Key information
Duration
- Full-time: 48 months
- Part-time: 96 months, Flexible
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting September 2027
- Apply before Jul 2027, International. This is an estimated deadline. The deadline is applicable to students from outside the European Economic Area who want to study within the EEA, or to students who want to study outside the EEA but are not nationals of that country.
Language
English
- TOEFL iBT: 88. TOEFL iBT is accepted by more than 13,000 universities and other institutions in over 160 countries. The test can be taken at a test center or at home. The test measures your English-language abilities in an academic setting. The score refers to the total score of 4 subjects (writing, listening, speaking, and reading), each subject has a range of 0 - 30.
- PTE Academic: 67. PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English) is a language test that enables students to demonstrate their writing, listening, speaking, and reading skills when applying to study in English. The score refers to a total score which ranges between 10 and 90.
- IELTS: 6.5. The International English Language Test System (IELTS) tests your English-language proficiency on a scale of 1 – 9. The score refers to the combined average score of 4 subjects (writing, listening, speaking, and reading).
Delivered
On Campus
Campus Location
Bristol, United Kingdom
Disciplines
Civil Engineering & Construction
Overview
Our application studies range from complete national and regional systems (such as national hydrological models, water systems, electricity and transport networks) through individual artefacts (such as nuclear facilities, offshore wind farms, underground services, dams, long-span bridges and buildings), down to local scale buckling models of reinforcing bars in concrete or mechanical characterisation of small-scale soil elements.
Much of our research requires numerical and experimental investigations across the length scales, from micro and macro to large, from particulate to continuum. It also includes monitoring of prototypes, for example, the dynamics of cable-stayed bridges such as the Second Severn Crossing, analysis of deep excavations and flood prediction based on real-time radar detection of rainfall.
Visit the programme website for more information
Career prospects
Graduates of the Civil Engineering programme from the University of Bristol are found in a variety of careers, including world-leading research. Many also work as consultants or as part of large-scale engineering industries.
Programme Structure
- To obtain additional information about the programme, we kindly suggest that you visit the programme website, where you can find further details and relevant resources.
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
- GPA: Upper Second Class. Your GPA, or Grade Point Average, is a number that indicates how well or how high you scored in your courses on average. Usually a GPA scales between 1.0 and 4.0, however different countries and universities can have different grading systems.
English requirements
- TOEFL iBT: 88. TOEFL iBT is accepted by more than 13,000 universities and other institutions in over 160 countries. The test can be taken at a test center or at home. The test measures your English-language abilities in an academic setting. The score refers to the total score of 4 subjects (writing, listening, speaking, and reading), each subject has a range of 0 - 30.
- PTE Academic: 67. PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English) is a language test that enables students to demonstrate their writing, listening, speaking, and reading skills when applying to study in English. The score refers to a total score which ranges between 10 and 90.
- IELTS: 6.5. The International English Language Test System (IELTS) tests your English-language proficiency on a scale of 1 – 9. The score refers to the combined average score of 4 subjects (writing, listening, speaking, and reading).
Other requirements
General requirements
PhD applicants must hold/achieve a minimum of upper second class MEng/MSci (or equivalent) or a merit at postgraduate master's degree level (or international equivalent) in a relevant discipline. Applicants without a master's qualification may be considered on an exceptional basis, provided they hold a first-class undergraduate degree. Please note, acceptance will also depend on readiness to pursue a research degree.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are shown in AUD and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.
- International (Non-residents): 52,381 AUD / year ≈ 27,500 GBP / year
- Domestic (Citizens or residents): 9,726 AUD / year ≈ 5,106 GBP / year
Additional Details
Home: part-time – £2,553 per year
Living costs
Bristol, United Kingdom: 1,429-2,400 AUD / month
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Funding
Scholarships
Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Civil Engineering.
You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.
Available Scholarships
- British Council scholarships for Women – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: Not specified
- GREAT Scholarships – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 13000 GBP – Deadline: 10 Apr 2027
- Anne and Peggy Sleigh Bursaries – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 2500 GBP – Deadline: Not specified
- Alumni discount – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: Not specified
- Sanctuary Scholarship – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: 09 Dec 2026
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarships – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 500 GBP – Deadline: 31 Jul 2027
- Alumni Foundation Music Bursaries – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 21805 GBP – Deadline: Not specified
- Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: Not specified
- Bristol PhD Scholarships for Applicants of Black and mixed Black Heritage – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: 06 Oct 2026
- Chevening Scholarships – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: Not specified
- St Mary Redcliffe Choral Section Leaders – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 500 GBP – Deadline: 15 Sep 2026
- The Bob Savage Memorial Fund – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 1450 GBP – Deadline: Not specified
- St Pauls Church Organ Scholarship – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 1552 GBP – Deadline: Not specified
- Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: 58 GBP – Deadline: Not specified
- Graduation gown discount – Merit-based – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: Not specified
- Think Big Scholarships for international students – Provided by University of Bristol – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: 07 Oct 2026
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program – Independent provider – U.S. government – Grant: 3500 USD – Deadline: 15 Nov 2026
- ACES Scholarships – Independent provider – ACES Education Fund – Grant: 1000 USD – Deadline: 30 Nov 2026
- ServiceScape Scholarship – Independent provider – ServiceScape – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: Not specified
- Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility – Merit-based – Independent provider – OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation – Grant: 19000 GBP – Deadline: Not specified
- Scholarships for PhD Students – Merit-based – Independent provider – Junhua Li – Grant: Various benefits – Deadline: 28 Feb 2027
- Boustany Astronomy PhD Scholarship – Merit-based – Independent provider – Boustany Foundation – Grant: 1000 USD – Deadline: 31 Oct 2026
- $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship – Merit-based – Independent provider – IvyPanda – Grant: 5000 USD – Deadline: 28 Aug 2026
- Women Scholarship for International Students – Merit-based – Independent provider – educations.com – Grant: 1000 USD – Deadline: 01 Mar 2027
- Voice Talent Online Scholarship – Merit-based – Independent provider – Voice Talent Online – Grant: 10000 USD – Deadline: 01 Sep 2026
- The PhD Prep Fellowship – Merit-based – Independent provider – Admit Lab – Grant: 1000 USD – Deadline: 13 Jan 2027
- Dream Chaser Scholarship – Merit-based – Independent provider – Salvado Law – Grant: 3000 USD – Deadline: 31 Dec 2026
- Scholarship for students with disabilities – Need-based – Independent provider – Anonymous Hope Fund – Grant: 22500 GBP – Deadline: Not specified
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids – Independent provider – UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – Grant: 1500 USD – Deadline: Not specified
- The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship – Independent provider – IELTS from 6 to 9 – Grant: 12000 USD – Deadline: 11 Jan 2027
- Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme – Independent provider – The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme – Grant: Not specified – Deadline: Not specified