1. Look at the course information on the website.
2. Before making an application, you should satisfy yourself that the topic you wish to research can be supervised by an academic at Geography or SPRI. Acceptance of any applicant will be dependent on specialist supervision being available. (Please check the research groups) then look through the online staff list.
Identification of a potential supervisor does not imply any sort of guarantee of admission and the full admissions procedure must be followed in all cases. If the potential supervisor’s details are available from the web, you may e-mail the person with a draft research proposal (approx. 2,000 words). If contact details are not available, kindly e-mail the Graduate Office Administrator with your research proposal and the name(s) of those whom you are trying to contact.
Unfortunately if we cannot supervise your topic, we will decline your application regardless of its academic merit. Therefore, please do make sure there is someone able to supervise you before you apply.
3. Go to the Graduate Admissions Office Prospectus for Geography and Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) which has all the information you need to make a formal application. Applicants should plan well in advance to ensure their papers can be processed in time.
Deadline for applications: 27 March 2015
Please not that studentship or scholarship deadlines will earlier.
When making the formal application, applicants will need to provide a statement (approx. 2,000 words) of your research proposal, including aims and methods, sources and the location of the proposed research. Your proposal should include a list of specific resource needs for your research such as travel budget, fieldwork, laboratory equipment, chemical, and IT needs.
Please state in your application which academic in the Department could supervise your research.
4. Funding
There is no major funding available through the department to support your studies (although there are limited numbers of modest supports available for fieldwork, etc).
- All fieldwork, laboratory work, access to data, archives and travel will have to be supported for the length of your study. You should ensure that your fundig body provides sufficient support. (The department has only a limited number of funds to help with these costs)
- Overseas applicants should look at the scholarships available at Cambridge. The major scholarships available at Cambridge are Gates Foundation and scholarships administered by the Cambridge Trust. You should apply for these by the advertised deadline when you complete your formal application (Section B of the GRADSAF Form). The are listed in the University Graduate Studies Prospectus.
- UK and EU students should look at CHESS information on the Graduate Admissions Prospectus. (NB: CHESS funding is primarily for applicants who wish to continue to PhD after completing a one year MPhil or Masters course)
- You can complete a funding search to help you find your funding options