1. Investigate research opportunities

There are a number of ways to begin the process of applying for a research opportunity, depending on which path you decide to take.

Explore routes into research

2. Check course requirements

Academic requirements

Academic requirements vary by programme – check our programme pages for details. Evidence of relevant personal, professional and educational experience may be taken into consideration – contact the academic school directly for further information.

International and EU students can find guidance on alternative qualifications on our country-specific webpages.

English requirements

All applicants, both home and international, are required to hold English language qualifications at an appropriate level in order to study at the university. If you're a native English speaker, or you have studied in an English-speaking country or institution, we may be able to accept your academic qualifications as evidence of your English language ability. 

IELTS requirements are detailed on our course pages, though we also accept a variety of alternative qualifications.

If you require additional support to develop your language skills, you may be able to attend a pre-sessional course at the Centre for English Language Education.

Any other requirements

Some courses require work experience, or other entry requirements, or to demonstrate knowledge of the course. Please check our course pages for details.

3. Check key dates and deadlines

Starts dates

• Most courses start on 1 October.
• Some courses also have start dates at the beginning of December, February, April and July. Check our programme pages or contact the academic school for details.

Application deadlines

Specific opportunities, including studentships and doctoral training programmes, usually have their own deadlines, so make sure you check if there is a closing date for the project(s) you are applying for.

International students should apply as early as possible to ensure you have enough time to apply for your student visa and submit any documentation as advised by the admissions team. Deadlines for our standard October start can be found on our apply online pages.

Funding deadlines

An offer of study is required for many funding opportunities. If you are applying separately for funding (for example, scholarships, sponsorships etc), check the funding deadlines carefully. These are often early in the year. 

We recommend submitting your course application early and allow time for any fee payments and your application to be processed before any funding applications and deadlines. If you have a known funding deadlines, we encourage you to make us aware of it in your application. If you have a funding deadline and haven’t received a decision on your course application by two weeks of the deadline, we encourage you to make us aware through our online enquiry form.

4. Write your research proposal and find a supervisor

Write a research proposal

Your application will usually include a 1,000 to 3,000-word research proposal. This will be judged on both content and format. However, this depends on the opportunity you are applying for – for example, if you are applying for a specific project such as a studentship, you may not need a proposal. Check the relevant course page for details.

For advice on how to write a research proposal, see our how to guide. You can also contact the relevant academic school directly as they may be able to provide extra information.

Applicants for the MRes Biomolecular Technology do not need to submit a research proposal: please simply enter “Not applicable” in the relevant box.

Find a supervisor

Some schools may require you to contact a potential supervisor before submitting your application. Please check the course page and if required, follow the links provided to find out more about the research areas and supervisors.

5. Submit your application

You can apply directly through our online system. You will receive an automatic confirmation once you submit your application and can track its progress.

Make sure that you upload scanned clear copies of your degree certificate (if completed) and final or current transcript, as well as any other supporting documents. We will not be able to assess your application without them. Please do not send us the original copies in the post as we will be unable to return these.

Depending on the course you are applying for, you may also need to provide two references, including at least one who can comment on your academic ability. These must be dated within two years of the date of your application and, if not submitted directly by your referee, signed and on letter-headed paper. We may also require a personal statement. If you aren't sure what to include or need more help, please refer to our guidance or contact us.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Your application provides an opportunity for you to articulate the skills and experiences you have that make you suitable for a place on our courses. We understand that AI tools can be beneficial in terms of helping you to structure things such as personal statements or research proposals, or to check for readability. However, please be aware that an over-reliance on AI carries risks, such as falsely generated claims and the potential for the generated work to be of poor quality. Generating all, or a large part of your application submissions and communications regarding your application, using an AI tool and presenting this as your own work or words could affect the outcome of your application.

Application fee

There is an application fee of £50 for Master of Research (MRes) courses. 

Your MRes application will not be assessed until the application fee has been paid and processed.

Please note, Nottingham University Business School does not offer Master of Research (MRes) courses as a starting point for PhDs. If you are applying for a PhD at Nottingham University Business School you should apply for either the PhD in Business and Management, Finance and Risk, Business and Society or Industrial Economics.

Apply online

6. Track your application

You can log in at any time to track the progress of your application.

Track your application

Further information requests

Admissions may, at their discretion, ask applicants to provide further information in order to assess their application fairly and accurately. This can include CVs, references (academic and professional) and clarifications regarding their previous and current education. In such cases you will be contacted by admissions via email with a more information request.

Application outcome

When we have made a decision on your application, we will send you an email and let you know what you need to do next.

Details on accepting your offer, accommodation and other helpful hints and tips can be found in our guidance for applicants.