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How to apply

The School welcomes applications from both national and international students all year round for either a PhD, MSc in Mathematical Sciences or MRes in Statistics and Probability.

If you are interested in pursuing your postgraduate study in the school you should for all programmes complete an online application.

Please include in the application:

  • the full list of courses and marks from your university,
  • English language certificates for overseas students,
  • two academic references
  • CV
  • areas of research you are interested in.

Application advice: You may find our Frequently Asked Questions section helpful. You are welcome to make informal enquiries before, but to start considering your application we need to have a completed application. Submitting an application is in no way a commitment to accepting a place.

Application outcomes: When the application has been received, UK applicants may be invited to visit Bristol to meet relevant staff. Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed. Shortly after this meeting a decision will often be made about acceptance for postgraduate study, conditional on obtaining a first class or upper second class degree. PhD applicants should already have, or expect to be awarded, a first or upper second class degree in a relevant subject.

Funding decisions: Decisions about funding are made slightly later. For UK students this would typically be between February and April/May, however offers of scholarships can also be made at other times of the year.

Accepting an offer: Once a student accepts an offer, admission is handled by the Faculty of Science. Evidence must be provided of financial support for fees and subsistence. For most UK students this is satisfied by the award of a studentship.



Closing date

There is no fixed closing date for application for PhD study. But since most decisions about funding are made in February, March and early April, we urge prospective candidates to apply as early as possible before or during this period.



Overseas students

Applications are welcome from overseas students with an equivalent qualification to a UK first class or upper second class degree.

You will also be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English, in the form of either a IELTS or TOEFL qualification:

  • For PhD: IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each band, or the TOEFL equivalent.
  • For MRes Statistics or MSc Mathematical Sciences: IELTS 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in each band (or the TOEFL equivalent).

In many countries there are British Council offices where such tests may be taken.

The University's normal minimum requirement is 6.5 on IELTS, 600 on TOEFL (old style), 250 on TOEFL (computerised) or 100 on TOEFL (internet-based). This applies to MRes Statistics and MSc Mathematical Sciences. However, the faculty of Science offers a degree of flexibility for (i) PhD students in Mathematics and (ii) MSc by research students in Mathematics and will accept 6.0 on IELTS, 577 on TOEFL or 90 on TOEFL (internet-based).

If you have taken a GRE general then please send your score (photocopies would be acceptable in the first instance).

Further assistance is available from the International Centre and the University's page of information for international students.

PDF document icon
Guide for International Students

This full-color guide for international students will be sent to you upon acceptance of an offer. It contains very useful and important information about preparing your arrival to the UK, living expenses, housing, etc.



Paper application

If you do not have internet access you can submit a paper version of our application form. Detailed information on how to do this is available here. Application forms are available in both Word or pdf and should be sent in along with academic transcripts, language certificates (where applicable) and two references on our reference form (Word or pdf) to:

The Postgraduate Coordinator
School of Mathematics
University Walk
Bristol
BS8 1TW