PG Study > All courses > Medical Sciences PhD/MPhil/MRes

2025

Medical Sciences PhD/MPhil/MRes

Full-time: Up to 4 years
Part-time: Up to 8 years
Start date: Multiple available
UK fees: To be confirmed
International fees: To be confirmed

Research overview

Specific subject titles have included:

Breast Surgery
Medicine and Health

Some project areas do not offer all of the qualification options, so we recommend getting in touch with a supervisor to clarify which project area and qualification are right for you.

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Course content

For your postgraduate research degree, you'll complete a research project in your specific field of study and complete a written thesis with expert support and advice from your academic supervisor(s).

The written thesis must be no more than:

35,000 words for an MRes
60,000 words for an MPhil
100,000 words for a PhD

These word counts are inclusive of appendices, footnotes, tables, and bibliography.

You'll then take a verbal examination called a viva voce where you explain your project in-depth to an examination panel.

You'll gain your degree on passing your viva exam.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.

Degree

2.1 (or equivalent) degree in a relevant subject and two academic references.

2.2 (or equivalent) degree in a relevant subject and two academic references.

Additional information

If you have contacted a supervisor and they have informally agreed to supervise you, please provide us with a personal statement as part of the online application form. This should cover your reasons for applying, why you are interested in the programme, your previous subject and work experience and your future aspirations.

If you have not contacted a supervisor before completing the online application form, please submit a personal statement and a research proposal.

Qualification	PhD	MPhil or MRes
Degree	2.1 (or equivalent) degree in a relevant subject and two academic references.	2.2 (or equivalent) degree in a relevant subject and two academic references.
International and EU equivalents	We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world. For information on entry requirements from your country, see our country pages.	We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world. For information on entry requirements from your country, see our country pages.
IELTS	7.0 with no less than 6.0 in any element	7.0 with no less than 6.0 in any element
English language requirements	As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English.	As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English.
Additional information	If you've contacted a supervisor and they have informally agreed to supervise you, please provide us with a personal statement as part of the online application form. This should cover your reasons for applying, why you're interested in the programme, your previous subject and work experience and your future aspirations. If you've not contacted a supervisor before completing the online application form, please submit a personal statement and a research proposal.	If you've contacted a supervisor and they have informally agreed to supervise you, please provide us with a personal statement as part of the online application form. This should cover your reasons for applying, why you are interested in the programme, your previous subject and work experience and your future aspirations. If you've not contacted a supervisor before completing the online application form, please submit a personal statement and a research proposal.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

Applying

If you need some advice on which research course is right for you, please check out our guide to research courses.

Multiple start dates are available for this course. Make sure you specify when you would like to start at the University in your application:

Potential start dates include:

1 October
1 February
1 July

We strongly recommend identifying and getting in touch with a possible supervisor before making an application. They may be able to help you with your proposal and offer support to find funding opportunities in your area. Please send them a CV, research proposal and cover letter.

Find a supervisor

Our step-by-step guide contains everything you need to know about applying for postgraduate research.

How to apply

Fees

Qualification	All qualifications
Home / UK	To be confirmed
International	To be confirmed

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA).

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice.

You should factor some additional costs into your budget such as living expenses, printing and travel.

You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need to complete your project through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies or access to more specific titles.

Funding

The School of Medicine may make a contribution to some of your costs relating to attending conferences or research expenses, however, this will be discussed with students as appropriate.

There are many ways to fund your research degree, from scholarships to government loans.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

Postgraduate funding

Support

We're committed to providing support to postgraduate students across the course of their research studies in addition to their project supervision

Postgraduate research students will study as part of a division within the School of Medicine and each division has its own PGR representative who is there to address student concerns and feedback.

Peer support groups have been established to encourage students in all years of their studies to contribute to regular meetings covering issues such as tips for writing up and preparing for the viva. The topics are determined by the students in the group.

Further, students entering their second year of full-time study (or equivalent for part-time students) are encouraged to sign up to the formal Mentoring Scheme within the School of Medicine which offers one to one mentoring by a trained member of staff.

Researcher training and development

The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.

Postgraduate researchers at Nottingham have access to our online Members’ area, which includes a wealth of resources, access to training courses and award-winning postgraduate placements.

Student support

You will have access to a range of support services, including:

academic and disability support
childcare services
counselling service
faith support
financial support
mental health and wellbeing support
visa and immigration advice
welfare support

Students' Union

Our Students' Union represents all students. You can join the Postgraduate Students’ Network or contact the dedicated Postgraduate Officer.

There are also a range of support networks, including groups for:

international students
black and minority ethnic students
students who identify as women
students with disabilities
LGBT+ students

SU Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues such as accommodation, financial and academic difficulties.

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Where you will learn

Royal Derby Hospital

Royal Derby Hospital is based in the city of Derby, around 15 miles from Nottingham. This modern, purpose-built building offers you all the facilities you need to study.

You will have access to laboratories and anatomy, clinical skills and computer suites. The NHS library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. View a tour of the medical school online.

You can travel to University Park Campus in around 45 minutes on our free hopper bus. Derby city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus.

Careers

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Expert staff will work with you to explore PhD career options and apply for vacancies, develop your interview skills and meet employers. You can book a one-to-one appointment, take an online course or attend a workshop.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route. Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Highly committed supervisors, advanced supporting laboratory facilities, and friendly multicultural students describe my PhD study best. Having clinical work in Indonesian hospitals as a paediatric specialist for years, I have daily challenges working in a laboratory during my PhD. However, my supervisors have continuously encouraged and provided one-to-one training. My four supervisors allocate time to give detailed feedback in weekly and monthly supervision meetings and offer immediate solutions to any problem. They put in their best effort for me to have the best learning and outcomes during my PhD, and thus I can implement them when I return to my home country.”

Cahyani Ambarsari, PhD Student

Related courses

Research Excellence Framework

The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

90%* of our research is classed as 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*)
100%* of our research is recognised internationally
51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact**

*According to analysis by Times Higher Education ** According to our own analysis.

This content was last updated on 01 July 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.