Entry criteria and how to apply

2. Check our entry requirements

In order to be admitted as a student for a research degree programme, an applicant must:

• Possess a UK Honours degree with at least an upper second class [2:1] or a Masters Degree or an academic or professional qualification plus experience in their sector or industry which the Research Degrees Committee Faculty Review Panel deems to be equivalent.
• Demonstrate competence in the use of the English language. Please see section 5b. for further details on meeting our English language entry criteria.

Please note, entry criteria must be met before an application can be considered. Conditional offers will not be issued based on meeting academic or English language entry criteria.

4. Find a supervisor

Applicants must have already contacted a potential supervisor to discuss their research proposal, prior to applying. This will establish a mutual interest in research and will help your application to be aligned with like-minded academics. You can find further information on our Research Centres and Institutes pages.

Please mention the name(s) of any academic you have contacted on applying.

5b: Submit mandatory documents

As part of your application, you will be required to submit a range of documents. Below we have outlined five of the key documents:

Research proposal

See our helpful guide on what your proposal should include.

Certificates and transcripts

We require scanned copies of your most relevant academic certificates and transcripts. Documents that are not in English must be provided with a certified English translation.

Two academic references

References must be dated within the last two years. Should your intended route be a DBA or PhD by Extended Professional Practice, one of your references can come from industry/practice. References must be provided in one of the following formats. The below guidance can be forwarded on to your referees:

• Complete our Reference Form and send to pgradmissions@dmu.ac.uk from a valid institutional email address, or;
• Complete our Reference Form and return back to you for uploading onto the admissions portal alongside your application, or;
• Complete our Reference Form and send it by post to the Doctoral College with an original signature (address found at the bottom of this page), or;
• Submit a reference on headed paper from the referee's institution / organisation, signed and dated by the referee.
• We welcome references in other accessible formats such as audio files, braille and captured videos.
• The reference report form must contain full contact details of the referee.

Unfortunately, the Doctoral College are not able to contact referees on behalf of applicants.

English language proof

Applicants who are required to evidence their English language will need to produce either:

• A IELTS (Academic) certificate at 6.5 or equivalent, with no component below 6.0 and shall have been taken not more than two years prior to entry, or;
• Copy of a Degree certificate from a majority English speaking country, dated within the last 5 years. (Further information on country exemptions), or;
• WAEC/WASSCE at grade C/6 or above, or;
• NECO grade C/6 or above.

Please note that we no longer accept TOEFL or TOEIC as proof of English language proficiency. We do provide an English examination for research degree applicants which can be used in place of an IELTS (Academic) certificate. More information about the De Montfort University English language test can be obtained from the Doctoral College at: PGRadmissions@dmu.ac.uk

All applicants must have first met the academic entry requirements for a research degree at DMU before they can be booked onto the De Montfort University English language test. Tests can only be booked via the Doctoral College at PGRadmissions@dmu.ac.uk

Passport

We require a clear copy of the photo page of your passport that details your passport number and nationality.

The Doctoral College will not be able to process your application without all of the above documentation.

7. Fees, funding, visa, ATAS

Fees

Information regarding our current fees can be found on our tuition fees page.

Funding and scholarships

Information regarding our current and upcoming scholarships can be found on our scholarships page.

Applicants requiring a visa

To find out if you need a visa to study in the UK, please read the following advice and guidance. Please do not book any non-refundable travel until you have obtained a visa. Full-time overseas applicants must also make a pre-payment of 50% of the first year's programme fees in order to receive a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

Applicants requiring an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Students studying certain research programmes in the UK must gain ATAS clearance before applying for a visa to study the programme.  ATAS clearance is a scheme operated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to help stop the spread of knowledge and skills that could be used in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery.  Applications for ATAS clearance usually take around 20 working days to be processed.  This can be longer during busy periods and we encourage applications to be made as soon as an offer letter has been issued from DMU.