Postgraduate research in Mathematics and Statistics

• How to apply

  Academic entry requirements

  The minimum requirement set by the University for admission as a postgraduate research student is an upper second class Honours degree from a UK University (or an equivalent international degree). However, satisfying the minimum entry requirements is generally not sufficient to gain admission to the School’s PhD programme. Selection is made on the basis of academic quality of the applicants, and you usually need a good to very good first class Honours degree (or equivalent).

  The School requires that the first degree of an applicant is in Mathematics, Statistics or a very closely related subject.

  English language requirements

  The University of St Andrews welcomes postgraduate students from many countries. To enter the University of St Andrews as a postgraduate student you must be able to provide evidence that you meet the English language requirements.

  Application procedure

  To be considered for a PhD place you must make a formal application via the University of St Andrews online application form. Please read the instructions carefully before you apply. You should clearly state the research group you are applying for and who you would like to supervise your studies.

  All applications must include the following supplementary documentation before a decision can be made:

  • CV or résumé. This should include your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date.
  • Two original signed academic references - these will be requested when you have given contact details in your online application.
  • Academic transcripts and degree certificates - upload scanned copies.
  • English language requirements certificate.

  The School does not require a research proposal or a sample of written work.

• Application deadlines

  The School does not have a formal deadline for PhD applications, but all candidates are encouraged to submit their applications in early January in the year they want to begin their studies.

  Application deadlines for some scholarships and funding may be much earlier than this.

• Funding offered through the School

  The School can offer financial support to only a limited number of PhD students each year. Some of the funding available for PhD studentships is awarded to the School by UK Research Councils, currently EPSRC and STFC. Applicants will have the opportunity to apply for these sources of funding during the application procedure, and cannot apply directly to the funding councils in most cases. A small number of places may also be supported directly through School scholarships. 

  Financial support by UK Research Councils may be subject to eligibility conditions (such as UK/EU citizenship and UK residency).

• Other funding sources

  The University maintains a list of scholarships for research postgraduate programmes. Please be aware that many scholarships have early application deadlines.

  The University of St Andrews has a collaborative agreement with the China Scholarship Council to develop research collaborations between the UK and Chinese universities and research institutions. Funding is available through the China Scholarship Council of St Andrews Scholarships (PhD programmes) to full and joint PhD students in Mathematics.

• How applicants are selected

  The main selection criterion for a PhD place in St Andrews is academic excellence. It is therefore very important that the School receives your complete application, including references, as early as possible.

  Applications for PhD places and for funding are usually considered separately. Offers of PhD places are not always accompanied by offers of funding.

  Once the School has offered PhD places, they will then select the academically best-qualified applicants for financial support. Financial support is subject to availability of funds and eligibility.

  The first meeting to decide about PhD funding is held in mid-January, and subsequent meetings are held approximately monthly until all funding is allocated.

• Application criteria

  The School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of St Andrews values diversity and nurtures an inclusive community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect regardless of individual characteristics such as age, gender, disability, religion or ethnicity. It is firmly committed to the progression of women, and other historically under-represented groups, in mathematics and holds a Bronze Award of the Athena SWAN programme for women in science. A growing proportion of our Ph.D. students are women, currently approximately 40%. The school supports the principles of the London Mathematical Society Good Practice Scheme.

  The University is committed to equality for all, demonstrated through our working on diversity awards (ECU Athena SWAN/Race Charters; Carer Positive; LGBT Charter; and Stonewall).  To support the diversity of our staff, the University supports the Staff BAME Network; Staff with Disabilities Network; Staff LGBTIQ+ Network; and the Staff Parents & Carers Network. We also promote the ‘BAME Staff Profiles’ and the ‘LGBTIQ+ Staff Role Model Members’ initiative. For details refer to: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/hr/edi/

  Application criteria

  The School of Mathematics and Statistics is committed to a transparent and equitable selection process for PhD places and funding. The following criteria will be used when evaluating applicants:

  • Academic merit: degree type and classification; at least an upper second class degree (or equivalent) is required
  • Research potential: e.g. previous research experience or employment, published papers
  • Alignment of research interests with research areas of supervisors in our school
  • Personal and professional development: e.g. non-research work experience
  • Outreach: public communication of mathematics and statistics

  Applicants should explain how they meet these criteria in their application materials and personal statement.  The personal statement may also address other issues such as why the applicant wants to study in St Andrews, in a particular research area, or with a specific supervisor. We will consider the accomplishments of prospective students in the context of their background. We also consider factors internal to the School, such as whether the proposed supervisor is a new supervisor (weighted positively) and whether the research group applied to has relatively few PhD students.

  Prior to submitting an application, prospective applicants are welcome and encouraged to contact potential supervisors and/or the Director of Postgraduate Research (maths-dopgr@st-andrews.ac.uk) to discuss PhD studies in our school, and to seek guidance or clarification on preparing and submitting an application. This will not form part of the assessment of an applicant.

  We welcome all applications and will assist the selected applicants so that they can thrive in St Andrews. In the event that two or more applicants rank similarly using the criteria above, preference may be given to applicants to a research group where the ratio of Ph.D. students to permanent academic staff members is lower than other research groups. Applications may by unsuccessful if there is no supervisor currently available for the proposed research project or research area.

  Applications for PhD places and for funding are usually considered separately, both using the above criteria. Offers of PhD places are not always accompanied by offers of funding.

  The award of externally funded places may have additional criteria that applicants are required to meet, e.g.  a particular research area or project, or residency of a particular country.  Details of these criteria can be found in the University of St Andrews Funding and Scholarship’s portal: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/postgraduate/

  PhD applications are reviewed by the school PGR committee approximately monthly from mid- January onwards.