Overview

Surrey's research in modern and contemporary writing explores themes including the work of living writers, the tradition and future of innovative writing, environment and climate change, the nature of publishing as an innovative and radical political enterprise, and literature and the body.

What you will study

University of Surrey 's Creative Writing PhD will train you in critical and analytical skills, research methods, and knowledge that will equip you for your future career. It normally takes between three to four years to complete our full-time PhD.

You’ll be assigned two supervisors who will meet with you regularly to read and discuss your work and make sure you’re on track. For us, writing is essential for understanding and developing new perspectives, so you’ll be submitting written work right from the start of your course.

In your first year, you’ll refine your research proposal and plan the structure of your work with the support of your supervisors. As you go into your second and third year, you’ll work more independently, and your supervisors will guide you on how to present at conferences and get your work published.

As a doctoral student in Literatures and Languages, you’ll receive a structured training programme covering the practical aspects of being a researcher, including grant-writing, how to publish in journals, and how to apply for academic jobs.

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Programme Structure

Research themes

Experimental poetry
Historical prose fiction
Literary prose fiction
Contemporary commercial fiction
Genre prose fiction.

Check out the full curriculum

Visit programme website

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months
Part-time
- 96 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-12 00:00:00
Starting 2027-01-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-11 00:00:00
Starting 2027-04-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-17 00:00:00
Starting 2027-07-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-18 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

130

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

OR

95

OR

5

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

76

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

7

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Delivered

On Campus, Online

Campus Location

Guildford, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Creative Writing Literature View 60 other PhDs in Creative Writing in United Kingdom

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Visit programme website

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

130

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

OR

95

OR

5

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

76

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

7

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a first or upper second-class (2:1) UK degree and an MA in a relevant topic.
In exceptional cases, students with a good first degree will be considered for creative writing where there is a substantial or promising creative portfolio.

Make sure you meet all requirements

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

21800 GBP / year

≈ 21800 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5238 GBP / year

≈ 5238 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time

UK £2,619
Overseas £10,900

Living costs

Guildford

United Kingdom

660 - 1140 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Creative Writing.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

What you will study

Get more details

Programme Structure

Check out the full curriculum

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

Explore more key information

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Make sure you meet all requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Guildford

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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