PhD in the UK: the proposal, the upgrade, the thesis and the viva

A UK PhD is built around one document and one conversation. You write a thesis, and an examination called the viva voce tests it in a closed meeting with two examiners. There is no required coursework in most programs, so the degree rewards candidates who plan independently and keep close to their supervisors. Full-time candidates usually take three to four years.

The document at the center of this degree is called a thesis in most of the English-speaking world and a dissertation in the United States. This guide uses "thesis" and treats the two words as the same piece of work, so everything here applies to your dissertation too.

Applying

UK applications rest on a research proposal. You write one, find an academic whose work fits, and either apply for an advertised funded project or propose your own. Applications typically include your transcripts, a CV, two academic references and the proposal. Universities ask for proof of English if your first language is not English, and IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 is a common requirement, with some departments asking for 7.0. Check the exact level for your department.

Contact potential supervisors before applying. A supervisor who reads a clear, focused proposal and replies is giving you a strong signal, and silence tells you something too. The research proposal guide for international applicants covers what such a proposal contains.

Funding and fees

Home students can access UK research council studentships. International students pay higher tuition, and fees vary by university and by whether the subject is lab-based. Funding for international students comes from university scholarships, government scholarships from the home country, and external sponsors. Many advertised projects state whether international students may apply, so read that line first. If you design your own project, you usually must find your own funding.

Visa, CAS and ATAS

International students apply under the Student Route. Once your offer is unconditional and your finances and English are accepted, the university issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, the CAS, which you need for the visa application. English tests must be from an approved provider if you require a Student visa, and the Home Office lists those.

Some postgraduate research in sensitive subjects requires an ATAS certificate before the visa application. Sensitive areas include engineering, physical sciences, mathematical and computer sciences, some biological sciences and related technologies. Nationals of the UK, EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States are exempt, according to university guidance, and everyone else in those subjects must apply. The certificate is free, and the processing time varies, so apply as soon as your university confirms you need one. Check the current government guidance before relying on this summary.

PhD graduates may be eligible for the Graduate route after completion, which allows a period of work in the UK. Confirm the current terms on the government site.

The stages

1. Year one. You refine your question, read, and build your methodology under a supervisory team.
2. Upgrade or confirmation. Between about nine and eighteen months, depending on the university, you submit a substantial document and meet an independent panel. Passing moves you from probationary status into full PhD registration. Failing can lead to a second attempt or to an MPhil.
3. Ethics approval before data collection with human participants.
4. Research and writing during years two and three.
5. Submission and viva.

The thesis

UK theses are usually monographs of 80,000 words or so, and many universities set a maximum near 100,000. The structure follows the research: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, discussion and conclusion in many social science theses. Some universities allow a PhD by published work or a thesis with papers. Read your institution's regulations for the word limit and format.

The viva

The viva is a closed oral examination with an internal and an external examiner, and your supervisor may attend only if you agree and without speaking. It lasts anywhere from one hour to several. The examiners have read the whole thesis and probe the argument, the method and your claims to originality.

Outcomes commonly include pass with no corrections, pass with minor corrections, major corrections over a longer period, resubmission for re-examination, or an MPhil award. Most candidates receive corrections of some kind. Read what pass with revisions means before your result arrives, and use the 12 common defense questions to rehearse. TDM's guide to the viva voce is also on the site.

Before submission

Examiners notice inconsistent referencing and unclear sentences, and they raise both in the viva. A final pass through editing and formatting to your university's regulations removes problems you can avoid.