Applications are made initially to the Babraham Institute, typically between October and January each year. Most of the potential PhD projects eligible for funding by our annual quota studentships from our Departmental Training Awards from the BBSRC and MRC are advertised on our website, on FindAPhD.com and in the autumn Graduate Issue of New Scientist.
Applicants are encouraged to contact possible supervisors to discuss research projects and should submit a full Curriculum Vita with a covering letter indicating the two projects in which they are most interested, in order of preference, and ask two referees to write to the Institute on their behalf before the deadline.
Short-listed applicants are invited to attend our Institute Graduate Recruitment Open Day and interviews in January. Travel expenses are paid to those invited to attend our Institute Recruitment Open Day. We frequently have additional PhD positions which are advertised separately in the press, and on our website, between January and June each year.
Once awarded a potential PhD position at The Babraham Institute successful applicants should also apply to the University of Cambridge, after making sure that they meet the academic and financial requirements stipulated by the University.
These Entry Requirements are outlined on the Board of Graduate Studies website:
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/gsprospectus/applying/entry.html
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/admissions/
Applications may be made on paper-based or electronic formats and are submitted via the Board of Graduate Studies. The online prospectus and online application process for the University of Cambridge can be accessed at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/gsprospectus/
Each application is considered by the Faculty of Biology and then is passed on to the college. The Institute Graduate Committee will give candidates every assistance for the University application.
Other EU nationals and Overseas applicants
EU nationals should check their eligibility for funding for Research Council Studentships at
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/web/files/guidelines/studentship_eligibility.pdf
In general EU students in this category will have their University and College fees paid by Research Council Studentships but will need to find their own funding for their maintenance. However, please note our recently introduced Babraham Institute European Studentship scheme which will provide full funding for up three studentships annually (see our Funding page).
Overseas students will need to provide their own funding for University and College fees and for their maintenance stipend (see our Funding page).
It is essential that such students should make contact with the Babraham Institute Group leader in whose laboratory they wish to carry out their PhD studies as early as possible, and BEFORE applying for funding. This will allow the Group Leader to determine if they have any PhD positions available in their research group at the appropriate time and to determine if they are prepared to make a case to the Graduate Committee to support such applicants in their search for funding.
Such applications are considered on a case by case basis. Successful students can then apply to the University (as described above) with the support of the Babraham Institute and be considered for financial awards from the University and from the Cambridge Trusts (see ourFunding page).
