University of Cambridge Biosciences DTP PhD Programme

The University of Cambridge Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership is offering around 25 fully funded PhD studentships in biological sciences. Applications are open now. The closing date is Tuesday 8 December, so start before the final week.

The programme is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, known as the BBSRC. An offer covers full tuition fees plus a yearly stipend for living costs, currently £21,805. You do not need to apply to any extra fund.

What the funding actually covers

A stipend is not a salary for a job. It is money paid to you while you study, for everyday costs such as rent, food and travel. Here it comes with full payment of tuition fees. That means the two biggest costs of a PhD are both covered.

International students receive the same core funding. The programme will cover student visa costs and the immigration health surcharge for the international students it recruits. Fees and a stipend are covered too.

Two routes to choose from: Targeted and iCASE

A Targeted studentship means applying to one specific PhD project. Once accepted, you complete two laboratory rotations, one in your project’s laboratory and one in a different but relevant laboratory. Targeted students also complete a three-month internship in an organisation of their choice, normally between the second and third year.

An iCASE studentship is a collaboration between an academic department and a company. You spend between three and 18 months on placement with that company, gaining business-related training as well. You need not pick one route only. One application can cover up to two projects, as two Targeted projects, two iCASE projects, or one of each.

Check yourself before you apply

Applicants should normally hold, or be expected to achieve, a high upper second-class honours degree, known as a high 2:1, or its equivalent. A pass in a relevant Master’s degree at UK level goes beyond the minimum entry requirement. If you studied outside the UK, check the university’s international qualifications guidance for your country first.

You do not need to submit proof of English language ability when you apply. If you are offered a place, however, you will need to show you meet the university’s English language requirements where they apply to you. The portal will indicate whether you are likely to need an English test result.

Be honest about who this round is not for. If you do not hold, or are not on track for, a high 2:1 or its equivalent, this is not the right round for you. It is also not the right route if you want to propose your own topic from scratch, because you can only apply to advertised projects.

Picking your projects with care

Start from the advertised project list, not from a general idea of what you would like to study. Read each advertisement in full, and shortlist only projects where your background genuinely connects to the work. When you enter a project, copy its reference directly from the advertisement, and enter the title as shown.

How to apply, step by step

Apply through the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal, where the course is listed as “BBSRC DTP PhD in Biological Sciences”. Keep a copy of everything you submit.

1. Check the entry requirements and the international qualifications guidance for your country.
2. Choose up to two advertised projects, from the Targeted list, the iCASE list, or one of each.
3. Open the Applicant Portal and select the course “BBSRC DTP PhD in Biological Sciences”.
4. Enter each project reference and title exactly as shown in the advertisement.
5. Write a short statement of interest for each project, covering your interest and the experience, skills or coursework that prepared you for it.
6. Complete the short responses on motivation, innovative thinking, independent working, recent developments, your understanding of research, and technical skills.
7. Provide two academic or professional references, plus the optional contextual form if you wish.

One timing rule deserves special attention. You can submit before your referees have sent their references, but your application must be complete, with references submitted, by the deadline, or it will be withdrawn. Ask your referees early and give them the deadline in writing. Do not email transcripts or CVs to the programme team, as the official page states such documents will not be considered.

What happens after you apply

Applications are considered together as a group after the closing date, rather than one by one as they arrive. Supervisors and departments first review applications for their projects and shortlist candidates for an initial interview. Those who succeed are invited to a second interview with the DTP Research Committee. All interviews take place online.

All applicants are also invited to two online interview workshop sessions, one in December and one in January. A third session in February is offered to those invited to the second-stage interview. These sessions explain the interview process and let you ask questions and prepare.

Tips that make a Cambridge application stronger

Write a separate statement for each project, and make it specific to that project. A general statement about loving biology will not stand out. A short account of how a previous research project, a module or a practical skill connects to that exact project’s methods and questions will. Answer the short written responses the same way, with a concrete example where you can.

If Cambridge does not fit your profile this round, other funded UK options are worth comparing, including the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships in the UK and the Clarendon Scholarship at Oxford. Whichever route you choose, match yourself to an advertised opportunity, check the deadline early, and submit a complete application.