Key information
Duration
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting January 2027: Apply before Oct 2026
- Starting April 2027: Apply before Jan 2027
- Starting July 2027: Apply before Apr 2027
- Starting October 2027: Apply before Jul 2027
Language
English
Delivered
On Campus
Campus Location
Guildford, United Kingdom
Disciplines
Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Sciences
Overview
On this Quantum Biology programme you can contribute to an emerging and exciting discipline, that could hold the key to new approaches in solar energy, drugs and diagnostics, and even improve our understanding of how the brain works and the conceptual foundations of quantum theory.
Career opportunities
- The Quantum Biology PhD offered at University of Surrey gives you the opportunity to undertake an interdisciplinary research programme in a theoretical or experimental area of the discipline. As a PhD student at the University of Surrey, you’ll become part of Surrey’s QB-DTC, putting you at the heart of a community of academics, postdoctoral researchers and guest scientists. In the first year, you’ll embark on a training programme of interdisciplinary seminars. These workshops are designed to ‘fill in the gaps’ in physics for biologists and in biology for students from a physical science or mathematics background. 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. After your first 12 months, you’ll complete a confirmation report, which will be assessed by independent examiners.
Visit the programme website for more information
Programme Structure
Research themes
- Photosynthesis
- Spin chemistry in biology
- Molecular mechanisms of mutation
- Enzymes
- Olfaction
- Nanobiotechnology
- Synthetic biology
- Magnetoreception
- Neurobiology
- The role of noise in quantum biology
- Open quantum systems
- Quantum information theory
Visit programme website
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
GPA: Lower Second Class, Upper Second Class (recommended)
English requirements
Duolingo English Test: 120
TOEFL iBT: 88 (or 4.5 on the new CEFR-aligned TOEFL iBT 1-6 score)
PTE Academic: 67
IELTS: 6.5
Other requirements
General 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).
- IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above (or equivalent) with 6 in each individual category.
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Fees and funding
Tuition Fees
International: 53,904 AUD / year (≈ 28,300 GBP / year)
Domestic: 9,977 AUD / year (≈ 5,238 GBP / year)
Living costs
Guildford, United Kingdom: 1,257-2,171 AUD / month
Funding
Scholarships are available. See programme website for details.
