If you are contemplating a PhD in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, it is important to identify a researcher who is working in an area of research of mutual interest and is willing to be a supervisor. We, therefore, encourage you to find out about the research programmes within the Department by looking at our web pages and other background reading. You should then contact potential supervisors to find out about the possibility of working with them or someone in their group. Applications to Postgraduate Admissions for a PhD in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care will not be accepted without a named supervisor.
Access the potential Supervisor List.
Once you have identified a potential supervisor who has agreed to be named as such and agreed on a research proposal, a formal online application is required.
In addition, some formal training or experience in epidemiology and/or biostatistics will be needed. Students without such a background are encouraged to do the MPhil in Population Health Sciences before undertaking their doctoral studies. It is unlikely that students without such training will be accepted for a PhD.
Funding Opportunities for PhD Students
Further information on funding opportunities for students considering a PhD in Public Health and Primary Care are available here.
Admission to the University
You should apply for admission to the University using the University’s online Applicant Portal at https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/application-process/applicant-portal-and-self-service-account.
This includes those who:
- wish to apply for University-wide funding competitions (e.g. Gates, Cambridge Overseas & Commonwealth Trusts, Cambridge Home and EU Scholarships etc – please note these funding competitions all have very early deadlines https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/funding.
- wish to be considered for an award from the Department’s doctoral training grant.
- have been awarded a specific studentship/programme position in competition.
- wish to apply for a College studentship.
- have an external scholarship; or
- have your own funding.
Are you Eligible to Apply for Admission to our Programmes?
Competition for admission to the University of Cambridge postgraduate programme is intense. Like all departments in the Graduate School, we require all our postgraduate entrants to have:
- at least a 2.1 in an Honours degree or equivalent (e.g., CGPA 3.5/4.0) in a relevant subject
- two outstanding references from senior University staff at your most recent University
- fluency in the English language – recent IELTS test with an overall band score of at least 7.0 with not less than 7.0 in speaking, listening, and writing, and 6.5 in reading.
Before submitting an application prospective applicants should identify a Primary Supervisor who is supportive of their research proposal and application.
For more details of the University’s academic requirements see the University’s Graduate Prospectus – https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses.
Contact Us
Informal enquires concerning the course or how to apply are always welcomed. Please contact the Departmental PhD Administrator.