DAMTP PhD Opportunities

Applications are welcome in all areas.

Research Topics

Our research page lists the various research groups and their interests. Note that in some cases there are overlaps. You need to determine which group or groups cover your range of interests, and where appropriate identify a potential supervisor.

The following is a list of some, but by no means all, of the current PhD opportunities in DAMTP:

Applied and Computational Analysis: The Cambridge Centre for Analysis (CCA), spanning DAMTP and DPMMS, gives the opportunity for a PhD involving pure, stochastic, computational or applied analysis
Astrophysics
Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics
Biological Physics
Fluid Mechanics: GK Batchelor Laboratory
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics: NERC Doctoral Training Programme in Earth System Science
Mathematical Biology: BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme in Biosciences
Solid Mechanics
Waves

Qualifications

The minimum entry requirement is a 1st class honours degree after a four-year course in mathematics, physics or engineering, or a three-year degree plus a postgraduate course on advanced applied mathematics and theoretical physics. Please note that a very large majority of the successful applicants for PhD studentships with the High Energy Physics (HEP), General Relativity & Cosmology (GR), and Quantum Information (QI) groups will have taken Part III of the Mathematical Tripos. Further information for external applicants for PhD places in Theoretical Physics can be found here.

Funding

Home students and European Union (EU) students who have completed three years of full-time higher education in the UK are normally fully supported (fees and maintenance) by Research Council awards during their three years of research. Other EU students are eligible for fees support only by Research Councils.

DAMTP is also a member of the Cambridge Doctoral Training Programmes in Biosciences, including Mathematical Biology (funded by BBSRC) and Earth System Science, including Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (funded by NERC).

There are other awards available from Cambridge sources outside DAMTP. An up-to-date guide can be found here.

How to apply

You need to apply to the Graduate Admissions Office, and details on how to do this are given here. The DAMTP PhD course code you need to put on your GRADSAF is: MAAM21.

Please also note the following points:

If you came from outside Cambridge to read for Part III of the Mathematical Tripos you need to apply for "continuation/readmission", and only one reference is required. Ideally this should be an updated reference which covers your performance in the final year at your previous institution.

Applicants who have not previously been admitted to a graduate course by the Board of Graduate Studies should apply for "admission", and two references will be required. Cambridge students must include one from their College Director of Studies.

On the GRADSAF application form you should answer question A(12) by declaring your interests as determined under "Research Topics" above. We do not expect you to submit a detailed research proposal.

Deadlines and Offers

The usual DAMTP deadline for all applications is the end of January each year. However, later applications will be considered where possible.

Earlier deadlines apply for the BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme (2 December 2014), the Cambridge Centre for Analysis (15 January 2015), and the NERC Doctoral Training Programme (TBC).

Applicants intending to apply for funding from the Cambridge Trusts will have much earlier deadlines by which they must submit their application. If possible applications should be submitted well in advance of these deadlines, so to avoid any delay in the supporting documents being received in good time.

Applicants to the Higher Energy Physics (HEP), General Relativity & Cosmology (GR) and Quantum Information (QI) research groups should note that we anticipate making some offers to outstanding candidates in March. These offers will be made on the basis of academic track record, and the applicant may also be invited to an interview and/or asked to sit a written admissions test. However, it is also expected that some of the PhD places in the HEP, GR and (possibly) QI groups will be offered in June once the Part III Mathematical Tripos results are available. If you are interested in being considered for the March round of offers we ask that you submit your application to the Graduate Admissions Office by December 15th at the latest. This arrangement applies equally to UK, EU and Overseas applicants.

Please note that it is sometimes possible to start a PhD in DAMTP at a time other than the beginning of each academic year. You should contact us directly if you wish to discuss this possibility.

If you have queries please email research@damtp.cam.ac.uk or write to:

DAMTP (PhD Admissions)
Centre for Mathematical Sciences
Wilberforce Road
Cambridge CB3 0WA
United Kingdom