Application deadlines are listed on the ‘How to apply’ page.

Shortlisting will take place at regular intervals, by these deadlines, from December to February. Recruitment will continue until the available studentship funding has been allocated.

We encourage you to apply early in the application cycle, to maximise your chances of securing one of your preferred available studentships.

Apply via the CDT in Aerosol Science online application form. Download a copy of the application form questions using the link on the ‘How to apply’ page.

A formal application via an official university admissions system will only be required by candidates who are successful at first progressing their application with the CDT in Aerosol Science.

• To submit your application to the CDT you will need:
  • Application form – Details on the ‘How to apply’ page
• Candidates shortlisted for interview will also be asked to provide:
  • Name and organisational email addresses of two or three academic or professional referees whom we can contact to support your application
• Successful candidates who progress to the offer stage will be asked to apply via the PhD-awarding university’s official offer system, and as part of this will need to provide formal documentation to allow the issue of their official offer. This includes:
  • Copies of degree certificates / transcripts
  • Two academic or professional referees
  • Current CV
• International candidates will also need:
  • (If English is not your first language) English Language qualification at the required level (see FAQ 5)
  • Student Visa or immigration status which allows you to study in the UK
  • ATAS certification

We are not looking for personal statements which have been written with help from Generative AI (for example ChatGPT or CoPilot). We are interested to hear about your individual experiences of and personal scientific perspective on Aerosol Science, and what motivates you personally to want to train and conduct research in this area. Our goal is to recruit and retain a valued and diverse cohort of individuals who would most benefit from our innovative training, supporting them to thrive in their future careers. 

Our funder (UKRI / EPSRC) allows us to offer up to 30% of our UKRI studentship awards to overseas students (usually around 4 studentships per year). For this to happen, the University offering the PhD needs to agree to waive the international portion of the fee down to the same level as a home fee. Some of our CDT partner universities have a clearer route for this than others, and we will work individually with international candidates to identify suitable studentships.

International applicants will need to plan for certain additional costs:

• Student visa (currently £524)
• Immigration Health Surcharge (currently £3,104 for a 4-year visa). Some programmes request a visa duration of 4.5 years.
• (If needed) English Language test e.g. IELTS (around £240)
• Flights
• Sufficient savings to cover your living costs until the first stipend payment (October)
• Accommodation deposits

International applicants who are successfully awarded an Aerosol CDT studentship will be funded at the same level as home candidates (see below).

To allow this to happen, the university hosting the PhD will be required to waive the overseas tuition fee to home level tuition fee. While this is possible at the majority of our partner institutions and projects, it is not possible for every project. Additional guidance is given to shortlisted international candidates regarding eligible projects.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in the online recruitment and interview process, where you will meet members of the CDT, learn a little more about aerosols and have opportunities to ask questions. You will also take part in a team-based activity to enable you to try out the innovative team-based learning methods used in training.

During the CDT recruitment process, you will be invited to join two online assessment discussions with CDT academics, each 20 minutes long.

In Assessment A, you will meet online with two supervisors from your preferred projects. You will be invited to prepare a short presentation on a research project you have participated in. This may be for example a final-year undergraduate project. The academics will listen and have a conversation with you around your presentation.

For Assessment B, we will usually first invite you to join an online team-based exercise. Depending on the stage of the recruitment cycle, we may instead ask you to complete the exercise individually. Shortly afterwards, you will meet online with two CDT academics for Assessment B. They will ask you to reflect on your experiences of the exercise. They will also explore with you your broader perspectives on studying for a PhD.

Yes! Available studentship projects are listed on the CDT projects page. During the application process you will have the opportunity to meet with several potential supervisors to discuss PhD projects.

Shortlisting will take place every 3-4 weeks between December and April, or until a full cohort of students has been recruited. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in the recruitment and assessment process. This includes completing CDT Assessments A & B, discussions with potential supervisors, and a chance to re-confirm your preferred projects.  After this we will write to you to let you know if we can offer you a studentship. You then formally apply via the application system of the home institution of the supervisor of the recruiting project, so that a formal offer can be made. We aim to match all candidates with supervisors for final recruitment by the end of March/April although some recruitment often continues into the summer.

The CDT is committed to furthering issues of equality, diversity and inclusion and we are keen to attract individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds. We recognise the benefits of recruiting a diverse group of students to the Aerosol Science CDT and strive to avoid any conscious or unconscious bias in our recruitment.

We invite all shortlisted candidates to tell us if they have any individual needs to participate in the recruitment process and we commit to act inclusively in accommodating these, by making reasonable adjustments to the interview process.

If you have a disability and wish to discuss the options available to you for reasonable adjustments or disability funding for your studies, please contact us. You will also be able to tell us about your disability when you register as a student at the University.

Yes, please discuss this with us during your application.

Stipend payments will be paid in monthly instalments to the studentship holder, directly by the degree-awarding university. The first stipend payment is generally made in October.

The terms & conditions of the UKRI CDT training funding can be viewed here, under Terms and Conditions for Training Funding: https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/your-responsibilities-if-you-get-funding/meeting-ukri-terms-and-conditions-for-funding/

All of the training in the first two teaching blocks (early September to end of April) will be hosted in-person at the CDT hub at the University of Bristol. During this time, you will have the opportunity if you wish to live in postgraduate accommodation at the University of Bristol paying only for the period you are in residence (not the full academic year). After this (late April or early May), you will start a 3-month Thematic Broadening Sabbatical (TBS) project in a location of your choice. This means you can stay in Bristol or move to your home institution, finding accommodation for the rest of your PhD study.

Aerosol science is unlikely to be something you have any training in from your undergraduate study. You will bring your particular specialist knowledge (for example from your undergraduate degree) to your study and train in a multidisciplinary team, benefiting from the breadth of expertise across the team. You will receive training in core aerosol science, (1/3 of first-year training), giving you all of the background you need for your PhD and to be an agile researcher in the future. You will also receive training in Computational & Data Tools, Environment & Communication (e.g. in responsible innovation, environmental sustainability and public engagement) and Impact & Translation (e.g. in innovation and enterprise, and regulation and policy). The Thematic Broadening Sabbatical makes up the final component of the first year.

The Thematic Broadening Sabbatical (TBS) project during May-July of the first year is based at an institution of your choice, which may not be your home institution. In many instances, this may be in a neighbouring institution allowing you to commute (travel costs covered by your CDT studentship funds). In some instances, you may choose to undertake this short project in Bristol or Bath, in which case you can remain in your accommodation in Bristol. For a small number of projects, you may choose to undertake your TBS in a third institution far removed from Bristol or your home institution (e.g. if your home institution is Manchester and your TBS is in Cambridge). In these instances, we will help you find short-term accommodation near the institution hosting your TBS.

During the first year you will work with your supervisor to develop your PhD Research proposal, which is assessed as part of the Environment & Communication unit. The Thematic Broadening Sabbatical will represent the first steps in your PhD journey, giving you an opportunity to learn techniques and get some publishable results in an area of aerosol science complementing your main PhD project. After formally progressing to the PhD in about month 11 of your first year, you will be working fully on your PhD project.

You will receive mentoring from your PhD project supervisor, the academic co-supervisor who will host your Thematic Broadening Sabbatical, and an industrial partner, giving you a perspective on aerosol science outside academia. During the year 1 training at the University of Bristol you will also have regular meetings with your Bristol personal tutor. During Year 2 or 3, you will have the opportunity to go on placement to work with an industrial / public sector partner or to work in an overseas academic research laboratory.

Yes! The CDT is working with around 90 partners ranging from large multinational companies to small spin outs, and public sector bodies to national research labs. You will have an opportunity to meet these partners at annual CDT events, such as the conference, through your placement, and will hear about career opportunities and vacancies. CDT in Aerosol Science students have progressed into careers with CDT partner organisations after graduation.

Yes! You will participate in a broad range of activities organised by the Aerosol Society of the UK and Ireland each year, including their annual conference and focus meetings on specific topics. See: https://aerosol-soc.com/

You will also have the opportunity to attend international conferences and training events.