Physics and Astronomy PhD

University of Birmingham

United Kingdom, Birmingham

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University of Birmingham

United Kingdom , Birmingham

Key Facts

Program Level

PhD (Philosophy Doctorate)

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Birmingham (Edgbaston)

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesJanuary-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 5 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 29,310 / year

Next Intake January-2026

Physics and Astronomy PhD

About

Course overview

You will be at the cutting-edge of physics research, working alongside world-leading experts in one of the largest Physics departments in the UK.

A PhD in the School of Physics and Astronomy will put you in an excellent position to pursue a wide range of careers, including a future in research, academia or industry, finance and data science.

I chose Birmingham for my PhD because it is a top-class university for Physics and Astronomy. Birmingham offered me a flexible research topic and lots of networking opportunities within collaborations all over the world.
Maggie Lieu
PhD Physics and Astronomy

Programme Structure

You will be a member of one of our Physics Research Groups , and have opportunities to develop an extensive set of skills and attend research conferences and workshops throughout your studies. Below is an indicative idea of what you could spend your time on, but your research may be different to this and will be discussed in advance with your supervisor.

You will work with your supervisors to define the structure of your project, start to review the scientific literature and set out the scope of work that you will undertake. Opportunities to work with colleagues at Birmingham, other universities and from industry may be involved, depending on the nature of the project that you plan.

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PhD in Physics and Astronomy. Our research portfolio is wide-ranging, and covers three principal themes: Particle and Nuclear Physics; Quantum Matter and Nanoscale Science; and Astronomy and Experimental Gravity.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Career

In the current economic climate where there are many applicants per job, a PhD puts you ahead of the crowd, as it is a clear statement of being hard working and applying oneself to something difficult and original.
Dan Reed, Doctoral Researcher in Physics and Astronomy, now Investment Analyst at Mercer Investment

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.

If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.