Key Information
- Duration: Full-time, 48 months
- Start dates & application deadlines:
- Starting January 2027 – Apply before Oct 2026
Overview
The University of Surrey will provide a multidisciplinary environment where doctoral students from different disciplines can meet and work together on applied engineering research topics with a direct impact on society.
Career opportunities
- This Engineering Materials PhD will give you the knowledge, skills and expertise needed for a career in engineering, research or academia. You'll be intellectually challenged, develop research and management skills, and become an expert in your chosen field of study.
- It normally takes around three years to complete a full-time PhD. You'll be assigned a minimum of two supervisors, who'll guide you through your studies. You'll learn how to conduct literature reviews, develop your ideas and verify them with experiments, and collaborate and perform interdisciplinary research. You will develop your skills over time to become an independent researcher. Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners.
- You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.
Visit the programme website for more information
Programme Structure
Research themes
- Adhesive bonding
- Additive manufacturing and printing
- Ceramics
- Composites
- Design
- Energy generation, harvesting and storage
- Engineering materials
- Materials for infrastructure
- Nanomaterials
- Smart materials
- Surface and interface reactions
- Structural health monitoring
- Non-destructive testing.
Admission Requirements
Academic requirements
- GPA: Lower Second Class, Upper Second Class (recommended)
English requirements
- Duolingo English Test: 120
- TOEFL iBT: 88 or 4.5
- PTE Academic: 67
- IELTS: 6.5
Other requirements
Applicants are expected to hold a first or upper second-class (2:1) UK degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent overseas qualification), or a lower-second (2:2) UK degree plus a good UK masters degree - distinction normally required (or equivalent overseas qualification).
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
- International: 53,904 AUD / year (≈ 28,300 GBP / year)
- Domestic: 9,977 AUD / year (≈ 5,238 GBP / year)
Additional Details: Part-time UK £2,619; Overseas £14,200
Living costs
Guildford, United Kingdom: 1,257-2,171 AUD / month
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Funding
Scholarships are available. See programme website for details.