What qualifications do I need?

The normal minimum entrance qualification for PhD registration is one of the following:

• At least an upper second class honours degree from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a subject relevant to the project
• A masters degree in a subject relevant to the project
• A registered qualification in medicine or veterinary studies
• A professional qualification obtained by written examination and approved by the University of London as an appropriate entrance qualification.

What if English is not my first language?

You must be able to communicate clearly in English, both verbally and in writing. Please review our English Language Proficiency pages to see if you need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency.

If you are not exempt from proving your English language proficiency, you must take an IELTS-Academic test (from the British Council). You need to achieve an overall score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each sub-test. The test result must have been obtained within 2 years of the start-date of the course.

How do I apply?

To apply please complete our online application:

We may have more than one project advertised when you apply, so please ensure you select the correct project that you are applying for. If you are applying for a project that is not advertised, please select the option “I have a PhD project in mind and I am in touch with a supervisor”.

Before you begin filling in the form you should have the following information to hand:

• Your CV
• A personal statement
• An electronic copy of your degree certificate(s) - this must be a certified translation if the original was not issued in English
• A transcript of your degree(s) - this must be a certified translation if the original was not issued in English
• 2 references, see our reference page for more information. These can either be uploaded directly to the form, or their contact details entered, which will automatically send an email to your referees requesting them to submit a reference. 

Please Note:

• You will not be able to apply using a RVC email address. Please use a non-rvc email address to create your applicant account.

If you are experiencing any problems registering with the online application system please contact admissions@rvc.ac.uk.

Overseas Students

If you are an overseas student you will need to meet the same requirements, and follow the same steps as listed above. If you are applying for a studentships that only covers "Home" fees, you will need to specify on the application how you will be funding the difference in "Overseas" and "Home" fees.

In addition if you are funding yourself or are in receipt of a scholarship or grant from your government or other funding body we will also need to see evidence that you can meet the tuition fees and bench fee costs for your PhD project.

What happens after the application deadline

PhD applications are checked for eligibility by the Admissions Team and eligible candidates are then short-listed by project supervisors. All short-listed PhD applicants will be invited to an interview at either the Camden or Hawkshead campus, which they must attend (in some circumstances, interviews can be conducted via Zoom).

Short-listed applicants will be interviewed by a panel of two senior academics from the RVC. The panel may be joined by the project supervisors, or a separate interview arranged with the supervisory team.