Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 48 months
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting September 2027
- Apply before Jun 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: 100
- PTE Academic: 69
- IELTS: 7
Delivered
On Campus
Campus Location
Bath, United Kingdom
Disciplines
Sociology, Social Policy
Overview
This course is delivered by the Department of Social and Policy Sciences at the University of Bath. Our department is internationally recognised with a strong focus on policy and practice, and a commitment to contribute to social wellbeing and social justice.
Key facts
Our PhDs are not formally assigned a discipline and successful candidates can describe their PhD to reflect its main research area (e.g., PhD in Social Policy; PhD in International Development).
The programme will enable you to contribute a significant piece of research to the academic community through a written thesis (typically up to 90,000 words).
Programme Structure
The programme offers supervisory expertise in four disciplines:
- International Development
- Social Policy
- Sociology
- Social Work
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: 100. 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: 69. 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: 7. 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).
General requirements
Academic requirements
- A first or 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate subject, from a recognised university.
- A Masters degree or appropriate research training is also normally required. We consider applicants without Masters or appropriate research training on a case by case basis. We might require applicants to satisfactorily complete one of our Masters programmes, or to attend some/all of the units of our MRes programmes while undertaking the MPhil or PhD programme.
Two references are required. At least one of these should be an academic reference from your most recent place of study.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are shown in AUD and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.
International (International tuition fees apply to students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the study country. In some regions, like the EU/EEA, or under certain agreements, students from partner countries may also pay domestic fees.) Applies to you. Non-residents.
46,017 AUD / year (≈ 24,450 GBP / year)
Living costs
Bath, United Kingdom: 1,521-2,311 AUD / month. The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Scholarships Information
Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Social and Policy Sciences.
You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program — Grant: Various benefits; Deadline: 07 Oct 2026; U.S. government
- ServiceScape Scholarship — Grant: 1000 USD; Deadline: 30 Nov 2026; ServiceScape
- ACES Scholarships — Grant: 3500 USD; Deadline: 15 Nov 2026; ACES Education Fund
- Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility — Grant: Various benefits; Deadline: Not specified; Merit-based; OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
- Scholarships for PhD Students — Grant: 19000 GBP; Deadline: Not specified; Merit-based; Junhua Li
- Boustany Astronomy PhD Scholarship — Grant: Various benefits; Deadline: 28 Feb 2027; Merit-based; Boustany Foundation
- Amberscholar Scholarship — Grant: 6000 USD; Deadline: 31 Jan 2027; Merit-based; Amber Scholar
- $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship — Grant: 1000 USD; Deadline: 31 Oct 2026; Merit-based; IvyPanda
- Voice Talent Online Scholarship — Grant: 1000 USD; Deadline: 01 Mar 2027; Voice Talent Online
- Dream Chaser Scholarship — Grant: 1000 USD; Deadline: 13 Jan 2027; Merit-based; Salvado Law
- Scholarship for students with disabilities — Grant: 3000 USD; Deadline: 31 Dec 2026; Need-based; Anonymous Hope Fund
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids — Grant: 22500 GBP; Deadline: Not specified; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
- Grants of the Leopold Figl Foundation for students with residence in Lower Austria — Grant: Various benefits; Deadline: 31 Dec 2026; Need-based; Leopold Figl Foundation
- The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship — Grant: 1500 USD; Deadline: Not specified; IELTS from 6 to 9
- Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme — Grant: 12000 USD; Deadline: 11 Jan 2027; The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme