How to apply

Before you apply

1. Read all guidance thoroughly, and familiarise yourself with the postgraduate research application process.
2. Develop your own research proposal and project title, or choose to apply for an advertised project.
3. Find a supervisor by browsing our academics’ profiles, and reach out directly to discuss if they are interested in supporting your research.
4. Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.

Writing a research proposal

Your research proposal is a vital part of your application. It sets out your research intentions and design, and helps us assess the quality and potential of your proposed study.

We recommend that you discuss the content of your research proposal with your proposed supervisor, however, it is crucial that it is your own work. The University uses electronic systems to detect plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice.

All PhD programmes in the Faculty of Humanities require a research proposal as part of the application process.

The Doctoral Academy upholds the principle that where a candidate approaches the University with a project of study, this should be original. While it is understandable that research may arise out of previous studies, it is vital that your research proposal is not the subject of plagiarism.

Your research proposal should also address ethical considerations . As a researcher at Manchester, you’re expected to reflect on the ethical implications of your work - particularly its impact on research participants - and to recognise your wider responsibilities to society, the environment, your profession, the University and any research funders.

The format and content of your research proposal will vary depending on your preferred programme, and area of research.

Research proposal guidance by school:

• Alliance Manchester Business School
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
• School of Environment, Education and Development
• School of Social Sciences (all programmes except Economics)
• Economics

Finding a supervisor

Getting in touch with a potential supervisor for your project is a crucial part of your postgraduate research journey.

They will:

• Help you develop your ideas, skills, thinking and research.
• Put you in contact with academics in your field, and refine and the team you might work with.
• Strengthen your funding applications.
• Support you at every stage of your research journey.

Read our full guidance on approaching and identifying your supervisor.

PhD funding opportunities

At this stage of your postgraduate research journey, it’s essential to consider how you plan to fund your research. Your funding application is closely tied to your programme application, and careful planning can significantly influence your success.

Your funding intention may influence:

• your research proposal;
• your supervisory team;
• the content of your programme application;
• when you submit your programme application.

We highly recommend that you discuss funding options with your supervisor early in the process. Their support can strengthen your application and guide you through suitable PhD funding opportunities.

Section 9 of the online application form asks whether you have secured or plan to apply for funding. Please provide comprehensive details of all the funding competitions you wish to be considered for.

There is no limit to the number of competitions you may enter, but all must be detailed in your online application form to ensure you are included.

Further information on funding can be found on our funding page. Relevant competitions are also listed on each programme overview page.

To apply for any programme in the Humanities Doctoral Academy, you must complete and submit the online application form.

Each of our schools have an application deadline for internal funding consideration:

• Alliance Manchester Business School: 1 December 2024
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures: 13 January 2025
• School of Education, Environment and Development: 20 January 2025
• School of Social Sciences: 1 December 2024

Supporting documents

The final section of the application form asks for supporting documents. You must ensure to prepare all required documents, as we cannot assess your application until we have received each of the below:

• A research proposal stating the word count on page 1 of the document.
• A copy of your Bachelor's academic transcript and certificate.
• A copy of your Master's academic transcript and certificate. If your Master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
• If you have completed more than one Bachelor's or Master's degree, please provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, please also include an official document from your university verifying this information.
• An academic CV, summarising your employment history, publications, and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
• You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution). Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following submission of your application form. You may wish to contact your referees to request they submit your reference in a reasonable timeframe as this forms part of the review process;
• A certificate or evidence demonstrating your English language ability and proficiency. Applications can be considered without this evidence however any offer would be conditional on meeting minimum requirements (see below).

If you have omitted some of the required supporting documentation, we will send you a request and give a deadline to submit the documents. Please upload the requested documentation via the self-service portal. 

If the documents are not received by the given deadline, the application will be closed and not considered for admission.

If you are applying for funding, your application must be complete by the relevant funding deadline. Otherwise, you will not be considered in the competition, and your application may be withdrawn.

Individual programmes may have further requirements – please check the ‘Application and Selection’ tab of the relevant programme overview page.

English language

All applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency.

Most programmes offered in Humanities require the below scores. Please note that individual programme requirements may vary; please check the ‘Entry requirements’ tab of the relevant programme overview page.

• IELTS test minimum score – 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing.
• TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score – 100 overall, 25 in all sections.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score – 76 overall, 76 in writing.
• To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
• Other tests may be considered.

Ideally, if you already have one of the above, please include the evidence with your application in the supporting documents section. Applications can be considered without this evidence but any offer you may later receive will be conditional upon sufficient English Language evidence.

September entry

You can apply for September 2025 entry until 30 June 2025. However, we recommend applying as early as possible.

Each School in the Faculty of Humanities sets its own deadline for internal funding consideration:

• Alliance Manchester Business School: 1 December 2024
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures: 13 January 2025
• School of Education, Environment and Development: 20 January 2025
• School of Social Sciences: 1 December 2024

For external funding, each competition has its own deadlines - one for the funding application and another (earlier) deadline for your online programme application.

For more information about funding, including deadlines, visit our funding page.

January entry

A January 2026 start date is available for selected programmes in the School of Social Sciences and the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures.

This entry point is open to applicants who are self-funded or externally funded. There are no internal funding competitions available for January entry.

The deadline to submit your programme application for January 2026 entry is 30 September 2025.

After you submit your application, you’ll receive an acknowledgement email confirming that we’ve received it. Our admissions team will contact you if we need any additional information. Below is an overview of each stage of the application process.

Selection process

Your application is submitted via the online application form. If any supporting documents are missing, we’ll contact you by email and through the applicant self-service portal. You’ll be given a deadline to upload the required materials.

If we don’t receive the documents by the deadline via the self-service portal, your application will be closed and won’t be considered for admission.

Application Process	What You Can Expect
Your programme application is submitted via the online application form.	You will receive an application acknowledgement email confirming it has been received.
If you have omitted some of the required supporting documentation, we will contact you via email.	We will send you a request via the self-service portal and a notification via email, giving a deadline for submission of the documents. Please upload the requested documentation via the self-service portal. If the documents are not received by the given deadline, the application will be closed and not considered for admission.
A complete application is sent to a Departmental reviewer for the subject area and a potential supervisor for their consideration.	This will be sent as soon as possible once we have your complete application. Please note: during peak periods - particularly around funding deadlines - there may be a delay in progressing your application. In some cases, we may also need to verify the equivalency of non-UK qualifications before review.
Your supervisor may contact you to discuss your research proposal.	Your proposed supervisor may contact you to discuss your research proposal. They might request a revised version based on their feedback. If so, your application will not progress until we receive the updated proposal. Submit your revised proposal to hums.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk, so that we can ensure that your application is considered based on the latest draft.
A formal interview will be arranged if an offer is being considered.	Your proposed primary supervisor will contact you directly to arrange a formal interview.  The interview panel will consist at minimum of your proposed primary supervisor and an independent interviewer.  Following the interview, the panel informs the Humanities Doctoral Academy Admissions Team of their decision.  Please see below the below Interview section for further information.
The decision is reviewed at Departmental and School Level.	Following interview, your application and the panel’s proposed decision is forwarded to Departmental and School level reviewers for their approval.
The outcome is communicated by email.	You will receive an email containing a formal communication of your application outcome. Please see below Outcome section for further information.

Interview

As part of the offer making process, applicants will be required to undertake a formal interview assessment. This may be in the form of an in-person interview or video call. The interview panel will consist at minimum of your proposed primary supervisor and an independent interviewer.

The interview is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of the broad topic area, the viability of your proposed research and its intellectual contribution, alongside the fit of your project with the supervisory team.

The interview serves several purposes. It allows us to assess:

• Your knowledge and understanding of the broad topic area
• The viability of your proposed research and its intellectual contribution
• The fit of your project with the supervisory team. The interview is also an opportunity to discuss with you directly any potential problems with the practical aspects of your studies, and explore solutions together
• In your interview, you will also be expected to give insight into the ethical considerations of your research

The interview is a central part of the admissions process, and your responses will be taken into account when we make admission decisions, and for internal funding consideration.

Outcome

All outcomes are communicated to you via the applicant self-service portal, and notification sent via email. During the application process, please monitor your inbox and the self-service portal regularly.

If your application is successful, you will be made either:

• A conditional offer of a place (for example, if you have not already completed your current programme of study or have yet to satisfy the English language requirement);
• An unconditional offer

On receipt of an offer, you should inform us via the self-service portal of your reply. Your offer letter will contain a deadline to return your programme acceptance.

If there are conditions attached to the offer, you need to let us know as soon as they have been satisfied and upload the necessary documentation via the self-service portal. Your offer letter will also contain a deadline to meet any outstanding conditions.