Physics PhD / MPhil
By pursuing your PhD here you’ll not only get to explore fundamental physics using state-of-the-art technology. As a full member of our research groups you’ll also be part of a large multinational collaboration, living and working at an international research facility in the UK or overseas.
Why study with us?
I studied my undergraduate MPhys physics degree at Liverpool so I already knew it was a great department in a lively city. In addition, the department has excellent facilities which are essential for my research.
Laura Harkness - Physics PhD student
£35m
funding per year from the research councils, the University and other sources.
Top 10
in the UK for research outputs, based on GPA, in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)
1
STFC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), 2 EPSRC CDTs and 2 European Innovative Training Networks that we are leading.
Overview
By pursuing your PhD here you’ll not only get to explore fundamental physics using state-of-the-art technology. As a full member of our research groups you’ll also be part of a large multinational collaboration, living and working at an international research facility in the UK or overseas.
Typically we welcome around 15 PhD students each year onto our full-time study programme. This generally takes 3 to 4 years to complete and requires you to submit a thesis, which is examined orally and must be on an original topic relevant to one of the following fields:
During your first year you’ll attend specialist courses provided by research-active staff members in each of our research groups. These will bring you up to the level required for frontline international research.
Additional courses, provided by the University Graduate School, will cover general research, presentation, and other transferable skills - and there are summer schools funded by the Research Councils that fund our work.
We’ve excellent facilities here in Liverpool, but most of our PhD students spend one to two years at international and national research facilities in Europe, America or Japan. Many present their work at international conferences and in scientific journal publications.
Completing a PhD research project takes dedication, good communication skills and team work. The qualification and skills you’ll gain will make you highly employable.
Our research interests closely match our research themes.
Online Open Day
Come along to our online Postgraduate Open Day on Thursday 28 November at 5pm to learn more about our department's opportunities. You can also take a look at the Open Day flyer for more information.
Research themes
Our research themes include:
Facilities
We can offer you excellent facilities to support your research. These include:
- An in-house Design Office and Mechanical Workshop for designing and building apparatus
- The Liverpool Semiconductor Detector Centre, which features a new £3m suite of clean rooms, supports the design, construction and characterisation of silicon and germanium for particle and nuclear physics research. We’re also using the materials to create new medical imaging devices
- Advanced computer systems, including some of the UK’s fastest computer systems: large arrays of processors operated in parallel to perform intense tasks such as Monte Carlo calculations
- The department participates in local, national and international GRID computing projects (Euro-Grid, Grid-PP, UL-Grid)
- In the Surface Science Research Centre, one of the UK’s largest dedicated nano and surface science equipment bases, with state-of-the-art imaging and spectroscopy facilities.
Research groups
Particle Physics at the LHC, which started to take data in 2010 at CERN (Geneva), and at the T2K neutrino experiment, which started operation in 2010 at J-PARC (Japan)
- Using several overseas accelerators, in particular Jyväskylä (Finland), GANIL (France), GSI (Germany), ISOLDE at CERN (Switzerland) or TRIUMF (Canada) to study exotic nuclei under extreme conditions of isospin or angular momentum and at the limits of existence
- Using the techniques of scanning tunnelling microscopy, x-ray photoemission, ultraviolet photoemission, Auger electron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. The group also uses synchrotron facilities at ESRF (Grenoble), Diamond (Oxfordshire), the APS (Chicago) and SLRS (Stanford). An activity in thin film photovoltaics has been recently established
Accelerator Science and Technology, engaging in R&D projects aimed at developing techniques for novel acceleration and beam-handling for the next generation of particle accelerators.
Study options and fees
The fees below reflect one year of study during the 2024/25 academic year
| MPhil / PhD | Duration | UK students | International Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full time | 2-4 years | £4,786 |
|
| Part time | 4-6 years | £2,393 |
|
The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.
* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.
^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.
Entry requirements
Candidates applying for a PhD/MPhil by research require a first class or good second class Honours degree from a British university or equivalent.
English language requirements
| IELTS Academic requirement - SELT and non-SELT | Overall 6.5 no band below 5.5 |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT requirement | Minimum 88 overall with L 17 W 17 R 17 and S 19 |
| C1 Advanced CAE requirement | Overall 176 with no less than 162 in any paper |
| PTE Academic requirement | 61 with minimum scores of 59 in each component |
| Trinity College London, Integrated Skills in English (ISE II) | ISE II with an overall pass with merit in components |
| Cambridge IGCSE as a First Language | Grade C |
| Cambridge IGCSE as a Second Language | Grade B |
| Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Proficiency) | Overall 176 with 162 in components |
| Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced) | Overall 176 with 162 in components |
| Cambridge English Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced) | Overall 176 with 162 in components |
How to apply
Research degree applications can be made online. You'll also need to ensure that you have funding to cover all fees.
Applications are open all year round.
More about applying for research degrees
Before you apply, we recommend that you identify a supervisor and develop a research proposal
Find a supervisor
View supervisors in this area
Need help finding a supervisor? Contact us
- PGR Administrative Team
- Email: spspgr@liverpool.ac.uk
- Phone: +44 (0)151 794 3370
Related studentships: self-funded and funded PhD projects
Related Doctoral Training Partnerships
Doctoral Training Partnerships support future researchers with funding and a rewarding learning environment where you can collaborate with leading researchers.
Find a scholarship
We offer a range of scholarships to help you meet the costs of studying a research degree.