Fully Funded Cambridge Environmental Science PhD

The University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey are offering fifteen fully funded 3.5 year PhD studentships in environmental science, starting October 2027, through the NERC-funded CREATES Doctoral Landscape Award. You apply with a normal Cambridge PhD application, name topics and supervisors from the CREATES list, and are considered for the studentship at the same time. Home and international students can both apply.

What you get:

• University fees covered in full for 3.5 years
• The standard NERC maintenance stipend for living costs (the published 2025/26 rate is GBP 20,780 a year; the 2027 rate is not yet posted)
• A Research Training Support Grant for training, consumables and travel
• International students are also fully funded: UKRI pays fees at the UK rate and Cambridge waives the difference to the international fee
• Training and cohort activities alongside other CREATES students

What you'll do:

• Choose a research topic and supervisor from the CREATES list, then develop your final project with your supervisory team in your first term
• Do your PhD in one of ten host departments, from Earth Sciences and Geography to Zoology, the Scott Polar Research Institute and the British Antarctic Survey
• On a CASE studentship, spend three to eighteen months working with a partner organisation outside academia

Key dates:

• By 1 September 2026: supervisor pages for 2027 entry updated
• 14 October 2026: earlier deadline for US-based applicants who also want Gates Cambridge funding, references included
• 8 December 2026, 23:59 UK time: closing date for courses with the December funding deadline
• 6 January 2027, 23:59 UK time: closing date for courses with the January funding deadline
• Week of 22 February 2027: online interviews (anticipated)
• Late February 2027: first offers
• Noon, 17 March 2027: NERC Universal Acceptance Date

More information:

• Your deadline is the one for the Cambridge course of your first-choice supervisor, either 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027; check it with the supervisor
• All supporting documents, including both references, must be in by your deadline
• Chemistry and Geography have earlier deadlines for their other PhD funding, beyond the NERC studentship
• Tick the Cambridge Trust and Gates Cambridge sections too, to be considered for other funding
• The studentship does not cover visa or immigration health surcharge costs for international students
• Questions: the CREATES DLA administrator at dtp-admin@esc.cam.ac.uk

• At least a 2.1 Honours degree from a UK university, or the overseas equivalent (for example CGPA 3.5/4.0), in a relevant subject
• Two outstanding references, submitted by your course deadline
• English fluency to the University of Cambridge's requirements
• At least one proposed topic must fall within the NERC (environmental science) remit
• UK (home) students are eligible for a full studentship
• International students, including most EU, EEA and Swiss students, can apply for a limited number of fully funded studentships
• Apply through the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal for a Michaelmas Term 2027 start and tick that you wish to apply for funding