How to Apply

We welcome applications from students from a wide variety of backgrounds who can show the motivation and potential for postgraduate study. Admission to any of the degrees we offer at Newcastle, is not solely on the basis of academic criteria such as examination performance. We also consider other information provided by you when you apply, which indicates your potential to succeed on a degree programme.

Entry Requirements

Those intending to do postgraduate work with us usually have a good undergraduate degree providing a solid basis for further study and research in their intended field. For UK students, this means either a first class or upper second class degree. For overseas students, this equates roughly to an average mark of 70% or more (about a 3.5 using the US grade point average system). Other relevant experience will also be taken into consideration. Since programmes in the School are conducted in English, it is necessary that applicants for whom English is not their first language demonstrate an adequate level of proficiency. Find out more about our support for overseas students and language requirements.

Application Procedure

We recommend that you apply direct to the University using our online application system. Applications are administered by the University's Postgraduate Admissions Service. You can find out more about the application process for research degrees from the University's website. The University's standard Postgraduate Application Form is also available online or as a PDF (scroll down the page) or from:

Applications need to include the following:

  1. Transcripts/degree certificates
    • Previous degrees completed. If you have obtained previous degrees, your application will need to include certificates, and if possible, formal transcripts providing full details of classes you have taken and grades you obtained. Documents which are not in English will need to be accompanied by a formal certified translation into English.
    • Awaiting outcome of previous degrees. If you are still awaiting the outcome of other undergraduate or postgraduate work, you should provide an interim transcript. Please note that any offers made will be subject to a successful completion of the degree at a suitable level.
  2. References. You need to supply two letters of reference. The referees should return the letters to you in a sealed envelope with a signature across the seal. Please be careful to choose referees who can write knowledgeably and informatively on your qualifications with regards to your application.

We would advise you to make informal contact with a potential supervisor before applying, to be sure that this is the right programme and supervisor for you and answer any questions you might have. You must also provide a 500–1000-word research proposal which should include the research theme, field of study and methodology.

We also have information for

Contacts

For more specific enquiries relating to postgraduate programmes please contact one of our Postgraduate Selectors:-

Dr David Toms (Applied)
Telephone:+44 (0)191 222 5354
Fax: +44 (0)191 222 8020
E-mail: d.j.toms@ncl.ac.uk

Dr Michael Dritschel (Pure)
Telephone:+44 (0)191 222 7229
Fax: +44 (0)191 222 8020
E-mail: m.a.dritschel@ncl.ac.uk

Dr Jian Shi (Statistics)
Telephone:+44 (0)191 222 7315
Fax: +44 (0)191 222 8020
E-mail: j.q.shi@ncl.ac.uk