Chemistry PhD

Entry requirements

A first or upper second class honours degree or higher in Physics, Chemistry or a physical sciences related course.

All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.

Months of entry

January, April, September

Course content

Our research degrees are based around laboratory and computational research projects. PhD study involves a 3-4 year research project on a full-time basis, or 5-6 years part-time. In all our research degrees you undertake a single, focused, research project from day one, and attend components of our transferable skills modules. You are supervised by a team which comprises your main supervisor(s) as well as supervisory chairs that give independent advice on progression.

Reasons to study Chemistry at Kent

• Research within Chemistry at Kent focuses on Materials for Energy and Electronics and Supramolecular Interfacial and Synthetic Chemistry.
• More than 92% of our research outputs and 100% of our research impact was considered to be ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF).
• Our academic staff are leading experts in chemistry, ensuring you receive the best possible supervision. Find out about the staff who are open to supervising research students, together with their research interests.

Funded PhD studentships

The School’s latest PhD opportunities are announced throughout the year and can be found on the FindAPhD website or through the University of Kent scholarship finder.

Self-funded applicants

If you have private or other funding you are welcome to apply for a PhD at any time, provided that your research interests are in line with the interests and capabilities of one of our research groups. In order to apply, you need to complete the following steps:

• Identify an academic member of staff who you would like to act as a potential supervisor
• Contact the potential supervisor directly by email to discuss the possibility of undertaking a PhD under their supervision. Please outline your interest in the research, supply a CV including details of all relevant experience and details of how you will fund your study.
• Make an online application to study (click 'Apply now').

Research Excellence Framework (REF) score

92%

Information for international students

Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Please note that international fee-paying students cannot undertake a part-time programme due to visa restrictions.

English language entry requirements

The University requires all non-native speakers of English to reach a minimum standard of proficiency in written and spoken English before beginning a postgraduate degree. Certain subjects require a higher level.

For detailed information see our English language requirements web pages.

Need help with English?

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.

Fees and funding

For further information about funding, including scholarships, please visit our funding web pages.