Postgraduate research
Qualification: PhD
Department: School of Physics and Astronomy
Application deadline: 17 January 2025
Start date: 22 September 2025
The School of Physics and Astronomy offer PhD projects funded by The Sciences and Technology Facilities Research Council (STFC) for September 2025 entry.
STFC Alexander: Understanding protoplanetary disc evolution (word doc. 488kb) (.pdf 228kb)
STFC Blain: Gamma-ray bursts and the interstellar medium (word doc. 54kb) (.pdf 144kb)
STFC Bunce: Magnetosphere-surface Interactions at Mercury (word doc. 224kb) (.pdf 264kb)STFC Casewell: Discovering and characterising brown dwarfs in the brown dwarf (word doc. 35 kb) (.pdf 183kb)
STFC Evans: Time-resolved analyses to determine a new gamma-ray burst classification scheme (word doc. 233kb) (.pdf 228kb)
STFC Goad: Mapping accretion flows near supermassive black holes (word doc. 18kb) (.pdf 111kb)
STFC Imber: Earth’s magnetospheric dynamics (word doc. 125kb) (.pdf 269kb)
STFC Lerman: Robotic and Human Exploration Lunar Mission Studies (word doc. 67kb) (.pdf 273kb)
STFC McHugh: Instrumentation studies for future astrobiology and planetary exploration missions (word doc.793kb) (.pdf 419kb)
STFC Milan: SMILE! Snapshots of Earth’s auroras from space (word doc. 685kb) (.pdf 257kb)
STFC Nichols: Modelling the upper atmospheres of brown dwarfs and exoplanets (word doc. 1,190kb) (.pdf 264kb)
STFC O'Brien: The physics of Gamma-Ray Bursts and multi-messenger sources (word doc. 165kb) (.pdf 206kb)
STFC Tanvir: Probing the high redshift universe with gamma-ray bursts (word doc. 441kb) (.pdf 260kb)
Research Council Studentships
Research Council funded Studentships schemes designed to support the training of the next generation of world-class researchers.
Studentships are available to highly motivated and qualified applicants and provide a generous support package usually including a full fee waiver, annual stipend, and research training support grant. Studentships are in most cases offered early in the year for September start.
The projects listed are in competition for STFC funding. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding.
The STFC studentship provides:
*Full overseas fee waivers will be available for small number of international students; otherwise, international applicants must show that they can cover the fee difference between UK/International costs. For 2024/5 this is currently £18,864 per year of study. This may increase for 2025/6.
Applicants are required to hold/or expect to obtain a UK Bachelor Degree 2:1 or better in a relevant subject or overseas equivalent.
The University of Leicester English language requirements apply.
Enquiries relating to projects should go to the project supervisor (contact details are on each project).
General enquiries to csepgr@le.ac.uk Include STFC in the subject line
To apply please use the online Apply Button at the bottom of the page and select September 2025.
With your application, please include:
In the funding section: from the drop down menu select Studentship and then select STFC. Funding Percentage field = 100%.
You do not need to include a research proposal.
Available to UK and International applicants.
International applicants
International students refer to the funding section. If you require a student visa in order to be able to study in the UK. There are costs associated with the visa application process, which must be met by the student; approximately £2500 for the visa and healthcare surcharge. Please ensure you have the means to meet these costs before you apply to the programme.
*EU applicants who hold EU settled or EU pre-settled status please provide PGR Admissions with a share code (the one that starts with S) so we can verify your fee status email to pgradmissions@le.ac.uk
