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Doctorate (PhD, EdD, EngD, PhD by Special Regulations)

Doctoral degrees are awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below: 

• a significant contribution to the field of study through the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, connection of previously unrelated facts or the development of new theory or revision of older views;
• submission of work of a quality in whole or in part of a standard to merit publication (whether or not subsequently published);
• provides evidence of the acquisition of knowledge and a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry;
• is of a quality and quantity to reflect three years of full-time postgraduate study/five years part-time postgraduate study.

Master of Science/Master of Letters

The Master of Science or Master of Letters degrees are awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below:

• provides evidence of a useful contribution to the field of study;
• systematic understanding of knowledge and critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights in the field of study
• includes critical evaluation of current methodologies and wider research in the area of study;
• provides evidence of an understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry;
• submission of work of a quality and quantity expected for two years of full-time postgraduate research and study

Master of Philosophy

The Master of Philosophy degree is awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below:

• understanding of knowledge and critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights in the field of study;
• submission of work of a quality and quantity expected for one year of full-time postgraduate research and study

Form of work

All students are expected to submit a thesis.  Content of a thesis may differ by subject, but it is expected to include critical review, reworking of existing material providing the provenance of such material is clearly identified, and the results of the original investigation carried out during the course.  In some cases it may also include submission of compositions or recorded work (e.g for a degree in Music).

A thesis may contain previously published material as an integral part of the thesis. This material should be set in the context of an overall thesis (as part of a connected argument) with suitable introductory and concluding passages to link the published material to the rest of the work.   Although permissible, it is not expected that a thesis submitted for the awards of MSc, MLitt or MPhil will include published works.

The amount of previously published material to include is up to each candidate, however included publications must refer to research carried out as part of a candidate’s degree and the thesis must keep within the word limits specified by the relevant Degree Committee . 

Candidates for the PhD by Special Regulations and, with the approval of the relevant Degree Committee, candidates for the PhD (by general regulations) and the EdD may submit a thesis consisting of a number of previously published papers.  In these cases the thesis must also contain a substantial introductory summary statement summarising rationale; placing the work in the context of the wider field of study;  clarifying the extent to which works represent a consistent body of research, and the original contribution to knowledge they make; and providing clear detail on the exact contribution of the student to each included paper.  It would not be necessary for any published work to be re-written prior to inclusion in a thesis.  The amount of published material to include is up to each candidate, however with the exception of candidates for the PhD by Special Regulations the included publications must refer to research carried out as part of a candidate’s degree.  All candidates must also keep within the word limits specified by the relevant Degree Committee .

Works will be considered as ‘published’ if they are traceable in ordinary catalogue and copies are obtainable at the time of application or were at some previous time by members of the public through normal channels. 

The thesis must also be submitted in the approved  format .

Assessment  

The examination shall consist of submission of a thesis embodying the results of the candidate’s approved course of research, and examination on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Examiners will assess on the extent to which the thesis:

• is clearly written;
• fulfils the requirements for the degree.

  The oral examination should allow:

• the candidate to defend his or her thesis and clarify any matters raised by the Examiners;
• the Examiners to probe the candidate’s knowledge in the general field;
• the Examiners to assure themselves that the work presented is the candidate’s own and to clarify matters of any collaboration; and
• the Examiners to come to a definite conclusion about the outcome of the examination.

For MPhil programmes where the supplementary programme regulations state requirements for the examination, these shall be supplementary to the guidance detailed above.

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Entry Requirements

The Centre of Development Studies PhD programme has high academic requirements, and a large number of applicants who meet them. If you do not meet the criteria listed below, it is most unlikely you will be offered a place.

• A UK  Masters Degree  in a relevant subject   with a Merit overall or a GPA of at least 3.6/4.0 (usually 67% overall) or equivalent from a non-UK University.
• A high 2.1 Undergraduate Degree from a UK university or equivalent GPA of at least 3.6/4.0 (usually 67% overall) or equivalent from a non-UK University.
• Applicants must also have a good research project that falls within the research interests of one the Centre's lecturers who is available for supervision.

If your degree is not from the UK, please consult the Postgraduate Admissions International Qualifications page to ascertain the international  equivalent  in your country.

• F or those whose first language is not English and who have not previously studied for a degree in an English language university within the last 2 years , evidence of proficiency in English is required.  This consists of an IELTS score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component) or a TOEFL score of 110 (with 25 in each element).  Conditional offers can be made without these results, at the initial application level, but these will need to be obtained and proof provided for a firm offer to be extended and all requirements met for a formal matriculation.
• Find out  if you will have a Language Requirement . 

Naming a Supervisor on your Application

Supervisors can be named from the Centre of Development Studies. Your research topic must come within their area of expertise and there must a strong link to Development Studies. Applicants should contact an available supervisor to discuss their proposal before applying. Academics currently available for PhD supervision are listed here:  https://www.devstudies.cam.ac.uk/ourpeople/phd-supervisors

In exceptional circumstances , applicants may name a supervisor from another department, if the research proposal and the proposed supervisor both have a strong link to Development Studies. In these cases, before submitting the application the proposed supervisor should confirm their willingness to supervise the candidate and contact the PhD Director to outline why the PhD would be best undertaken in the Centre of Development Studies rather than their own department.

In all cases, following appropriate research on the most relevant choice, a suitable and available supervisor and a proposed research title must be included in the correct place on the application . (This is found on the first page of the Application Form, in the "Research" section, "Proposed Supervisor" and "Proposed title of Research").

*Please note that applications will be rejected should they fail to propose an available supervisor and/or a research title.*    

Applications are considered by the Admissions Committee on a rolling basis once applications open in September.

If at any point before, during or after applying you have a question, Postgraduate Admissions run a very comprehensive  FAQ page  

Please use the Postgraduate Admissions contact form if you can't find an answer to your question:  https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/contact-form

All applications are made through the Postgraduate Admissions Department Self-Service website. 

When you have completed the necessary preparation and you are ready to begin your online application, you should take note of the following important information before you create your application:

• There is an application charge per application. You can make the payment by providing your card details when you submit the online application.
• Your application is  not complete without the required supporting documentation.

Uploading Supporting Documentation

Applications will not be considered by the Department until all the documents are uploaded, as Postgraduate Admissions only send them to us once all the documents are present.  Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding, even if you apply in time.  We do not chase applicants for missing documents. 

It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that  all  documents forming part of their application are correct and complete  at the point of submission of the application . The department will not permit changes or additions to these documents after application. Additionally, the Admissions Committee will not review any documents which are not listed on the PAO website as required for the MPhil or PhD in Development Studies.

Incomplete/inactive applications (i.e. those which have been missing documents for a considerable length of time) will be withdrawn by Postgraduate Admissions, and will therefore never reach the Department. 

Required Documentation

1. First Academic Reference and Second Academic Reference

Please see this website for information on who to nominate as your referees, and how they submit their references. 

All applicants will require two academic references, including continuing students.

2. Personal Reference This is only required if you are applying for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

3. Transcripts

Please see this website for information on how to upload your transcripts. 

4. Evidence of Competence in English if English is not your first language

• You can use this website to find out  if you will have a Language Requirement . 
• This website has information about the accepted tests and how to upload them.  

You  do not  have to have a language test certificate when you apply. Whilst this is preferable, this can be uploaded during any part of the application process - and if an offer is made, can be included as one of the conditions of admission. 

The same form should also be used when you wish to request a language test waiver - there is an option on the form for this purpose. 

5. Research Proposal with Title

An outline (three or four pages) of the proposed research topic, indicating: the background and aims of the research and the methodology and data to be applied (if relevant). This is in addition to information provided on the application form.

6. Writing sample (not more than 5,000 words)

This could be a published article or an essay from the student's Bachelor or Master programme, where possible relevant to Development Studies.

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Entrance requirements

Requirements for postgraduate courses.

Please find details of our academic and other entrance requirements below. This information can also be found on the course pages of the Postgraduate Admissions website, along with further information about the content of each programme and how to apply. 

If you have not completed your studies in the UK please refer to our international equivalencies page for further information on how to check whether your qualification meets the entrance criteria. 

MPhil Courses

Research courses.

Note: Students currently undertaking a taught Master's degree at Cambridge must achieve a mark of 70 per cent to be allowed to continue to the PhD degree. Students currently studying for a Master's degree by research must satisfy their examiners that they are capable of continuing to the PhD degree.

MRes Courses

Mst courses.

In order to successfully complete their course it is crucial that students have a high standard of fluency in English. 

If English is not your first language you will be asked to submit evidence that you meet the University's language requirement before your place on the course is confirmed. This is usually through the provision of an English language certificate, although if you have studied in an English speaking country for a minimum of three years within two years prior to the course start date, a transcript will be sufficient. Please note that you do not need to provide evidence of a language test prior to submitting your application, the Postgraduate Admissions Office will inform if you require one (and how to submit your results) when you receive an offer from us.

Note that you cannot upload English language test results whilst your application is under consideration. If you do not upload one at the time you submit the application, you will have to wait until you have been made an offer.

You can find out if you are likely to require a language test by selecting your nationality  here . 

Which tests do we accept?

CAE and  CPE

Please note that the test results are valid for two years, so if you have achieved the language scores above within this time period you can submit this result.

It is also important to consider that there might be a long wait for IELTS and TOEFL tests to become available as they are often in high demand. We recommend that if you have been asked to provide a language score as part of your offer that you book your test as soon as you can, so that you also have time to book another test should you not meet the requirement on the first attempt.

If the Postgraduate Admissions Office have informed you that you need to take a test then you will need to do so, and the condition cannot not be changed. No waiver can be offered.

What if I do not meet the required standard on one of the accepted tests?

You do not need to have met the English language criteria before applying, but if you do not upload a valid test certificate that meets the criteria with your application, and you are required to provide a language test certificate , it will be a condition of your offer to provide one before your place on the course can be confirmed.

If you narrowly miss out on passing an English language test, you should still upload the certificate with your application (or to your self-service account, after you have been made an offer). The Postgraduate Admissions Office will determine whether it is a near-miss, and if so, may offer you the opportunity to be assessed by the University's Language Centre. You can only have one Language Assessment per year. If the outcome is that you pass outright, then your English language condition will be met. If you do not pass, or only pass subject to attendance at a pre- or in-sessional language course, then your English language condition will not be met, and your condition will revert to you needing to complete an external English language test, as above.

If you have not completed your studies in the UK, please refer to the Postgraduate Admissions website for further information regarding international qualifications and their UK equivalencies.

You can use the look up tool to check your qualification prior to making an application to make sure that your qualification meets the entry requirements for the course. Applicants who do not meet the entrance criteria for their course will be at a disadvantage compared to other applicants and are less likely to be made an offer. 

For further information on international qualification equivalency, you can also use the  UK Ecctis website . UK NARIC is the UK's National Recognition Information Centre and provides services for individuals and organisations to compare international qualifications against UK qualification framework levels.

Overview of entrance requirements

This section contains information regarding the academic entry requirements for each of our courses. You can apply for a postgraduate course before completing your current course of study, even if you do not yet meet the academic criteria, however a condition of your offer will be that you meet this by a deadline before the course starts.

Applications are considered holistically, taking into account your academic background (ie your previous degrees, the modules that you took as part of them, individual module marks, your overall result, any research projects undertaken, etc), your CV (ie any other relevant experience obtained, such as through employment or voluntary work), your statement of interest, your references and your research proposal (if applicable).

Please see the pages below for further information.

Entrance Requirements 

International equivalencies, english language requirements.

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The Course Directory  details the entry requirements for each course. Our academic requirements refer to UK qualifications.

If your qualifications are not from a UK university, you should check that they meet the requirements for your course.

Check your qualifications

Select your country for guidance on how your qualifications compare to our requirements.

The information given for each country’s qualifications is for guidance only. We recognise there may be variation between qualifications from different institutions in a country.

If we make you an offer, we'll set an academic condition, which you’ll need to meet through your qualifications. When we do this, we will consider individual international qualifications on a case-by-case basis.

The University minimum requirement, which we refer to in our guidance, is a 2:1 (upper second class) degree or equivalent. However, many of our courses require applicants to reach a higher level, such as the equivalent of a good 2:1 degree or a 1st (first class degree).

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Academic Performance

Applicants for direct entry to the PhD programme must hold (or be expecting) a Distinction-level Master’s degree in Economics – of equivalent level to the Faculty’s MPhil in Economic Research .

Specifically, candidates must have advanced technical training in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. In addition, through optional papers, they should have some knowledge of the work at the frontier of their research areas of interest. Successful applicants should display some independent research skills and should have experience putting them into practice.

We strongly encourage applicants to include information about their ranking within their academic years, at both undergraduate and master’s degrees.

Candidates without such a background should apply for the MPhil in Economic Research , from which it is possible to proceed to the PhD programme, conditional on performance and Supervisor availability.  If you do not meet the criteria listed above, it is unlikely you will be offered a place.

Research and Supervisor

All applicants MUST include a proposal setting out the research they wish to undertake for the PhD.

Applicants  MUST  contact and identify a Supervisor who is working in their area of interest  and is a staff member of the Faculty of Economics  prior to sending their application.  The  Faculty Academic Staff Page  outlines a broad range of staff and their research interest, which may provide a suitable basis for a PhD thesis.

GRE Requirements

All applicants whose previous university training is from countries outside the UK must submit the results of a recent Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test.

The Faculty of Economics will not normally consider admitting a student whose score registers below the 90th percentile in the Quantitative Reasoning section and below the 50th percentile in the Analytical Writing section of the test.

The Faculty MUST receive the results of the GRE General Test to meet the course deadline OR the funding deadline, should you wish to be considered for funding (see How and When to Apply ). Please note that your application will be automatically withdrawn should the test results are not received in time.

The University of Cambridge Faculty of Economics institution code for GRE is 2433.

You MUST provide a GRE Test result if:

• Your degree level study is from any country other than the UK
• Your degree level study has been taken via the University of London International Programme
• Your degree level study is from any country other than the UK, but you have taken one or more exchange programme in the UK

You are NOT required to provide a GRE Test result if:

• Your degree level study (undergraduate and/or postgraduate) is from the UK (except University of London International Programme)

Note:  The Faculty may request candidates from UK universities to take the GRE General Test.

Details of registration deadlines for this test, and of opportunities to take the computer-based test can be sought from ETS, which administers the test. 

The GRE website can be accessed to order publications, try out sample questions and for information regarding test dates and locations.

GRE Customer Service number: +1-609-771-7670

GRE Fax number: +1-609-771-7906.

For specific questions about the GRE please use the link here:  https://ets.custhelp.com/app/forms/gre

Details of entry for the GRE test are often available within the candidate’s home country, or can be obtained from:  

English Language Qualifications

Please refer to the University Postgraduate Admissions website for further details on language conditions.

The Faculty of Economics will not normally ask you to have a valid English Test in order to submit an application, however, this might be a requirement at a later stage, should you receive a conditional offer.

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For general application advice towards PhD applications, please read the  'Guidance for Applicants'  document.

Do I need a language test to apply?

Our courses have English language requirements, but providing proof is not mandatory at the application stage. If you have taken a test less than 2 years prior to the course start date, please upload the results. If you haven't, you can go ahead and apply without these test results. The language requirement might be set as a condition if you are made an offer. 

Please note that students who have been studying in an English speaking country for 3 years prior to the course start date are not usually set a language condition if they are made an offer. For everyone else, the University cannot waive the language requirement. We are not usually able to respond to requests for a waiver.

If you have taken a language test and miss the required scores, please upload the results anyway. You might be eligible for a referral to the University Language Centre.

Further information about the language requirements is here . 

Can I amend my application after it is submitted?

Unfortunately it is not usually possible to amend the application or any supporting documents after submission. It might be possible to amend referees: see here . 

Does applying early improve admission and scholarship prospects?

Applying early provides a good opportunity to connect with the supervisor and get on their radar. However all complete applications received before the 5 December deadline will be viewed as a gathered field after the deadline and be treated equally in terms decision and funding nominations. We recommend allowing plenty of time to collect supporting documents and references to ensure you meet the deadline. Applications submitted after the December deadline (not considered for University Scholarship Competition) should apply as soon as possible to ensure research group capacity is not filled for the academic year of entry.

Who should I ask to provide my academic references?

Your academic references need to be from someone in your current institution (wherever you might be studying or undertaking a research placement etc.) who can: a) verify your current academic ranking within your cohort; and b) verify your research potential.

Further information on who to nominate as a referee can be found on the Postgraduate Admissions website.

Can a reference be from research employment?

Yes. You can choose one of your referees (verifying your research capability) from an industry placement or research position you have held during (internship) or post studies.

Do I need to submit a separate application per supervisor?

Only one application is needed for each course in the Department. Multiple potential supervisors from the Department can be listed on the application.

If you are interested in working with supervisors from multiple Departments, you must submit separate applications to each Department. If you apply to the Chemistry Department and list supervisors from other Departments (includes NERC projects ), there is no guarantee that your application will be passed on and seen by those supervisors. 

Is it down to the supervisior to accept an application or is the decision more central?

It is supervisors final decision on whether they wish to accept you into their research group. In some cases, where the supervisor is supportive of your application, there will a a panel interview whether interviewers can make a recommendation that student may not be suitable.

Is there special support for disabled applicants during the interview stage?

Interview adjustments can be requested in your application. If you are invited for an interview and the adjustments are not mentioned, please reply and discuss them with the interview organiser.

What is the difference between the Syntech CDT PhD and the Research PhD? Is the qualification the same?

You will be graduating with a PhD in both programs. A CDT is a Centre for Doctoral Training which is one of the approaches used by some UK Research Councils to fund and train doctoral students in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It combines a four-year research degree with other training that usually a traditional PhD may not have. The Department of Chemistry is however, unusual in that respect and also offers you the opportunity to pursue other training elements to complement your research project. SynTech CDT in particular may offer a wider set of training skills that is not available through pursuing a PhD in Chemistry.

Do I need to apply separately for CDT and DTC progams?

Yes, these courses require separate applications. Please check the prospectus for further information . The Syntech CDT course is currently not in the prospectus for October 2024 entry, they will be added if their funding is renewed (we hope to receive the outcome in the next few weeks).

Is it crucial to have a research paper to apply for postgraduate studies in the department?

It is not essential to have published paper for admission. However, if you did, this may be a bonus for your admission and rank you slightly higher. Many of our students do not have published papers at the time of admission.

I am an African applicant, will I be considered as a viable candidate?

As long as you meet the minimum requirements for MPhil or PhD entry, you will be considered alongside all applicants. There are specific scholarships that you could be eligible for through the Cambridge Trusts. Additionally, please check details of the Mastercard Foundation Programme at the University of Cambridge , if you are interested in studying MPhil.

Is it mandatory to commit to the research proposal when submitting it?

It is not mandatory to commit to a PhD proposal that you submit as part of your application. The nature of how science research unfolds means that it is ever changing and it is likely that your final thesis will have evolved from your initial proposal. If you are made an offer, a complete change in research direction/supervisor might require a new ATAS/visa application (if applicable). In these cases, the International Student Office should be consulted.

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