How to apply

The list of doctoral projects available for October 2025 entry can be viewed here.

Review project proposals and do some tentative ranking to identify projects that are most interesting to you.

Start by reading through the few academic references provided in the project adverts and look at the profiles of supervisors and their publications. You can search for their profiles on the University website here.

This stage should give you a general idea of the research topic, current trends, developments and methodologies, and ultimately help you consider if this is an area you see yourself working in for the next 4 years.

We strongly recommend approaching the primary supervisor of the projects you are interested in before applying. This will help you get a better idea about the project as well as the supervisor who you’d potentially be working with for the next 4 years.

For your introductory email to the supervisor:

• Include “DAMC CDT” in subject line
• Introduce yourself and briefly describe your background (e.g. what you have studied so far, any relevant professional/research experience)
• Explain why you are interested in the project, how it fits with your interests, aspirations and experience.
• Attach your up-to-date CV to the email.

We’d recommend you tailor your email to a particular supervisor and project. Sending a general email to several people at once will only demonstrate to them you’re not willing to put in effort into communication with them and will make them less likely to engage.

There’s no need to write an essay, be brief and stick to the point.

Academics tend to be very busy so you might not get an immediate response. If you do not receive a reply after a week or two though, send a polite follow-up email.

It is normal to ask the prospective supervisor to put you in touch with one or several of their current PhD students. This would help you get an external perspective about working with that supervisor and decide if it matches your expectations.

Based on steps 1 and 2, you should be able to narrow down your project preferences to select top 3 projects that you are most interested in applying for. You can select fewer than 3 projects, depending on how certain you are on your preferred research area at this point.

Your application must include all the required supporting documents as listed below.

If any of the documents are missing, your application will be considered incomplete and rejected before review.

• Supporting statements (more detail below)
• CV
• Two signed references on letterheaded paper (these should be academic references if you have been in full-time education in the last three years)
• Degree certificate(s) and transcript(s)
• Translation of degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) into English (if applicable)
• English language certificate (applicable for international candidates).

Your supporting statement should cover the followings:

1. Background & Motivation (up to 1 page)

Tell us a little bit about your background and interests, as well as your motivation for coming to Liverpool and applying to our CDT in particular. We recommend you cover the following points:

• A relevant academic strength with the potential to develop further (e.g. programming, chemical synthesis, analysis, robotics, problem solving skills, etc.)
• Your motivation for applying for a PhD project and the CDT
• Evidence of continuous development and progress (e.g. academic and personal successes, development)
• A trajectory of ambition and success (e.g. Leading or taking part in projects, competitions, placements, internships, working with non-academic partners).

2. Indicate up to 3 projects of choice and rank them in order of preference (1 as most preferred and 3 as least preferred). Explain your ranking (up to 50 words, excluding project titles) and tell us what particularly excites you about each project. If you only selected 1 project, also explain your choice.

When you are ready, register an account and complete an online application on the University of Liverpool Admissions portal – Apply for a PhD programme

Please follow the instructions and complete all fields in the application form and upload relevant supporting documents as required.

Here we summarise some information that you may find handy while filling in the application form:

'Academic information' Section:

• Admissions term: 2025-26
• Application type: Research Degree (MPhil/PhD/MD)
• Programme of study: select the correct programme corresponding to your 1st choice project.

'Research degree additional information Section': include title of your 1st choice project and name of the primary supervisor

'Supporting information' Section:

• Upload your Supporting Statement and CV
• Do not submit a research proposal despite what the University application form states. The project is defined and outlined in the advert. You do not need to submit a research proposal.

'Other information – Finance and Publicity' Section: indicate ‘Studentship’ as the main source of funding and ‘CDT DAMC’ as type of studentship

All applications will be reviewed by the selection panel, and shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview. You should expect the following timeline for each assessment round: