How to apply for a PhD

This page contains information that is specific to the School of Information, Journalism and Communication. Please read it in conjunction with the University’s central guidance on how to apply for a PhD.

This page explains how to apply for a traditional/standard PhD in the School of Information, Journalism and Communication based on your own research project. Once you have received your offer you can use it to apply for competitive funding (where you compete with other offer holders to gain a scholarship).

There is often a different process for pre-funded projects, where you apply to a project which already has funding attached. More information on this will be coming soon, but in the meantime please take a look at the available Faculty of Social Sciences scholarships.

Before you apply

Before you apply, please read about how to write a research proposal.

Your proposal should contain at least the following elements:

• A provisional title
• A key question, hypothesis or the broad topic for investigation
• An outline of the key aims of the research
• A brief outline of key literature in the area [what we already know]
• A description of the topic and an explanation of why further research in the area is important [the gap in the literature - what we need to know]
• Details of how the research will be carried out, including any special facilities / resources etc. which would be required and any necessary skills which you either have already or would need to acquire [the tools that will enable us to fill the gap you have identified]
• A plan and timetable of the work you will carry out

Applicants from the UK who identify as Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) may wish to consider the Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education (YCEDE)’s Advocacy Scheme which aims to to help UK BAME students navigate the PhD application process and prepare them to make a high quality application.

Academic requirements

First you'll need a strong Masters degree (or to be working towards a masters degree at the time of application), with an overall grade of merit, from a UK institution (or equivalent from an overseas university). If your programme does not include a research project/dissertation, we may ask that you submit a writing sample. 

We will consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis, including candidates with at least two years' work experience in a relevant field. We would strongly advise such applicants to have already identified the potential supervisor(s) and have had an initial discussion of their research topic.

English language requirements

Find out about our English language requirements for postgraduate study.

Choosing a research topic and finding a supervisor

Your research topic should be something that is of interest to you, and it should be original, offering an addition to established knowledge. It should be ambitious, but also achievable within the tuition fee paying period. This can be a difficult balance!

A key aspect of doing a PhD is developing a productive relationship with a supervisor. Ideally, building rapport should start from a very early stage, and it is a good idea to contact a potential supervisor before formally applying.

Your supervisor should be someone whose research interests match your own. To find a potential supervisor, you should read through the list of supervisors in the School and identify those whose research overlaps with your own, whether thematically or methodologically.

You might find it helpful to use the university’s central Find a PhD Supervisor tool or browse staff profiles in the School of Information, Journalism and Communication.

How to apply

Once you have prepared your research proposal, you will need to submit it using the online application form. An indicative list of documents needed for your application is as follows:

• Your research proposal submission
• Two academic references; these should be written and signed on official letter-headed paper by academic staff at institutions where you have studied previously. If you have been out of education for the last two years, you may supply one academic reference, along with one from your current employer
• Evidence of your qualifications, including academic transcripts
• Evidence of an appropriate English language qualification

Applications submitted without these documents cannot be processed.

Fees and funding

Once you have received an offer, you can use it to apply for PhD funding. The University of Sheffield scholarship competition closes in January each year, but there are a wide range of other funding opportunities available. See the links below for details:

• Information on research scholarships in the Faculty of Social Sciences
• Alternative funding sources for postgraduate study

Please note: there may be costs additional to your tuition incurred during your PhD study, depending on your project and field of work. Examples of additional costs may include travel and accommodation for fieldwork, or conference fees. Please speak to your potential supervisor if you have any questions about this.

Find out about PhD tuition fees

What happens next?

Find out more about timescales and what to expect after you have submitted your application.

Offer Holders - Deferring the start of your programme

There is no automatic right to defer the start of your programme, however you can request to defer your study place under certain circumstances. 

Please note that the School of Information, Journalism and Communications has specified start dates for Postgraduate Research cohorts: 1st October and 1st February. It may not be possible to defer your application to a non-standard start date.

Each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis, though there should be firm justifications for the deferral. These may include (but are not limited to):

• You have been awarded funding for your project, but the funding agreement stipulates that a later start date is required
• Exceptional circumstances have arisen in your personal life which require a later start date to allow for a resolution
• Visa complications have delayed you from commencing your studies as planned and so a later registration date is required
• You have not been able to complete a prior qualification on schedule and require additional time to complete this

Deferral requests will specifically not be granted where you have been unsuccessful in applying for funding in the current period and wish to apply again in the next cycle.

You can make your request to defer your study place by logging in to your initial application and clicking on the 'Request Deferral' link in the 'Your Applications' section. Please ensure you provide sufficient detail on the reasoning for your request in the section provided. Your request will be considered by the School and an outcome should normally be expected within 3-4 weeks. 

If there are insufficient grounds to grant a deferral request, you will be welcome to withdraw your application and reapply at a more suitable time.