Continuing on to PhD

Opportunities for PhD study at Cambridge

All Departments and Faculties in the Humanities and Social Sciences offer at least one PhD programme, open both to current MPhil students at Cambridge and those with, or pursuing, Masters qualifications from other Universities. 
Applicants for the PhD in History and Philosophy of Science should have achieved a UK Masters (Distinction).
Applying for a PhD as a continuing student works exactly like 'regular' admission. You make​ your application through the University's applicant portal and supply supporting documents.​ However, if you are currently studying at Cambridge, you do not need to provide the​ Postgraduate Admissions Office with evidence of your results. If you are hoping to progress to a PhD at another University, you should make a direct application by the published closing date (this can be any time from November to April)
It is common for students to seek a PhD place to start directly after their Masters studies. However, this is not essential, and you may instead wish to consider taking a break between your MPhil and a PhD. If you do aim to continue directly to PhD, either at Cambridge or elsewhere, you will need to apply very early in your MPhil. Any offer of admission would then be conditional on your MPhil grade (and may have other conditions attached).
There is no inherent advantage or disadvantage to either of the above options; students without a confirmed MPhil grade are considered on their merits alongside those who already have a Masters qualification. As a potential applicant, you may want to consider which route is better for you, and you should certainly discuss this with your supervisor. For example, if you already can demonstrate good marks early in your MPhil, it may suit you to apply to start a PhD without a gap between degrees. If you wish to apply on the strength of your dissertation, it may be better to wait until you know its outcome.

Funding for PhD studentships at Cambridge

Cambridge has a number of internal funding schemes for PhD students, all of which are highly competitive. However, around 80% of PhD students in the Humanities and Social Sciences at Cambridge succeed in securing full funding for their PhD studies. Many of the internal funding schemes require your Department to nominate those applicants they think are most suitable. The timelines on these funding schemes can vary widely. For some schemes, you may have to provide extra materials, whereas for others, you will be automatically considered and do not have to do anything additional. You should be aware that studentships are awarded entirely on merit, though they are sometimes restricted to certain characteristics, such as nationality. There is no specific advantage gained if you are already a Cambridge student; however, the availability of funding at Cambridge is much greater than most other Universities, which benefits both continuing and incoming students.

Timelines for application to continue

You will need to consider carefully how to manage an application for continuation alongside the programme of study in your first term – your MPhil will be a demanding programme so you will need to balance your time. Speak with your supervisor about this. There are two deadlines for each PhD programme:

  • (i) Early deadline – for applicants requiring funding. There will be a deadline either in early December or in early January (check with your Department), around the time you will be submitting your first written work for MPhil and sometimes before you have received any graded work. If you apply for this deadline, you should have a funding outcome by April – although note that several funding schemes continue to make offers quite late into the year.
  • (ii) Later deadline – all courses close on 15 May each year. If you apply close to this deadline, it is much less likely that you will be considered for any University studentship funding for your PhD. Seeking advice In the first instance, you should discuss your intentions with your MPhil supervisor. Your College tutor will also be able to advise you. This will be an opportunity to discuss your research interests and to get advice on how to prepare an application. It’s also a good idea to seek out some 1st year PhD students in your Department, to get their advice and tips, especially if they have continued from a Cambridge MPhil.

Seeking advice

In the first instance, you should discuss your intentions with your MPhil supervisor. Your College tutor will also be able to advise you. This will be an opportunity to discuss your research interests and to get advice on how to prepare an application. It’s also a good idea to seek out some 1st year PhD students in your Department, to get their advice and tips, especially if they have continued from a Cambridge MPhil.