, to online resources, to specialist computing facilities, to software and to other resources as required.

You will have access to a wide range of formal and informal training opportunities, including taught courses, to underpin your personal development. This course does not have a formal taught element. The only formal examinations are the upgrade from MPhil to PhD, at the end of the first year for full-time students, and the oral examination of your thesis at the end of your studies.

You will be encouraged to attend and present your work at national and international conferences and workshops.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

Our PhD graduates have become senior figures in international organisations (e.g. European Commission, OECD, World Economic Forum, International Energy Agency, World Bank), government, academia (e.g. UCL, Imperial College London, University of Manchester, Columbia, Renmin University of China), research institutes (e.g. International Water Management Institute, Basque Centre for Climate Change), and companies (e.g. TransitionZero). (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-2023, LinkedIn)

“My PhD was key to prepare me for the role. It provided a rigorous training in economics, but it also offered me an opportunity to collaborate with and learn from experts of other disciplines – statisticians, social scientists, energy engineers, climate modelers, and spatial data scientists. The PhD taught me to find robust yet pragmatic solutions to complex challenges, drawing on the tool of rigorous analytics combined with the insights of local knowledge and experience. ” - Jun Rentschler, Senior Economist at The World Bank, graduated 2017

Discover some of our alumni’s experiences and career pathways ►

Employability

You will learn to be an independent researcher with the ability to identify and understand issues, and design and carry out a research programme to address them. You will be able to effectively articulate and communicate your findings to diverse audiences. A wide range of careers are available at the interface of the economy, resources and the environment.

Networking

Supervision and mentorship are available from world-leading researchers with national and international contacts and collaborations across policy, government, industry and academic sectors. These links provide real opportunities to network and collaborate with a wide variety of external partners. Students have the opportunity to showcase their research at national and international conferences. Our students also gain access to networking events, career workshops and exclusive seminars held by the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources and other institutes within the school.

Teaching and learning

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time.

Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline.

A full-time PhD is a significant time commitment. You should expect to dedicate around 36.5 hours per week to your research. You should meet frequently with your supervisors and engage with the departmental and UCL communities more widely through events, training, and networking opportunities.

Research areas and structure

Our research is built around six intersecting themes:

We also use a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods and host three research groups that focus on economic methods:

Research environment

UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources has a large PhD cohort working on a wide range of projects on natural and human systems, including global, regional and local studies. Our staff and students have a passion to make the world a better place, and a commitment to creating and communicating evidence to achieve this goal.

We are based in Central House in the centre of London. Desks are available for all students and academics using a hot-desking system.

In the latest national research assessment (REF 2021), our Faculty was number one for Research Power in the built environment, with 91% of research deemed ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’. Most of our research is undertaken in partnership with government and industry, grounding our work and create real-world impact.

All students are initially registered for an MPhil degree. Those studying full-time for a PhD undertake a formal “upgrade process” between 9 to 18 months, including a presentation and viva, and if successful are registered as PhD students. Students have up to two upgrade attempts.

The PhD normally lasts for three years. Once you have completed this initial period, you are able to enter an additional year of “Continuing Research Status”, with no further fees, if your studies are sufficiently advanced. Some funders instead offer four-year scholarships with no possibility of entering Continuing Research Status. You submit a thesis for assessment in an oral viva at the conclusion of your studies.

It is possible to study for an MPhil rather than a PhD degree from the outset, but this is rare.

Part-time students follow the same programme as full-time students, except that the course length is five years, with up to two additional years in Continuing Research Status, and the first upgrade attempt normally takes place after 15 months of initial registration.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27)	£6,400	£3,200
Tuition fees (2026/27)	£31,300	£15,650

Route code RRDEERSSUR01

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

There are no required additional costs for this course. Optional expenses may arise depending on your research activities and preferences. These may include memberships, fieldwork, specialist materials, or equipment purchases. Students may also choose to attend academic conferences or present research at external events. These activities may incur costs such as registration fees, travel, accommodation, and poster printing. Students undertaking primary data collection may also incur travel costs, particularly if research involves visits to community partners or external institutions.

If you have questions about possible additional costs related to your research proposal, you can discuss them with your potential supervisors in advance.

Limited departmental funding may be available to support additional costs.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

The Bartlett Promise Scholarship is a long-term project from our Faculty to attract students from a broader range of backgrounds and tackle the lack of diversity in the built environment. Please see the PhD scholarship page for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

We also occasionally have funded studentships available. These are advertised on the Funded Research Opportunities page and can be found by filtering to the ‘Bartlett School of Environment Energy and Resources’. If you would like funded studentship opportunities sent to you via email, please register your interest in studying Sustainable Resources at a postgraduate research level.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Are you ready to start your application for an MPhil/PhD at UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources? Follow the four-step process to start your application, reading the guidance on our ‘How to apply for a Sustainable Resources MPhil/PhD’ page. Once you have identified your project and supervisor, and have submitted an expression of interest to them, they will be able to give you feedback before you submit your formal application. Further details on how to apply to an MPhil/PhD can be found on the UCL Graduate Admissions website.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

This course requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Research Dept: UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources, Full-time

Research Dept: UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources, Part-time

Year of entry: 2025-2026