Application Resources
The SENSE Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), led by the University of Edinburgh and University of Leeds, created and compiled the following resources to support students to apply for their centre, which we think may be useful to you when applying for the NZPS DTP:
- Demystifying PhD Applications with SENSE CDT (External link to YouTube)
- Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a scientist (External link to YouTube)
- SENSE Support for PhD Applications 2021 (External link to YouTube)
- SENSE Support for PhD Applications 2022 (External link to YouTube)
SENSE also created useful written resources, which are available on the SENSE CDT website (External Site)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Application Process
The original deadline for 2026 applications was 7th January. Due to a 5-day website outage over the winter closure period, we have extended the application deadline.
The deadline for applications is now 09:00 (GMT) Monday 12th January 2026.
Details on the application process can be found here: https://nzps-dtp.ac.uk/application-process/
Yes, the character limit for restricted questions on the application form includes all letters, spaces and punctuation.
Applicants are only permitted to apply for one NZPS project.
We aim to recruit applicants based on their academic merit and interview performance. Following interview, strong candidates whose preferred project is no longer available may be offered a different project, where possible.
If you are initially interested in more than one project you should contact the lead supervisors for further information about each project, so that you can then apply for your preferred choice.
If you submit multiple applications and/or apply to more than one project, we will only assess the most recent/latest application and discard the others.
Please do not apply directly to your proposed host institution at the application stage.
All applicants will only need to submit the NZPS application form and emailing the requested documents to nzps@northumbria.ac.uk by 17.00 (GMT) on 7th January 2026.
Successful candidates at interview will be made a studentship offer and will then apply/enrol at their host institution once they have accepted their offer.
We understand that there is not always enough time over the winter holidays to make contact with project supervisors, particularly if you only discover the project at a late stage. We recommend trying to make contact with the lead supervisor to enable you to ensure the project is right for you and so that you are able to write as strong an application as possible. You will still be able to apply without holding these discussions, however.
If you have been unable to contact the supervisor before you apply, we recommend that you try to make contact with them in early January (before 21st January). The supervisors will only receive applications for review in mid/late January, after they have been processed by the NZPS recruitment team.
At the point of application we only ask for the names and contact details of two potential referees, not written references. You are not required to submit written references at this stage. Your referees may be contacted for a reference if you are invited to interview.
No, applications cannot be edited once they have been submitted. However, if you submit multiple applications and/or apply to more than one project, we will only assess the most recent/latest application and discard the others.
Applicants will receive an invitation to interviews by Thursday 12th February. Interviews will all be conducted online over Thursday 26th and Friday 27th February.
Interviews will last approximately 30 minutes. Candidates will receive some questions in advance to allow for pre-interview preparation, but there will also be additional unknown questions asked as part of the interview process.
There will be a small budget provided for offer holders to visit the their host institution if they would like to before accepting their offer.
Programme Eligibility
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree are eligible to apply, as long as they have not already received funding from UKRI for PhD study.
Please contact the lead project supervisor to discuss the project you are interested in and whether your particular academic background is relevant for the project in question.
Yes, current Master’s students are eligible to apply.
Please provide details of any outcomes/results from assessed work to date and your predicted grade, if this is available.
Yes, we do not discriminate based on age or any other personal characteristics.
General Programme Queries
Successful applicants for the first cohort of NZPS will start in October 2026, subject to the successful completion of quality assurance checks and UK Visa and Immigration for any international students. There may be a delay to the start date if Visa and Immigration checks cannot be completed in time.
No, the advertised projects will normally be based at the university of the lead supervisor. For projects with a British Antarctic Survey supervisor, students will normally sit at BAS and be registered at the university of the main university co-supervisor.
Yes, most projects can be extended over a part-time period. However, each host university offers different part-time options, so the available options will differ per project. For example, the University of Leeds offers two part-time options: 0.5 FTE and 0.75 FTE. Other institutions offer part-time options at 0.6 FTE, but not 0.5FTE or 0.75FTE. Your stipend payments and deadlines will be adjusted accordingly depending on your mode of study.
International students wishing to study part-time will need to apply for a part time Student visa and this may not always be possible to obtain. International students on a part-time visa are not normally permitted to work while in the UK, nor can they bring any dependants to the UK with them. The cost of the visa and the level of funds required for relocating are the same as for a full time Student visa, so for most applicants this is not a feasible option and we do not normally recommend it.
A PhD should be treated like a full-time job and full-time students are expected to study for 37 hours per week, on average.
Any part-time work should not interfere with your ability to study and is limited to a maximum of 250 hours in any 12-month period. Please discuss taking on extra work with the lead project supervisor to get a better understanding of the workload of a PhD before committing to both.
PhD students in the UK on a student visa are not permitted to work more than 20 hours per week, unless they take annual leave. Working in excess of the 20-hour maximum is a violation of your visa and may lead to your visa being curtailed.
PhD students are often encouraged to take on a limited amount of paid tutoring and demonstrating work at their host universities.
Depending on your background, you may be able to apply for additional funding from a charity or from a Government initiative to help support your cost of living.
Not normally. Universities usually have requirements about where students need to be located during their degrees. International students may have visa requirements that restrict where they can be based. We expect that NZPS students will reside in close proximity to their primary institution.
International Student Queries
Some NZPS projects are fully funded for international students, which will include a stipend at UKRI rates, full international tuition fees, and an annual Research Training Support Grant (RTSG).
Other projects (any based at the University of Reading or the British Antarctic Survey) can only offer a contribution to international fees, up to the Home/UK amount. International students can still apply for these projects, but will be required to meet the difference between international and home fees from an alternative funding source. The exact cost of university fees will differ depending on the host university. Please contact the relevant host university admissions teams for more information.
Please note: we cannot cover costs associated with relocation to the UK for any students. This may include accommodation costs, travel, student visa, NHS health surcharge, etc. Please see the UK Government website for more information on student visas (including costs) and the health surcharge. You can also get in touch with the Student Visa Advice service at your host university for more information.
International applicants will often need to provide proof of English language ability, e.g. IELTS/TOEFL, before any formal studentship offers are made. You will need to meet the English Language requirements before being made a formal offer from your host university.
Please note: we are unable to advise you if your qualifications are suitable before you apply.
For more information, please see our entry requirements page https://nzps-dtp.ac.uk/apply-to-the-nzps-dtp/ and contact the relevant admissions team in your proposed host institution if you have any further questions.
All documents should be in English or be accompanied by a certified translation into English.
If you are unable to obtain evidence of previous degrees in English then we are able to accept a translation from an official translation service, but we will also require a copy of the original certificate (in the original language) or final transcript.
Any further advice about documentation required for admission should be sought from the relevant admissions team at your proposed host institution.