How to apply

Entry points

We have entry points in January, May and September for most research degrees.

If you are a home applicant, please submit your application at least six weeks before your course starts. If you are applying from outside the UK, please submit your application at least ten weeks before your course starts.

How to prepare a research proposal

The research proposal is a crucial part of your application. You should discuss your proposal with the postgraduate research admissions contact at the school you are applying to in order to make sure you understand what is expected in your subject area.

When preparing your research proposal, please make sure that the specialist area you wish to study is covered by a member of staff here. To do this, check individual staff entries on the research centre site that relates to your area of study. You can also contact the relevant research administrator at the school you are applying to. 

For more help and information please visit our guidance on writing a research proposal webpage.

Need funding?

We offer a small number of funded places on our Doctoral Training Partnerships, which are highly competitive. We advise you to carefully check the application criteria, and to contact potential supervisors at the earliest opportunity so that we can support you as fully as possible throughout the selection process.

We also offer a number of scholarships for UK applicants to our Research Master's (MPhil) and PhD programmes which are are targeted at increasing participation from groups currently underrepresented within research.

Relevant work experience

We’re not just interested in the exams you’ve passed and the certificates you’ve collected. If you’ve gained enough relevant work experience – whether it’s paid or voluntary – we’ll take that into account through our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) and Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) schemes.

Bench fees

Some postgraduate research programmes charge a bench fee in addition to tuition fees. Bench fees cover additional programme costs like specialist laboratory work, field trips and equipment purchase. If there is a bench fee applied to your chosen research degree, this will be confirmed during the application process.

English language requirements

If you need to take an English language test and haven't yet done so, please note that the availability of these and the time it takes to receive your certificates can vary depending on the time of year. For more information visit the IELTS and Pearson English Language Test websites. For details of other English language tests accepted for the UKVI, visit the Government’s website.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

ATAS is run by the UK Government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The scheme is aimed primarily at specific postgraduate research areas and is compulsory for international student visa applications on applicable courses. It is required for new, current and returning international students in specific areas of study. The ATAS application is made online, before applying for your visa, and is free of charge. It is your responsibility to check if this scheme applies to you. The FCO aims to process applications within a minimum of 20 working days. For further details visit the Government’s website.  

Submitting your application

When you first enter the online application portal, you will be asked to create an account. You will then need to verify your email within the profile page before you start. You can re-enter and complete your application at a time that is convenient to you. Once you have filled in your application details and uploaded your supporting documents, you will be able to submit your application.

When you submit your application we will email you to acknowledge that we have received it. You will be notified of the outcome of your application in writing.

If you have any questions about the progress of your application, please email our admissions team on pg-admissions@salford.ac.uk. We also have dedicated admissions contacts in each of our schools that can help. See the details below and get in touch.

Dedicated student support

Our Disability Inclusion Service team support students with a range of needs, including long term health conditions, mental health difficulties, physical disabilities, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and neurodivergent conditions such as autism and ADHD.   

If you think you might benefit from some extra support during your research degree, we can support you by ensuring that you have fair and equal access to your education, whether this is through academic support or by making reasonable adjustments to your learning. 

We’d love to hear from you early on so we can discuss your support needs and get a plan in place ready before you start. We would encourage you to do this as soon as possible after receiving an offer from us to give you the best chance of getting all of the support that you need in place before you start your course.