Condensed Matter PhD

You’ll have access to the resources of some of the top facilities in Europe and the UK.

The Collaborative Optical Spectroscopy, Micromanipulation and Imaging Centre (COSMIC) is a cross-disciplinary centre for optical characterisation, control and imaging of complex materials, and offers world-class equipment and a far-reaching research network.

• Collaborative Optical Spectroscopy, Micromanipulation and Imaging Centre (COSMIC)

We host the UK Centre for Astrobiology, where the responses of molecules to life in extreme environments – including the space environment – are studied. The Centre also simulates extraterrestrial environments, and maintains a subsurface biology laboratory 1.5 kilometres underground at the Boulby Mine in Yorkshire.

• UK Centre for Astrobiology

Our studies of the structure and properties of materials at extremes of pressure and temperature take place within the Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, which hosts internationally leading facilities for sample preparation, characterization, and static and dynamic structure determination.

• Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions

Among the powerful resources accessed by our computer simulators and theorists is an 800 teraflop IBM BG-Q supercomputer hosted by the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC). We also have access to Eddie, the University’s 2500+ core multipurpose machine.

• Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC)

Condensed matter theorists are full participants in the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics, which organises colloquia workshops and other events, many related directly to condensed matter.

• Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics

You will have access to the resources of some of the top facilities in Europe and the UK. COSMIC is a cross-disciplinary centre for optical characterisation, control and imaging of complex materials, which offers world-class equipment and a far-reaching research network.

We host the UK Centre for Astrobiology, where scientists study the responses of molecules to life in extreme environments – including the space environment. The Centre also simulates extraterrestrial environments, and maintains a subsurface biology laboratory 1.5km underground at the Boulby Mine in Yorkshire.

Our ability to probe the structures and properties of materials at extremes of pressure and temperature has been boosted by the creation of the Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions. Wet labs are available for work at biological hazard containment level 1, and upgradeable to containment level 2.

Among the powerful resources accessed by our computer simulators and theorists is a 5 teraflop IBM BlueGene supercomputer hosted by the EPCC. We are also participants in EPSRC’s ‘RealityGrid’ e-Science Testbed Project (part of a national initiative in grid Computing).

Our graduates have pursued highly diverse and successful careers in academia and industry.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

PhD: A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in physics or a related discipline.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

If you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss national, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance certificate in order to study this programme.

• Academic Technology Approval Scheme

Tuition fees

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
PhD	Physics	3 Years	Full-time	Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Research Council Studentships
• Research scholarships for international students
• University/School funded studentships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK's governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding