Frequently asked questions

A PhD is the highest university degree you can study for. It involves undertaking a substantial piece of independent research with the support of your supervisor(s) and the wider research community. This project is intended to make an original contribution to knowledge and understanding in your discipline(s).

Some terminology

The UK's postgraduate research landscape can be very complex, and there's some terminology that can help you to make sense of it. You might hear or read about:

“Traditional” PhDs 

Traditional PhDs are probably what most people picture when it comes to doctoral study. They involve undertaking a largely independent research project over the course of 3 years, culminating in a written thesis.

Practice-based PhDs

These are similar to traditional PhDs in that you’ll undertake a substantial research project. However, this research may be conducted through practice in a particular field, from creative writing to engineering, and culminate in a body of work and critical commentary, rather than a thesis.

Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs)

These are partnerships between multiple universities who advertise traditional PhD projects, or provide funding for self-proposed projects, across broad subject areas, such as the Social Sciences. You might hear someone mention Doctoral Landscape Awards - these are how UKRI funds DTPs.

Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs)

These are partnerships between multiple universities, or departments within a university, and often industry partners who deliver more structured 4-year PhD programmes involving some taught elements during the first year. CDTs tend to focus on a specific research theme that is of strategic importance to funders. You’ll still undertake an independent research project in years 2-4 which you might choose from a list of options when you apply or at the end of your first year, or propose yourself. You might hear someone mention Doctoral Focal Awards - these are how UKRI funds CDTs.

There are different ways that you can undertake a PhD:

• Propose your own research project. This involves choosing a research topic and questions, finding a potential supervisor, and developing a research proposal.

• Apply to advertised research projects. These projects are developed by academics, industry partners and funders – the topic, questions and outcomes are predefined, though there is often some element of flexibility. They may involve studying as part of a Centre for Doctoral Training. 

• Study for a professional doctorate. This usually involves studying a more structured course part-time alongside work in a related job – you’ll still undertake an independent research project, but you’ll also have taught modules.

Undertaking a PhD is a big commitment. There are some questions you can consider to help think about whether it's the right choice for you:

• Do you enjoy research? Think about any research projects you might have undertaken as part of your undergraduate degree or Masters, at work, or as part of an internship or placement. 

• Is there a problem, question or issue that motivates you? To succeed in a PhD, you'll need a lot of self-motivation and perseverance. Focussing on a topic you're really passionate about makes a big difference, especially when things get challenging.

• Do you want to develop your career (either in or outside of academia)? A PhD is the first step toward a career in academia (unless you have a lot of industry experience). It may also be valued by employers (or even required) if you plan to pursue a career in a highly skilled job outside of academia.

• Do you want to develop transferrable skills? Studying for a PhD requires you to develop a range of transferrable skills, including time and project management, relationship management and a high-level of written and verbal communication proficiency. 

Data from the UK government shows that, compared to those among taught Masters graduates, PhD employment rates are higher. This information is based on the Graduate Outcomes survey by HESA that contacted graduates from the 2019-20 academic year 15 months after finishing their courses.

Information in this table is based on data derived from the 2021-22 Graduate Outcomes survey, conducted by HESA. It reveals the destinations of UK university graduates after 15 months.

Bear in mind that this data isn’t a guarantee that you’ll enjoy the same benefits from your PhD. After all, it’s historical information – but it can be a good way to gauge future prospects.

According to HESA, the vast majority of PhD holders are employed in professional occupations. In fact, if you have a PhD you’re around 6% more likely to have a professional role than someone with a taught Masters.

Information in this table is based on data derived from the 2021-22 Graduate Outcomes survey, conducted by HESA. It reveals the destinations of UK university graduates after 15 months.

There is a fairly small difference when it comes to the most senior roles – managers and directors – with Masters graduates slightly more likely to hold these kinds of position.

Another factor you might think about when considering a doctorate is whether it’ll improve your earning potential.

Looking again at the Graduate Outcomes survey from HESA, it does seem that PhD holders are more likely to enjoy higher earnings than people with a Masters degree.

Information in this table is based on data derived from the 2021-22 Graduate Outcomes survey, conducted by HESA. It reveals the destinations of UK university graduates after 15 months. Analysis by FindAMasters and FindAPhD.

As you can see in this table, those with a PhD are more likely to earn more than £30,000 per year than their Masters counterparts. 88% of PhD respondents to the survey replied that they earned above £30,000, compared to 62% of Masters graduates.

Another source of information on salaries for PhD graduates in the UK is HMRC’s postgraduate outcomes dataset. This uses tax data rather than relying on people who respond to a survey (like HESA’s Graduate Outcomes), so can be a particularly useful way of measuring earnings.

This table shows data from the 2019-20 tax year and compares the median earnings from several different periods after graduation.

Information in this table is based on the UK Government’s postgraduate outcomes dataset, which is derived from HMRC’s data on the 2021-22 tax year.

Opportunities at Leeds 

You can find PhD opportunities currently available at the University of Leeds by visiting the Research Opportunities webpage. Search for opportunities, including advertised projects and scholarships, using the tabs above the search box, or browse them by choosing a tab and clicking the search button. You can filter your results using the left-hand menu on the results page.

You can also visit the Externally funded research opportunities webpage to browse opportunities available through Doctoral Training Partnerships and Centres for Doctoral Training (these will also be returned in search results from the Research Opportunities webpage).

Opportunities at other institutions

Most universities will have a directory similar to the Research Opportunities webpage at Leeds. You can also use sites such as findaphd.com and jobs.ac.uk to browse or search for opportunities at a wide range of institutions in the UK and overseas. 

Proposing a PhD project 

The process for proposing your own research project is more complex than finding advertised opportunities. Check our FAQ below to find out more.

Proposing your own PhD project can be a much a more complex process than finding and applying to advertised projects, but don't let that put you off. Some of the essential steps are outlined below - you won't always follow them in the exact order they're listed, but they should give you a good sense of what to expect. 

Choose your topic

Choosing your research topic is usually the first step when proposing a PhD. Undertaking a PhD is a big commitment that requires a lot of motivation and resilience, so it really helps if your research topic is something you're passionate about. This could be a particular subject, issue or challenge that you hope to address. You could also think about what you hope to do after your PhD. If there's a particular field that you want to work in, you might do some research to help decide what area in that field you're most interested in. 

You might then think about your research questions - what, specifically, do you hope to find out through your research? Your PhD will be expected to make an original contribution to knowledge or understanding in your field, and so this often involves identifying a ‘gap in the literature'. Many applicants find this step particularly challenging and worry that if their research question (or a similar question) has already been addressed by other researchers, it won't make for a feasible PhD project. However, this isn't always the case. Making an original contribution to knowledge or understanding in your field may involve answering questions that have already been addressed but in a different way. You might apply a different methodology or framework, tackle the question from a different social or cultural perspective, or critique the conclusions of other researchers. The important thing is to ensure that the ways your proposed project is unique are clear. Your potential supervisor can often help you to develop or refine your research questions. 

Find a potential supervisor

Once you have a research topic and question(s) in mind, the next step is often to find an academic who is willing and able to supervise your project. You might start by looking at the research strengths and interests or research groups and institutes at different universities. You can do this for Schools at the University of Leeds by visiting their webpage and clicking the ‘Research and Innovation’ tab. Once you've found a university with relevant research strengths, you might then look for supervisors who specialise in your particular research topic. You can search for supervisors at Leeds through the Research Opportunities webpage. You may also find a potential supervisor while researching your topic, through their publications. 

Before contacting a potential supervisor, you should check their staff profile to make sure they're happy to receive enquiries from prospective PhD students. Usually, this profile will also tell you whether or not the supervisor expects prospective PhD students to provide a draft research proposal with their enquiry. Either way, when contacting a potential supervisor, you should make sure it's clear why you're getting in touch (this includes choosing a clear subject line for your email), provide an overview of your proposed project (even if you're also sharing a research proposal), and explain why you think they would be a good supervisor. It's often helpful to read some of their publications, if possible, so you can relate your proposed project to their research.  

Write a research proposal

Your research proposal provides an overview of your research project, and you'll usually need to submit it when applying for a place to study as well as funding. Research proposals usually explain what questions your project will ask, why you're asking them, and how you'll answer them. Check out our guide to writing a research proposal to find out what this might look like. Developing your research proposal can take some time, and it will often go through multiple redrafts. Your potential supervisor will usually help you with this by providing advice and feedback.  

Apply for a place

Once you've decided on a research topic, found a potential supervisor and developed a research proposal, the next step is to apply for a place to study. You'll need to meet all of the eligibility criteria set by the institution you're applying to - these usually relate to your academic qualifications and English language proficiency. You may also be required to submit a personal statement, outlining why you are applying, and what makes you a good candidate (often with reference to your personal, academic and professional experience). 

Apply for funding

Unless you intend to self-fund your PhD, you'll need to apply for a scholarship or the Government Doctoral Loan. You can usually only do this once you have applied for a place to study (or, in some cases, once you have been offered a place). Check out our guidance on funding your PhD for more information.  

If you're planning to propose your own PhD project, you'll need to write a research proposal. In some cases, you may also need to write a research proposal to outline how you would approach an advertised project. The research proposal explains what questions your project will answer, how you will answer them, and why. One of the main aims of the research proposal is to persuade people that your project is both valuable and feasible. 

There's no set formula for writing a research proposal, but this guidance from the University of Leeds Doctoral College can help familiarise you with some of the common expectations. It's important to consult your potential supervisor, or any guidance from the institution to which you're applying, about exactly what is expected. Your potential supervisor will usually help you to develop and refine the proposal by providing advice and feedback. 

Most advertised projects have funding attached that covers part, or all of your doctoral tuition fees. This funding may also include a maintenance stipend to help cover the cost of living while you undertake your PhD. The funding arrangements for advertised projects will usually be explained in the project advert.

Fully funded: The funding will cover the full-cost of academic fees. You don't need to apply for funding separately - it will be awarded alongside your offer to study. However, if the funding does not include a maintenance stipend, you may need to search for other sources to help cover the cost of living while you study for your PhD. 

Part-funded: The funding contributes to part of the cost of the cost of academic fees or living expenses. You don't need to apply for this funding separately - it will be awarded alongside your offer to study. However, you may need to search for other sources to subsidise this funding. 

Competition funded: Some projects are in competition with others for funding. This funding is awarded to the project that receives the strongest application, and may cover part or the full cost of fees.

If you're proposing your own project, or applying to an advertised project that doesn't come with full funding, you'll need to explore other ways of funding your PhD such as scholarships and the Government Doctoral Loan. 

Scholarships are funding awards that can help to cover the full or partial cost of your academic fees. Many scholarships also include a maintenance stipend to help cover the cost of living while you study for your PhD. Scholarships are highly competitive, receiving a high number of applications which are assessed using a range of criteria (usually academic merit). 

It's worth noting that, in order to apply for many scholarships, you must already have an offer to study for a PhD from a university (or at least have started an application). This means the application process for self-proposed projects and non-funded advertised projects can take longer than that for funded advertised projects.

You can search for scholarships currently available through the University of Leeds using the ‘Funding’ tab on the Research Opportunities webpage. 

Most universities have a similar webpage to allow you to search their funding opportunities. You can also visit findaphd.com and jobs.ac.uk to search for funding opportunities across a large number of universities in the UK and abroad in a similar way.

Scholarships for minoritised groups
The University of Leeds offers a range of funding awards across its seven Faculties open to applicants from minoritised groups, including a number of Access to Research (A2R) scholarships. These awards are ring-fenced under the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 meaning that only applicants who meet certain criteria (such as being disabled or a member of a minoritised ethnic group) can apply. You can find more information about current awards on the Doctoral College's Scholarships for underrepresented groups webpage. 

You can find out about ring-fenced awards available through universities that are members of the Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education through the YCEDE website.

Leeds Opportunity Research Scholarship
 

The Leeds Opportunity Research Scholarship (LORS) is a funding award open to Home (UK) fee-rated applicants from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups with an offer to study for a PhD in any Faculty at the University of Leeds. The LORS forms part of our commitment to enhancing access to postgraduate research among minoritised ethnic groups as a member of the Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education (YCEDE). Three awards are available each year. These awards cover the full cost of PhD tuition fees for three years and include an annual maintenance stipend that matches the UKRI rate. You can find out more about the LORS on the Doctoral College's Scholarships for underrepresented groups webpage. 

When searching for funded PhD projects, or exploring funding options, it's important to be aware of your ‘fee status’ as this can affect which opportunities you are eligible to apply for and the amount of funding you will receive. 

You will be classed as either a Home (UK) or Overseas (International) student, with a corresponding fee status. 

A good rule of thumb is to look at the fee status for your undergraduate or Masters degree. This is usually (though not always) the same for your PhD. 

If you grew up in the UK, and attended school here, you're likely to be classed as a Home student, and be entitled to the lower Home rate of academic fees. You may also qualify for this rate if didn't grow up in the UK, but meet other criteria related to your immigration status.

If you're not sure whether you qualify for the Home rate, you can find more information on the UKCISA website or contact the Admissions Operations Team at [email protected].

You can find more information about research degree fees at the University of Leeds here.

The Government Doctoral Loan is available to prospective PhD students with an offer to study who are eligible for the Home (UK) rate of tuition fees. The Government Doctoral Loan can be a good way to subsidise other funding, but it's worth noting that the loan is not intended to cover the full cost of PhD tuition fees or maintenance costs.