General FAQs

Not only is the University of Sheffield a world top 100 research university with a global reputation for excellence and a member of the elite Russell Group of universities, it is also a great place to live and study. Our student satisfaction is consistently high, and in 2024, we were voted University of the Year by our students. You can find lots of information about the benefits of studying at the University of Sheffield on these pages.

The University of Sheffield Students' Union is consistently ranked as one of the best in the UK, being voted Best Students' Union for seven consecutive years in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards. It serves as a vibrant hub for over 350 student societies and clubs, alongside offering a diverse array of shops, bars, food outlets, live entertainment venues, and comprehensive advice and support services. In addition, the Faculty has a PGR Society that you can join when you arrive. The Society organises lots of events and you can find more information about them here and follow them on instagram here. You can also email them to ask any questions at fohpgrsoc@sheffield.ac.uk

You will need to supply your degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) to demonstrate that you have achieved the required qualifications in the relevant field. The minimum requirements to study for a PGR degree in the Faculty of Health at the University of Sheffield are:

• 2:1 or 1st (or equivalent) at undergraduate level.

• Please note: If you have achieved less than a 2:1 (or equivalent) at undergraduate level but achieved a merit or distinction (or equivalent) at masters level, you may still be eligible.

• For most applications, you do not need to have a masters degree, but if you have studied at postgraduate level, you will need to have achieved a merit or distinction (or equivalent) as this provides additional evidence of your ability to study at postgraduate level.

• IMPORTANT

If you have achieved less than a 2:1 at undergraduate level or achieved a pass at masters, we need to be confident that you have the ability to complete a PGR degree. Please provide evidence of e.g., high scores in a research project, an ability to conduct postgraduate level research, relevant expertise through work experience, or any other evidence that you are a suitable candidate to study for a postgraduate degree. JAMES - where would they upload this info on the application?  You will need to provide details in your online application to ensure this can be assessed and approved at Faculty level. 

• If there are any extenuating circumstances that need to be taken into account, these should also be included in your application. JAMES - where would they upload this info on the application?

For international students, you will also need to demonstrate that you have the necessary English Language skills to study for a PGR degree. You will need to provide your English Language Qualifications on your application (check here). 

Please note: if you have studied for a masters degree in the UK, you will need your certificate for your visa application. If you have not yet received this, you will need to provide other evidence.

You should include any experience that highlights and provides evidence of skills you have acquired that will be useful during your MD or PhD. These do not need to be project-specific, but if you have particularly relevant experience, such as completion of an undergraduate or masters project that demonstrates your ability to carry out research, this should be included. If you haven't completed a research project or don't have much research experience, think of other skills you can highlight, such as data analysis, use of various research methods, or how you may have applied research skills in your degree or work experience. Other skills such as presentation skills, adaptability, resilience and creativity are also highly desirable, so think of any evidence you may have that shows you have these skills. Again, this can be through experience you have gained outside your academic career. Additionally, consider acquiring specific skills that may be essential for your desired programme. Spend time exploring various opportunities and devise a plan to strengthen your profile, knowledge, and skills for future applications.

• Academic qualifications – ideally showing your ability at a high level. If you have not achieved high grades but have experienced disruption to your studies due to extenuating circumstances or have had to overcome adversity, please make sure you highlight this in your personal statement and provide any other supporting evidence. JAMES - where would they upload this info on the application?  Detailed information on what the University requires can be found here under the tab 'Proof of your previous degree(s)'.

If any of your certificates or transcripts have been issued in a language other than English, you should include with them official, authenticated English translations. Official translations of qualifications documents are also a requirement of the UK government's visa regulations. For detailed information please go to this page and go to the tab 'Official translations into English'.

• Academic references - you will need to provide the contact details of two academic referees to provide references.  These will ideally include details of rank in class, evidence of exceptional performance, demonstration of interest in research, personal qualities –e.g., resilience, drive for research, independence - these should not come from the prospective supervisor(s). Detailed information on the University of Sheffield requirements can be found on this page under the tab 'Academic References'. Please read this carefully to ensure you have the correct information before obtaining your references. If new references need to be requested, this will add considerable delay to your application being processed.

• A personal (supporting) statement that clearly articulates your motivation and passion for research and provides clear evidence of your skills and competencies. Provide evidence of success in your studies/activities, i.e., prizes, publications, other forms of recognition. Highlight any relevant experience such as a research project, work experience, or other. This is particularly important for those applicants who do not have exceptional academic qualifications.

Your personal statement gives you the opportunity to tell us why you think you are a suitable candidate, why you want to study for a PGR degree, and why you want to apply for a particular project or to study with particular supervisors. There is no word limit, but try and keep your statement succinct and only include information that you think is relevant to your application. You can find some useful tips on how to write a personal statement here.

You should think about your academic career up to now and how that fits with the research area you are applying to study in. Are there particular modules you excelled in? Did you carry out a research project in a similar area during your undergraduate or masters project? Was there a particular assignment that caught your interest? Have you worked somewhere that has provided you with skills that are particularly suited to your research project?

You also need to demonstrate your drive and motivation for your proposed research project. Have you chosen particular modules or enrolled in courses that link with this area? Have you carried out any voluntary work or had work experience that is relevant to this topic? Why do you need/want to study for a PGR degree? How will this impact your future career goals?

If you choose to you can highlight any challenges you have overcome. This can give us an insight into your resilience and drive, and demonstrates your ability to overcome problems. You do not have to go into detail and only supply information if you feel comfortable doing so.

We want all of our PGR students to have the best experience possible. This is why we have two intakes of PGR students each academic year to enable some flexibility, but also ensure our students are part of a larger cohort. It not only makes sense operationally for events such as the postgraduate induction course (PIC) and the PGR symposium/conference, but also helps our students feel part of a larger group. If you are unable to register within this timeframe, please ensure you provide as much detail as possible so that the PGR Directors can assess whether or not an out-of-cohort start date is permissible. Out-of-cohort starts are for unforeseen and exceptional circumstances only. 

If you need to self fund your PGR degree, you will need to cover the cost of your fees and your living expenses, as well as any project running costs (also known as a fee enhancement).  If you are being sponsored  you will need to provide evidence for this in the form of a sponsorship letter, so contact your sponsor and ask for this.

You can find information about fees here and on living costs here.

There are a few ways you can get funding to do a PGR degree. One way is to apply for a project that comes with funding already. These are usually advertised in places like FindaPhD. 

You can also apply for a scholarship and a number of these can be found here but please be aware that some of these are only open to home/UK students. 

Another option open to UK students is to apply for a doctoral loan. Information on these can be found here.

For most programmes, it is advisable that you make contact with the supervisor before submitting your application. Doing this can give you and the supervisor an idea as to whether or not your research interests are aligned and whether or not the supervisor has the expertise needed. If you are applying for a competitive scholarship, it is often essential to meet with the supervisor so that they can support your application. 

If you are applying with a project that you have developed yourself, identifying a supervisor who has the necessary expertise to guide you throughout your studies is essential. They may also be able to offer advice on how to improve your research proposal.

If you have already identified a supervisor but would like to find out more information about them, try searching for their name on the University website here. You can also search for a supervisor here by typing in a keyword relating to your research interests, or you can type in the supervisor's name if you know it. 

Please note - if a supervisor is willing to support your application and act as your supervisor, this does not mean that you have an offer to study at the University of Sheffield. Your application will need to be assessed by the admissions team, and the formal offer must come from the University of Sheffield.

You can search for available projects here and also on FindaPhD.

The Faculty of Health Doctoral School acts as a central point of support for all postgraduate students and staff across the Faculty and provides student-facing support to ensure that you have a high quality PGR experience.  As PGRs you will be supported at all levels, and at different times, by your supervisory team, a personal tutor, your School PGR Lead, members of the professional services staff in the Doctoral School, as well as from colleagues in your School and central University. This network of support is designed to provide you with research expertise, training and development including personalised skills training, expert careers advice and support for your mental health and wellbeing. All of which is pivotal in ensuring that you flourish during your course, that you grow professionally and personally and that you achieve your own goals. 

If you are an international applicant who is not resident in the UK, you may be able to study for a University of Sheffield MPhil or PhD by undertaking research at an overseas institution. This is through the Remote Location scheme.  You will be required to attend the University for the Postgraduate Induction Course at the start of your degree and may also be required to attend at other times depending on the requirements of the project and determined by the supervisor. However, you will spend the majority of your programme of research at the remote location site, and should not spend more than eight consecutive weeks in the UK at any time during the course of your degree.

If you are a UK applicant who wish to pursue part of their programme of research away from the University, or an International applicant who does not qualify for the Remote Location scheme (for example if you wish to spend more than eight weeks at a time in Sheffield), you must gain faculty approval to register as a  Majority Off Campus student. Faculty approval is given on a case-by-case basis and is based on the same process and requirements as Remote Location applications. You will be required to attend the University for the Postgraduate Induction Course at the start of your degree and key transition points, and may also be required to attend at other times depending on the requirements of the project and determined by the supervisor.