Overview

The Biology PhD research degree from University of York is proud to be ranked first for research impact and top 10 for overall research performance in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2014.

Our almost 70 principal investigators are supported by current grants totalling £52 million. Every step of our research is carried out with the indispensable help of postgraduate students. No matter which area of Biology you specialise in, you will be working alongside some of the world’s biggest names in their respective fields, at the cutting edge of scientific exploration. Learn more about our academic staff and their research interests.

Careers:

A research degree is internationally recognised as a demonstration that you have the skills, intellect and motivation to carry out original research and present it convincingly. It is more or less essential to have a research degree if you plan a career as an independent researcher with responsibility for your own research programme, whether in academia, research institutes, or industry. In this case, the next stage will probably be a postdoctoral position where you will broaden your research experience and perhaps do some teaching and help to supervise other staff and students.
A lifetime of research is not for everyone, though, and there are many other careers in which the skills you develop during your research degree will certainly not be wasted. You will have learnt to think rigorously for yourself, to find information and teach yourself what you need to know, to present your case convincingly in writing and to an audience, to meet deadlines, and to plan your work effectively on short and long timescales. Employers of all kinds recognise and value skills like these.

Programme Structure

All our research students benefit from a balanced programme of training in broader research-related skills that enhance their career prospects. This is tailored to individual needs, taking into account previous experience and future career aims.

General courses for all students include project planning, writing and presentation skills, ethics and integrity, data science and teaching.
Specific courses for individual needs might include advanced science training through our Masters modules in bioinformatics, etc.
We have an in-house Graduate Skills Coordinator who oversees our training provision and develops it to meet the needs of all our students.
Each student has a training record and needs to spend about two weeks each year on training activities.
Our course is designed to meet and exceed the requirements of the UK research councils.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months
Part-time
- 72 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-01-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2024-10-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2025-04-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-01-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2025-07-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-04-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2025-09-15 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-06-15 00:00:00 , International

More details

If you're an international student, it's best to apply at least three months prior to your intended start date.

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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TOEFL^® IBT

87

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Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Biology View 139 other PhDs in Biology in United Kingdom

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

Schedule an IELTS test!

TOEFL^® IBT

87

Pass IELTS with Swoosh English! Sign up for a free writing masterclass or claim your exclusive 25% Studyportals discount and accelerate your preparation by taking a course designed by experts to get you the results you need.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of York and/or in United Kingdom, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Other requirements

General requirements

Before submitting an application you need to identify a research project that interests you. We would encourage you to email a 2-page academic CV along with a brief supporting statement explaining why you are interested in the project, to the appropriate academic member of staff for discussion. The potential supervisor will decide whether or not you should submit an application through our University online system.
To browse the research projects available and apply for a postgraduate degree programme, please click on the fully-funded PhD projects or self-funded projects button in the degree programme section above. To propose your own research project and apply for a postgraduate degree programme please click on the self-funded projects button.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

27900 GBP/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 27900 GBP per year during 36 months.
National

4786 GBP/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 4786 GBP per year during 36 months.

Living costs for York

646 - 1124 GBP /month

Living costs

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

Funding

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Biology.

Available Scholarships

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

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