PhD studentships
PPD recruits several graduates every year to study for a research degree (PhD) in experimental particle physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
As RAL doesn’t award degrees, each student is also registered for a doctorate degree at a partner university.
We offer students of any nationality financial support via a UKRI-STFC Postgraduate Studentship award, which covers the university’s “home” fees, and provides a stipend to cover the student’s living expenses and other expenses.
All students work primarily in PPD at RAL but are typically offered the opportunity to spend an extended period near their experiment (e.g. at CERN, Geneva). In addition, students spend several months of their 1st year at the partner university to attend lectures there. They subsequently attend additional lectures at RAL. Each PhD has a duration of 3.5 years. Students are co-supervised both by a PPD and a university staff member.
Particle Physics Department at RAL
PPD is one of the largest such departments in the UK, with about 60 staff & 25 students. It participates in many of the most exciting particle physics experiments e.g. Higgs & SUSY searches at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (ATLAS, CMS, LHCb), neutrino studies with DUNE, Super/Hyper-Kamiokande, dark matter searches with LUX-ZEPLIN and atomic interferometry AION for gravitational waves. Our research work, in collaboration with scientists from around the world, includes both developments of the detectors and their associated electronics, and the physics exploitation of the completed detectors. PPD is also responsible for coordinating the UK experimental programme and for supporting groups at UK universities. A more detailed description of PPD and the particle physics projects & activities that it is involved in can be found on our home page.
Studentship Opportunities Starting September/October 2027
How to Apply
Requirements
- A UK 4-year integrated MPhys or MSci degree, or its international equivalent, is typically required. Bachelor’s degrees with a minimum of four years’ standard duration are also acceptable. A 1st or upper-2nd class (60%) pass grade is needed.
- Be able to work independently and in a structured manner, and demonstrate good collaborative skills
- Be proficient in both written and oral English
UKRI studentship conditions apply: https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/ukri-funded-studentships/
Your application to RAL/PPD must include
- A brief account of your research interests & motivation for applying for the position.
- Your CV
- Copies of your academic transcript (detailed exam marks), if available.
- The names and contact information of two referees. One of these should be your academic tutor or final-year project advisor
Applicants should Email their application, with the information requested above, to PAPPDDirector@stfc.ac.uk, with the Email title “PhD application”. In addition, they should arrange for their two referees to send reference letters to the same address with the Email title “PhD reference letter” (to arrive before the PPD Open Day).
Please also provide your key information by completing THIS MICROSOFT FORM, where you should replace the example responses with similar very brief responses of your own.
The application deadline is [DATE], but late applications will be considered until all positions are filled.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a PPD Open Day to be held at RAL on [DATE], where presentations on the projects & informal chats with supervisors will help match candidates to projects. At this point, we’ll ask all candidates to apply to the partner university of any projects they’ve been matched to, stating in their application their interest in the RAL/PPD PhD studentship. (The university deadlines do not apply for RAL studentships). Formal interviews, organised together with the partner university of each project, will take place soon after this.
Further Details of Studentships
More detailed information about the practicalities and requirements of RAL/PPD studentships can be found in PhD_practicalities.
Contacts
General information about RAL/PPD PhD studentships can be obtained from Dr. Ian Tomalin. ian.tomalin@stfc.ac.uk
The director of RAL/PPD is Prof. Sinead Farrington.
FAQs
How to apply
Please contact PAPPDDIRECTOR@STFC.AC.UK for an application form.
What funding does the studentship provide?
Standard UKRI studentship with the possibility of a long-term attachment to CERN or another international laboratory.
Are international students eligible?
Yes, depending on arrangements with the host university.
How long is the PhD?
3.5 years
Who supervises the student?
The student has joint supervision from a PPD staff member and university academic.
Explore PhD Studentships at PPD
Join our world-leading particle physics group as a PhD student
