DPhil in Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science
About the course
The DPhil in Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science is funded by a BBSRC and NERC Landscape Award, and provides students with the opportunity to undertake research across the full breadth of biological and environmental science, from cellular mechanisms and crop science, through to climate change and dynamic earth processes.
The course provides innovative training for graduates from a life science, physical science or computational and mathematical science background who wish to conduct leading-edge bioscience and environmental science research.
The course is led by the University of Oxford in partnership with five world-class research organisations:
- The Pirbright Institute, which provides the UK’s national capabilities for the study and control of viral diseases of livestock
- Oxford Brookes University
- The Open University
- Diamond Light Source
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source are based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, and provide the UK’s national capabilities for synchrotron science and neutron science. The course is also supported by researchers in a much broader range of public and third sector organisations as well as industrial partners.
Based in the University of Oxford’s innovative Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), you will undertake an in-depth programme of cohort-based, experiential learning that:
- Provides a strong foundation in the computational and quantitative techniques that underpin interdisciplinary research;
- Further develops these skills in a research context through rotations and team projects;
- Builds connections within and between themes, supporting learning, sharing best practice and inspiring interdisciplinary innovation;
- Develops communication skills and connections with broader communities through teaching, outreach and policy engagement;
- Provides work experience through internships that provide an opportunity for you to engage with the real-world applications of research and embed transferable skills in a non-academic context;
- Fosters an entrepreneurial spirit through an innovative entrepreneurship training programme;
- Connects you with business to co-create industrially relevant projects through an Open Innovation Industrial Consortium.
You will have the opportunity to work on fundamental and applied research projects with supervisory teams within the partnership, or undertake collaborative projects with non-academic partner organisations who are members of our Open Innovation Industrial Consortium (Open-IIC), or with other collaborative partners. A full list of current partners is available on the course website.
If you undertake a doctoral project with translational or commercial potential you will have access to support from the course and the partner organisations in realising this potential, including specific training in communication, enterprise and business skills.
Research themes
There are five research themes:
Climate and Earth
Advancing understanding of climate and earth systems. Research topics include, but are not limited to:
- Earth observation
- natural resources
- past/future climates
- predictability of weather and climate
- volcanology
- seismology
- global biogeochemical cycles
- hazards
- extreme events
- terrestrial and freshwater landscapes
- atmospheric science
- oceanography
- cryospheric science
- water security
- geoengineering.
Biodiversity and Sustainability
Sustainable approaches to support food, feed and energy security, manufacturing and biodiversity. Research topics include, but are not limited to:
- crop science
- agriculture
- aquaculture
- fisheries
- food systems
- forestry
- nature recovery
- systematics
- climate resilience
- biocultural heritage
- life cycle assessment
- supply chains
- biomanufacturing
- the circular economy
- waste management
- conservation
- ecosystem services
- nature-based solutions.
Animal and Human Health
Innovative approaches to understand and support animal and human health. Research topics include, but are not limited to:
- infectious diseases of animals
- antimicrobial resistance
- immunology
- microbiology
- microbiome science
- healthy aging
- pharmaceutical and vaccine production
- regenerative medicine
- diet and nutrition
- diagnostics
- sensors
- improving environmental quality to benefit human and animal health.
The course does not support research focused on specific human diseases and human disease processes or abnormal conditions.
Rules of Life
Frontier science addressing fundamental questions about biological organisms and ecosystems. Research topics include, but are not limited to:
- integrative biology
- developmental biology
- physiology
- cellular mechanisms
- evolutionary biology
- physiology
- evolutionary biology
- genetics
- animal behaviour
- structural biology
- neuroscience
- astrobiology
- biophysics
- ecological processes.
Transformative Technologies
Development of tools and technologies underpinning biological and environmental research.
The majority of research projects undertaken across all five themes involve 'transformative technologies', which include advanced imaging and data analysis techniques, the development and application of new and emerging methods and technologies, mathematical modelling, 'omic and systems approaches.
Students in the Transformative Technologies theme usually conduct research that is primarily focused on the development of new scientific technologies, methods, software or modelling approaches; often working at the interface between life or environmental and physical sciences. Research topics include, but are not limited to:
- systems approaches
- computational biology
- mathematical modelling
- statistics
- data science
- artificial intelligence
- machine learning
- advanced experimental techniques
- imaging
- spectroscopy
- synchrotron science
- neutron science
- cryo-EM
- drones
- earth observation techniques
- engineering biology
- bioinspired design
- data assimilation
- state estimation
- advanced computational techniques.
Course structure
In your first term you will be based at the Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) at the University of Oxford and undertake an individually-tailored training programme that includes training in research skills such as:
- mathematics and statistics
- programming
- imaging and image analysis
- data science
- modelling biological or environmental processes and systems.
You can also access a wide variety of additional training provided across the partnership throughout your doctoral studies.
Following the initial training period, you will undertake two rotation projects with different supervisory teams and a long format team-based project with other members of the cohort before deciding on your substantive three-year doctoral project.
A distinctive feature of the course is that you are required to undertake a 12-week internship to gain experience of work in a professional environment and in transferable skills that will be beneficial in your future career. Internships can be undertaken full or part-time and areas that may be explored during internships include (but are not limited to):
- industrial research and development
- science policy
- teaching
- science communication
- publishing
- entrepreneurship
- project management.
If you are working on a project that is co-supervised by a non-academic partner organisation, you will normally undertake a placement with that organisation instead of a 12-week internship. In these cases placements may range from 12 weeks to 18 months. If you are working on a project that has translational potential you can choose to use your internship to focus on translational aspects of your project such as market research or business plan development.
If you are studying full-time you will normally submit a research proposal for your substantive doctoral project during your first year (within three terms) and undertake transfer of status after six terms and confirmation of status after ten terms.
Attendance
The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements. Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.
If you are studying part-time you will be required to commit to allocating an average of 20 hours per week (50% full time equivalent) to doctoral study. As a part-time student you will follow an individually-tailored training programme that is adjusted to suit your work pattern, with the opportunity to undertake additional training as needed during the later years of your studies. Where possible you are encouraged to allocate additional time to your studies at the beginning of your first year of study to fully benefit from induction processes, cohort interactions and foundational training. If you are part-time you will be assessed at milestones that are adjusted to take your working hours into account (eg 12 terms for transfer of status for a student working at 50% FTE).
Provision exists for students on some courses to undertake their research in a ‘well-founded laboratory’ outside of the University. This may require travel to and attendance at a site that is not located in Oxford. Where known, existing collaborations will be outlined on this page. Please read the course information carefully, including the additional information about course fees and costs.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.
In addition to the University facilities, the Doctoral Training Centre has a stock of reference books available. You will have access to e-journal and other electronic resources provided by the University of Oxford when working within University departments or in partner organisations such as The Pirbright Institute or organisations at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.
You will have access to a wide variety of world-class research facilities across all six of the partner organisations, depending on your research interests. These include:
- beamlines at Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
- access to an exceptionally wide variety of advanced imaging and microscopy systems that enable imaging across all scales from subatomic to Earth observation
- containment facilities for animal virology, transgenic plant and plant disease research
- facilities and expertise for advanced methodologies such as mass spectrometry, geochemistry, proteomics, genome engineering, protein production and purification
- supercomputing facilities for data-intensive applications
- field sites for environmental research such as Wytham Woods and the Weston Open Living Lab.
Collaborative partners provide access to further specialist facilities spanning BBSRC and NERC science areas.
During your first year, you will undertake the majority of the taught components of your training programme in a modern purpose-designed Doctoral Training Centre located in the heart of the University’s South Parks Road Science Campus, shared by this course and other doctoral training courses.
The co-localisation of this course with other life science and environmental science graduate courses in the DTC, each with its own distinctive remit and student cohorts, provides a unique opportunity for you to establish friendships and scientific collaborations with graduate researchers from a wide range of academic backgrounds.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science Landscape Award and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff.
In the first year of the course you will be supervised by the course directors, who will support you in choosing your rotation projects, doctoral research project and supervisory team. Supervision arrangements for years two to four will be confirmed towards the end of the first year when you choose your doctoral project.
All students will have two supervisors and in some cases more than two supervisors. If you are working with a non-university academic partner organisation you will have a supervisor at the university at which you are registered, and a supervisor in one of the non-university academic partner organisations (eg Diamond Light Source, The Pirbright Institute, ISIS Neutron and Muon Source).
If you choose a project with an Open Innovation Industrial Partner or collaborative partner you will have a primary and secondary academic supervisor in one or more of the six core partner organisations, including a supervisor at the university at which you are registered, and an additional co-supervisor in the company or non-academic organisation that is involved in the project. All supervisors are required to meet specific requirements in terms of training, experience and capacity to supervise students.
Typically, you should expect to have meetings with your supervisors or a member of the supervisory team with a frequency of around once every two weeks averaged across the year when in the research phase of your DPhil. The regularity of these meetings may be subject to variations according to the time of the year, and the stage you are at in your research. If you are working part-time you may meet with your supervisory team less frequently, in proportion to your pattern of work.
Assessment
The course has annual milestones to assist you in your progress.
You will be required to write a research proposal during the first year of your doctorate, in consultation with your supervisory team, which describes the background literature, aims and rationale for your project, along with a plan of work. This will be assessed by two researchers with relevant expertise to check the suitability and feasibility of the proposed project, along with your understanding of your project. This will enable you to receive useful feedback on your proposed project at an early stage.
The University of Oxford has two further formal milestones to measure your progress, the first being transfer of status, and the second being confirmation of status, which are typically undertaken in the second and third year of your degree respectively. The exact assessment format used will vary according to discipline and department, but each typically involves an assessment of your progress by two researchers with relevant expertise.
The purpose of the transfer process is to review your project and your plans for future work, to check that you are making satisfactory progress in the development of your project, and to satisfy the assessors that your work is potentially of DPhil quality.
You will receive formative feedback on your performance in taught modules and in the team project undertaken in the first year and beyond, but this does not contribute to the formal assessment of your DPhil.
At the end of your studies you will submit and be formally assessed on a written thesis describing your research. Specific thesis requirements are set by the department in which you are registered to undertake your substantive DPhil project.
An oral examination (viva) normally forms part of the overall method of assessment, but where needed reasonable adjustments to the viva format can be requested.
Graduate destinations
This course builds on two previous courses in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Environmental Research. Doctoral graduates from these programmes have progressed to a wide range of different careers, most commonly in academia, but also in industry, teaching, policy and other areas of work where their analytical, communication and quantitative skills are highly valued. An increasing number of graduates co-found or are employed by start-up companies and spin outs, including companies based on their doctoral research.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
We know that factors such as socio-economic circumstances and school performance can make it difficult for students to demonstrate their full potential. This course is taking part in an initiative to use contextual data to help us to better understand your achievements in the context of your individual background. For further details, please refer to the information about improving access to graduate study in the How to apply section of this page.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. Contextual data may also be used in the assessment of studentships.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant academic subject (eg biochemistry, biology, chemistry, geology, geography, physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science).
Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a master's degree or first-class degree or the equivalent.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.7 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Research or work experience in a relevant area may be an advantage, although consideration will be given to the opportunities (or lack thereof) you may have had to gain experience based on your personal circumstances. Preference may be given to those who have previously studied or worked in a relevant area.
- Evidence of training in a relevant area and/or the relevance of the course (including the training and professional development opportunities provided by the programme) to future career development plans may also be an advantage.
- In exceptional circumstances applicants will be considered who have demonstrated their potential to succeed in doctoral study through substantive relevant experience gained through employment. In these cases, please contact the course team via the details on this page prior to submitting an application.
- Publications are not required.
Further guidance
- It is expected that you will be familiar with the recent published work of two or more potential supervisors employed by the organisations within the partnership.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 191 | 185 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.
Applicants will be selected for interview based on the aforementioned criteria. Shortlisting will take place and the admissions committee aim to reach a target ratio of interviewees to places such as 3:1. Shortlisting and admission decisions are made by the admissions committee.
Interviews will normally be held within four to eight weeks of the application deadline and will normally be held online via MS Teams and will take around 25-30 minutes.
You will be asked to discuss your academic history and any research projects(s) that you may have pursued. You may also be questioned on aspects of your research training to date, understanding of your proposed area of study and motivation for doing a DPhil, including your motivation to join the training programme. If appropriate, you may be asked questions to assess your mathematical and quantitative skills or your knowledge of and ability to critically analyse scientific literature.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Evidence of ability to study for employed part-time applicants
If you are applying for part-time study and are currently employed, you may be asked to provide evidence that your employment will not affect your ability to study and that you can commit sufficient time to fulfil all elements outlined in the course description. You may be asked to provide details about your pattern of employment and obtain a statement from your employer confirming their commitment to make time available for you to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules.
Permission to use data obtained through your employment
If you are embarking on study with the support of your employer and intend to use data obtained through your employment, evidence should be provided of permission to use your employers’ data in your proposed research project.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
Some postgraduate research students in science, engineering and technology subjects will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a Student visa (under the Student Route). For some courses, the requirement to apply for an ATAS certificate may depend on your research area.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
MPLS Doctoral Training Centre
The MPLS Doctoral Training Centre hosts a number of interdisciplinary centres for doctoral training, established with UK Research Council funding or other sources of funding.
Doctoral training programmes are four year courses providing structured training and research experience in the first year, and a research project leading to a DPhil in subsequent years. The programmes are supported through links with industrial and other partners, and personal and professional development is provided within a cohort. Funding covering fees and living costs is available for the following programmes below. Applications are welcome from prospective graduate students from all over the world.
All candidates are strongly advised to contact the department in which they wish to study before applying, and to check the department’s admissions webpages for studentship application deadlines.
Funding
We expect that the majority of applicants who are offered a place on this course will also be offered a fully-funded scholarship specific to this course, covering course fees for the duration of their course and a living stipend.
For this course, we recommend that you visit our dedicated funding pages which include details of a range of external funding and loan schemes for postgraduate study. Some scholarships may also be available through our fees, funding and scholarship search tool. You should review the information carefully, including the eligibility criteria and application deadlines, noting that not all funding opportunities are available for postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate courses.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2025-26
Full-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £10,070 |
| Overseas | £33,370 |
Part-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £5,035 |
| Overseas | £16,685 |
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Continuation charges
Following the period of fee liability, you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
Full-time study
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Part-time study
Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, as part of your course requirements, you may choose a project with an partner organisation outside Oxford. Please note that, depending on your choice of project and the location of the industrial partner, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses. Funding contribution for travel may be offered if the project is based outside Oxford, and projects in Oxford will be available for any student who wishes to remain in Oxford.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Living costs for part-time study
Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.
Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs, which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
Full-time study
The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:
Part-time study
The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:
All students registered at Oxford Brookes University or The Open University will be offered an affiliation with Linacre College, which will provide the opportunity to participate in college social activities and to access college dining and sports facilities.
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
As the course has three university partners there are multiple entry routes. You can apply online for entry via the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, or the Open University.
Information on how to apply via Oxford Brookes University or the Open University is available on the relevant institutional websites. You will benefit from the same course structure and training irrespective of which organisation(s) you apply to.
Application fee waivers for your University of Oxford application
An application fee of £20 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students
If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission.
Application fee waivers for eligible associated courses
If you apply to this course and up to two eligible courses during the same application cycle, you can request an application fee waiver so that you only need to pay one application fee. We recommend that you use your application fee waiver to apply only for eligible courses that are closely related in research area to this one.
To be considered eligible for an application fee waiver, each additional course must be:
- doctoral level eg a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) or Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) course; and
- offered by one of the departments in the MPLS Division or one of the departments in the Medical Sciences Division.
If you apply to Intelligent Earth (UKRI CDT in AI for the Environment) and/or the DPhil in Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science, one of the following courses offered by the Social Sciences Division will also be considered eligible:
This special arrangement is possible due to the close association between these courses. No other exceptions to the eligibility criteria will be considered.
If this is the first eligible course that you are applying to, you can request an application fee waiver for an additional course after you have submitted your application for this course. If you have already applied to another course that the meets the eligibility criteria shown above, you should request an application fee waiver before starting an application to this course.
Remember to state clearly in your request which course(s) you intend to apply to. If your request is successful, you will receive an application fee waiver code that is valid for this admission cycle (ie for entry in the 2025-26 academic year). Our Application Guide provides instructions for entering your application fee waiver code.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You are not expected to contact academic members of staff before you apply.
If you have established contact with prospective supervisors and discussed potential projects with them prior to applying, please state this clearly in your statement of purpose.
Applications for entry via Oxford Brookes University
If one of your proposed supervisors is at Oxford Brookes University, you should also apply directly for entry via Oxford Brookes University.
You should use the same statement(s) of purpose for your Oxford Brookes application (refer to the instructions below).
The University of Oxford application form includes standard questions to collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé (you will not be asked to upload a separate document). The CV/résumé that you submit to Oxford Brookes University should include only your answers to these questions (which you can read in our application form or view on the department's website).
Applications for entry via The Open University
If one of your proposed supervisors is at The Open University, you should also apply directly for entry via The Open University.
You should use the same statement(s) of purpose for your Open University application (refer to the instructions below).
The University of Oxford application form includes standard questions to collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé (you will not be asked to upload a separate document). The Open University Admissions Form that you submit to The Open University will include a CV section with the same questions for you to answer.
Improving access to graduate study
This course is taking part in initiatives to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.
Socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) and your contextual statement (if you choose to provide one) will be used as part of an initiative to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process. Once academic shortlisting has taken place, we will use also information on ethnicity as part of an initiative to ensure that applicants who identify as Black British are invited to interview.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Proposed field and title of research project
Please identify the research theme, out of the five themes listed in the 'About' section on this course page, that most closely aligns with your research interests.
If your interests span multiple themes please number them in order of priority eg '1. Rules of Life, 2. Biodiversity and Sustainability'. If you are interested in undertaking a project with a partner in our Open Innovation Industrial Consortium, please also add 'Open Innovation Industrial Consortium'. We are expanding this consortium, so please include this text if you are interested in working with an industrial partner, even if you are not certain whether you wish to work with a partner that is currently listed on the website.
Proposed supervisor
Please identify any supervisors that you are particularly interested in working with, including potential supervisors at partner organisations such as the Pirbright Institute, Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source.
Referees:
Three overall, academic preferred.
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
One professional reference can be accepted if you have relevant work experience, but academic references are preferred.
Your references will support proven and potential academic excellence in terms of intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group and independently, and relevant experience or skills.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Contextual statement
If you wish to provide a contextual statement with your application, you may also submit an additional statement to provide contextual information on your socio-economic background or personal circumstances in support of your application.
It is not necessary to anonymise this document, as we recognise that it may be necessary for you to disclose certain information in your statement. This statement will not be used as part of the initial academic assessment of applications at shortlisting, but may be used in combination with socio-economic data to provide contextual information during decision-making processes.
Please note, this statement is in addition to completing the 'Extenuating circumstances’ section of the standard application form.
You can find more information about the contextual statement on our page that provides details of the continuing pilot programme to improve the assessment procedure for graduate applications.
Statement of purpose:
A maximum of 1,000 words
You should upload an appropriate statement of purpose with your application. Please see content and assessment of your statement of purpose for further details about what to include.
Applications for entry via Oxford Brookes University
If you are applying separately for entry to the DTP via Oxford Brookes University you should use the same statement(s) of purpose for your Oxford Brookes application.
Applications for entry via The Open University
If you are applying separately for entry via The Open University you should use the same statement(s) of purpose for your Open University application.
Content and assessment of your statement of purpose
Please provide your statement of purpose, in English, describing how your background and research interests relate to the course, following the exact template and headings outlined below using a font that is 11pt in size such as Arial, Calibri or Helvetica. The statement should focus primarily on academic, research or employment-related achievements and interests rather than personal achievements and interests.
It will be normal for your ideas and goals to change in some ways as you participate in the course and by submitting your statement of purpose you are not making a commitment to work in the specific subject area(s) described or with any supervisor(s) you highlight in your application. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate your current interests and aspirations.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Your statement should be include the following headings, with each section not exceeding the stated word limit:
- Motivation for doctoral study (200 words): Briefly explain your motivation for undertaking doctoral study, including at least one specific example of how you have prepared yourself for doctoral study that illustrates your commitment and motivation.
- Achievements and experience (300 words): Summarise your previous achievements and experience, including information on any research you have conducted, relevant employment or work experience (if any), and any activities or experience that illustrate your communication skills, team skills or personal strengths.
- Research interests (300 words): Please describe your current research interests and identify at least two supervisors or groups that you are particularly interested in working with, explaining which aspects of their work most interest you. If relevant, please state whether you have already established contact with one or more of the supervisors named and the nature of this contact. Please also identify any of the organisations within the partnership that you are particularly interested in working with. Please state specifically if you are interested in undertaking a project with partners in our Open Innovation Industrial Consortium or with other collaborative partners.
- Motivation for applying to the DPhil in Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science (200 words): Explain your motivation for applying to this doctoral course.
Your statement of purpose will be assessed for:
- your reasons for applying
- evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
- the ability to present a reasoned case in English
- your commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the course
- preliminary knowledge of research techniques
- your capacity for sustained and intense work
- your ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace
- understanding of problems in the area and ability to construct and defend an argument
- your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description if you are applying for part-time study.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
Apply - Full time Apply - Part time Continue application
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.