Key Information
- Duration: Full-time 48 months; Part-time 96 months.
- Start dates & application deadlines: January 2027 (apply before Oct 2026); April 2027 (apply before Jan 2027); July 2027 (apply before Apr 2027); October 2027 (apply before Jul 2027).
Overview
The University of Surrey film researchers work on a range of specialist areas within the areas of cinema studies and visual studies, including issues of gender, the connection between music and the cinema, documentary film and media, genre cinema, cognitive analysis of the moving image and animation studies.
Career opportunities
This PhD in Film Studies will train you in critical and analytical skills, research methods, and knowledge that will equip you for your professional or academic career. It normally takes around three or four years to complete our full-time PhD. You'll be assigned a primary and secondary supervisor, who will meet with you regularly to read and discuss your work and make sure that you're on track. For us, writing is essential for understanding and developing new perspectives, so you'll be submitting written work right from the start of your course. In your first year, you'll refine your research proposal and plan the structure of your work with the guidance and support of your supervisors. As you go into your second and third year, you'll gradually learn to work more independently, and your supervisors will guide you on how to present at conferences and get your work published. As a doctoral student, you'll receive a structured training programme covering the practical aspects of being a researcher, including grant-writing, publishing in journals, and applying for academic jobs. Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination by a panel of one or more external examiners as well as an internal examiner. 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.
Programme Structure
Research themes
- Environmental humanities
- Animation
- Documentary
- Cognitive analysis of moving image
- The film industry and popular film/culture.
Admission Requirements
Academic requirements
- GPA: Lower Second Class; Upper Second Class (recommended)
English requirements
- Duolingo English Test: 130
- TOEFL iBT: 95 (or 5 on the new CEFR-aligned score)
- PTE Academic: 76
- IELTS: 7
General requirements
- Applicants are expected to hold a good first-class UK degree (a minimum 2:1 or equivalent) and an MA in a relevant topic.
- Applicants are expected to hold an upper second-class (2:1) UK degree (65 per cent or above) in psychology (or a related discipline).
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
International: 39,676 AUD / year (≈ 21,000 GBP / year)
Domestic: 9,896 AUD / year (≈ 5,238 GBP / year)
Additional Details
Part-time: UK £2,619; Overseas £14,200
Living Costs
Guildford, United Kingdom: 1,247-2,154 AUD / month
Scholarships
Scholarships are available. Below are some scholarship opportunities:
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program – Various benefits (Deadline: 07 Oct 2026)
- ServiceScape Scholarship – 1000 USD (Deadline: 30 Nov 2026)
- ACES Scholarships – 3500 USD (Deadline: 15 Nov 2026)
- Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility – Various benefits (Deadline: Not specified)
- Scholarships for PhD Students – 19000 GBP (Deadline: Not specified)
- Boustany Astronomy PhD Scholarship – Various benefits (Deadline: 28 Feb 2027)
- $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship – 1000 USD (Deadline: 31 Oct 2026)
- Voice Talent Online Scholarship – 1000 USD (Deadline: 01 Mar 2027)
- Women Scholarship for International Students – 5000 USD (Deadline: 28 Aug 2026)
- The PhD Prep Fellowship – 10000 USD (Deadline: 01 Sep 2026)
- Dream Chaser Scholarship – 1000 USD (Deadline: 13 Jan 2027)
- Scholarship for students with disabilities – 3000 USD (Deadline: 31 Dec 2026)
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids – 22500 GBP (Deadline: Not specified)
- The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship – 1500 USD (Deadline: Not specified)
- Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme – 12000 USD (Deadline: 11 Jan 2027)
To see all related scholarships, check out the scholarship search page.