By pursuing a Physics PhD at Liverpool, you’ll explore fundamental physics using state-of-the-art technology. You’ll also become part of a large multinational collaboration, with the opportunity to live and work at an international research facility in the UK or overseas.
Investigate fundamental physics using cutting-edge technologies in detectors and/or data analysis in fields such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy and sustainable technologies, innovative material, semiconductor and quantum sensors, and medical physics. As a member of our research groups, you’ll also be part of dedicated teams, often part of large international collaborations.
Throughout your degree, you’ll be expected to work independently and demonstrate that you can plan and deliver a research project, with the support of at least two supervisors. During your first year, you’ll attend specialist courses provided by research-active staff members in each of our research groups. These will bring you up to the level required for frontline international research. You can also attend specialised summer schools financed by the Research Councils that fund our work. The new, original research that you produce during your PhD degree will be presented in a thesis (and possibly in peer-reviewed journal publications). Finally, you’ll defend your thesis in front of experts.
Depending on your project, you may be able to live and work at international research facilities in UK or overseas. Many of our PhD students spend some time (between a few weeks and up to two years) at international research facilities in Europe, America or Japan. Our students are given the possibility to attend and present their work at international conferences and publish in scientific journals. 6-month internships in industry may also be possible.
We recommend that PhD students start this PhD on 1 October each year. If there’s any reason you must start your PhD at a different time of the year, this can be negotiated.
Typically, we welcome around 15-25 PhD students each year working on an original project relevant to one of the following research topics:
Our research is carried out across research clusters and throughout transversal activities focusing on cutting edge technologies in fields such as:
Thematic seminar series run throughout the year, attended by both PhD students and staff. Occasionally, you may be embedded in a bigger experimental team whose members may be external to the University, depending on your project. There are projects that require students to spend significant amount of time (usually up to 1 year) at a facility or facilities outside Liverpool, eg CERN (Switzerland), Fermilab (USA). In those cases, this will be discussed before the offer of a position at the University. All students participate and present in Liverpool research group meetings, as well as in conferences.
We have an active portfolio grant of £49 million as of March 2025 (not including co-Principal Investigator on projects led by other departments).
We recommend that you visit our department’s research web pages to explore our research topics and relevant contacts. You don’t need to specify a particular supervisor. Simply indicate the research topic that you’re interested in and the relevant research cluster contact when you submit your application online.
You may need the following documents to complete your online application:
Finally, register and apply online. You'll receive an email acknowledgment once you've submitted your application. We'll be in touch with further details about what happens next.
If your application is considered, you’ll be allocated to the relevant experimental team, and we’ll introduce you to the relevant supervisors.
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees for a full-time place on this programme in academic year 2025-26 are:
Tuition fees for a part-time place on this programme in academic year 2025-26 are:
Please note, the tuition fee you pay will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others, for example if you’re required to undertake laboratory work. You’ll be informed of the fee for your intended PhD in your offer letter.
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this degree, as well as general student living costs.
If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan worth up to £30,301 to help with course fees and living costs.
There’s also a variety of alternative sources of funding. These include funded research opportunities and financial support from UK research councils, charities and trusts. Your supervisor may be able to help you secure funding.
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition fees and living expenses.
If you’re awarded this prestigious scholarship, you’ll receive significant funding to support your postgraduate research. This includes full payment of your PhD fees and a cash bursary of £17,000 per year while you study. One award is available in each academic year.
If you’re a UK student, either born in or with strong family connections to Merseyside, you could be eligible to apply for financial support worth up to £12,000 per year for up to three years of full-time postgraduate research (or up to five years part-time pro-rata).
Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.
The Department of Physics has more than 100 PhD students, most of which are based on the University’s main campus. PhD students from our Accelerator cluster are usually based in the Cockcroft Institute, which is located outside Liverpool, close to Warrington.
Our facilities include:
The department also participates in local, national and international GRID computing projects (Euro-Grid, Grid-PP, UL-Grid).
Studying for a PhD in physics deepens subject knowledge but also builds a powerful skill set that’s highly valued both in academia and in industry.
PhD students learn how to break down complex problems, develop models and find creative solutions, skills that are essential in fields related to data science, technology and finance.
Research projects in physics require hands-on experience with specialized tools, simulations, coding and/or lab equipment, which makes you attractive to employers in AI/Machine learning, engineering firms, or software and hardware development companies.
Producing publishable results, possibly writing papers and giving talks to local and wider audiences, are an integral part of the degree. This teaches you powerful communication skills that are useful for careers in consulting, science outreach and various management or leadership roles.
Finally, many projects involve working with large teams of scientists, often in different countries, providing experience in working in diverse environments.
Our alumni pursue a variety of careers, including as research scientists in universities, laboratories and industry, but there are plenty of other options, eg radiation protection at the NHS, nuclear decommissioning, data-science etc.
Once you graduate after completing your PhD, you’ll gain free access to Prosper to help you unlock your potential and kickstart your postdoctoral research career.
Prosper provides structured career development and support, designed specifically for postdocs, in close collaboration with employer partners and principal investigators.
Opportunities include coaching, workshops, webinars and a buddy scheme designed to help you realise the next step in your career journey.
You can also access online resources including the Prosper portal so you can manage your personal and professional development at your own pace.
As a postgraduate researcher at the University of Liverpool, you have access to an exciting portfolio of development opportunities, designed to support your ongoing success and help you realise your ambitions.
These development opportunities, available through The Academy’s PGR Development Hub, are suitable for all subject specialisms. You might be just commencing your research or in the final stages of completing your PhD.
An initial Development Needs Analysis will encourage you to reflect on your abilities. This exploration of your personal, professional and career development needs will form the foundation of a bespoke development plan you’ll agree with your supervisor.
The aim is to immerse yourself in new experiences, engage in development opportunities designed exclusively for postgraduate researchers, and reflect on your progress.
Our campus Career Studio is a space for students and graduates to drop into and talk to a career coach. Career coaches are highly trained to help no matter what stage you are at in planning for your future career.
You can access tailored guidance and support to find and apply for full-time and part-time roles, placements, internships and graduate schemes. You will also find the help you need if you have a start-up idea or want to create a business plan. You can explore the world of work, prepare for job interviews, and access careers events and workshops.
The Career Studio is open Monday to Friday from 10am-5pm, simply drop in at a time that works for you.
These are the trailblazers, the leaders, the true originals. Our postgraduate researchers are shaping their future, and the future of the world we live in, advancing knowledge with each discovery.
The University of Liverpool Particle Physics Group discuss their postgraduate research projects, research activity, state-of-the-art facilities, and international collaborations.
Want to find out more about studying a PhD with us? Chat with our postgraduate research student ambassadors and ask any questions you have.
Discover the qualifications you'll need to apply for this course.
You’ll typically need a degree equivalent to a master’s degree with at least 2:1 classification. Exceptions do apply, so get in contact with us if you want to make an inquiry.
You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you’re from a majority English speaking country.
We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications.
International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
| Qualification | Details |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL iBT | 88 overall with minimum scores of listening 17, writing 17, reading 17 and speaking 19. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted. |
| Pearson PTE Academic | 61 overall, with no component below 59 |
Do you need to complete a Pre-sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?
The length of Pre-sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.
If you don’t meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests, to determine the length of Pre-sessional English course you require.
Use the table below to check the course length you're likely to require for your current English language ability and see whether the course is available on campus or online.
| Your most recent IELTS score | Pre-sessional English course length | On campus or online |
|---|---|---|
| 6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5 | 6 weeks | On campus |
| 5.5 overall, with no component below 5.5 | 10 weeks | On campus and online options available |
| 5.5 overall, with no more than one component below 5.5, and no component below 5.0 | 12 weeks | On campus and online options available |
| 5.5 overall, with no component below 4.5 | 20 weeks | On campus |
| 5.0 overall, with no component below 4.5 | 30 weeks | On campus |
| 4.5 overall, with no more than one component below 4.5, and no component below 4.0 | 40 weeks | On campus |
If you’ve completed an alternative English language test to IELTS, we may be able to use this to assess your English language ability and determine the Pre-sessional English course length you require.
Please see our guide to Pre-sessional English entry requirements for IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5, for further details.
Have a question about this research opportunity or studying a PhD with us? Please get in touch with us, using the contact details below, and we’ll be happy to assist you.