DPhil in Zero-Carbon Energy Research
About the course
The DPhil in Zero-Carbon Energy Research is a research-based course that aims to equip you with the knowledge, methods and professional skills needed to lead in the energy transition.
Drawing on interdisciplinary expertise across the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and Social Sciences Divisions, and the coordinated training environment offered by the ZERO Institute. You will gain:
- A broad and integrated understanding of zero-carbon energy generation, conversion, storage, distribution and use, informed by systems thinking and cross-disciplinary engagement.
- The ability to analyse sustainability, environmental performance and societal impacts using appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools.
- Experience designing and conducting original, high-impact research aligned with technological, environmental and policy dimensions of the energy transition.
- Competence in responsible research and innovation, ensuring that energy solutions align with societal needs, ethical considerations and long-term sustainability.
- Strong communication, leadership and project-management skills developed through structured cohort activities, seminars and professional engagement.
- The capacity to work collaboratively across engineering, natural sciences and social sciences, enabling them to contribute effectively to interdisciplinary challenges.
To learn more about the research topics you’ll have the opportunity to explore, please refer to the Research areas section on this page.
You will participate in a structured, staged training programme coordinated by the ZERO Institute. This embeds the interdisciplinary ethos of the course and mirrors the supportive cohort environment normally associated with a doctoral training centre. Key components include:
- early-stage training: induction events, introductory lectures on core aspects of the energy transition, cross-disciplinary seminars and a multidisciplinary summer school
- mid-stage development: active participation in the ZERO Early Career Researcher (ECR) Forum, opportunities to organise and present at the annual ECR energy conference, and regular thematic networking sessions with academic, industrial and policy partners
- final-stage preparation: enterprise training through the ZERO Founders Forum, internship opportunities aligned with research interests, and optional outreach activities.
These training elements enrich the research experience and equip you with the skills and networks necessary for impactful careers.
You will pursue an individually defined research project supervised by academics across participating departments. Research may involve cross-departmental collaboration, engagement with industrial partners or input from policy and governance experts. The programme’s coordinated cohort structure supports students in situating their research within wider system-level challenges, benefiting from specialist seminars, peer interaction and the interdisciplinary community fostered by the ZERO Institute.
ZERO Institute training includes lectures, seminars, summer schools and networking events, and provides structured enrichment throughout the DPhil but is designed to complement your primary focus on independent research. This balance ensures you gain both disciplinary depth and interdisciplinary breadth without compromising research progression.
Depending on your chosen project, you may undertake laboratory work, computational modelling, industry-aligned research, or policy-focused activities. Internships and enterprise activities are available but optional and tailored individually.
Attendance
The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.
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 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, as well as guidance on what technology to bring with you as a new student at Oxford.
You will benefit from access to a wide range of specialist resources that support high-quality, interdisciplinary doctoral research.
Students are hosted within their specialism departments and will therefore have full access to department-specific laboratories, experimental facilities, computational infrastructure and technical support aligned with their research projects. These facilities span the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and Social Sciences Divisions, enabling research that ranges from energy materials and technologies to systems modelling, policy analysis and socio-technical studies. Research clusters across participating departments are supported by experienced technical, computing and administrative staff, ensuring students have access to well-equipped research areas, workshops and specialist expertise throughout their studies.
A distinctive feature of the programme is access to Mini-TESA (The Energy Systems Accelerator pilot) at Osney Mead, a purpose-designed, multi-disciplinary hub managed by the ZERO Institute. This facility provides flexible study and collaboration spaces, seminar and workshop rooms, and dedicated areas for cohort activities, training and networking. It serves as a focal point for the ZERO DPhil cohort and supports regular interdisciplinary interaction.
The programme is embedded within a strong interdisciplinary research environment supported by the ZERO Institute, which connects researchers across departments, divisions, and external partners. Students benefit from close engagement with academics, industry collaborators and policy stakeholders working on zero-carbon energy challenges, creating opportunities for applied research, knowledge exchange and real-world impact.
In addition, students can engage with a wide range of optional lectures, seminars and workshops coordinated by the ZERO Institute and partner networks, including interdisciplinary events with industry and policy stakeholders, as well as enterprise and innovation activities.
Together, these resources create a highly supportive and collaborative research environment that enhances both academic excellence and professional development in zero-carbon energy research.
There are strong links with researchers across the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and Social Sciences Divisions, as well as with industry and policy partners, enabling students to work closely with experts from multiple departments engaged in zero-carbon energy research.
The research clusters are well-supported by experienced teams of technical, computing, and administrative support staff. You will have access to well-equipped research areas and workshops
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Engineering Science and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor may be found outside the Department of Engineering Science.
You will join your supervisor's research group which normally has post-doctoral researchers and other research students working on broadly similar research themes. Typically you would interact daily with members of the group and have weekly contact with your supervisor. Many groups have weekly meetings where members discuss their research or perhaps present other published work.
Assessment
You will receive ongoing assessment and feedback from your supervisors.
All students follow the University’s standard milestones for research degrees, although the precise timing and procedural details may vary slightly depending on the department in which you are finally hosted.
Typically within the first 4 terms of the course you will apply to transfer your status from Probationary Research Student (PRS) to DPhil. This usually involves preparing a written report and giving a presentation on your research to date, which is assessed by two academics who are not part of your supervisory team and includes an oral examination.
Normally within 9 terms (by the end of your third year) your progress towards completion is reviewed through the Confirmation of DPhil Status process. This generally requires a progress report and completion plan, assessed by two independent academics and accompanied by an oral examination.
If you are admitted, your host department will provide the specific timing and procedural details.
At the end of your research you will be required to submit a substantial thesis which is read and examined by experts in the field, one from the department and one from elsewhere. You will then defend this thesis at a Viva Voce examination with the two examiners. It is anticipated that the thesis will result in the publication of two or three journal papers.
Graduate destinations
Graduates of the DPhil in Zero-Carbon Energy Research will be well equipped for careers across the rapidly growing net-zero energy sector. Many will progress to roles in renewable energy, energy storage, decarbonisation technologies, consulting, policy, or research and development in industry and government. Others will pursue academic careers or join start-ups, including ventures connected to their doctoral work. The programme’s strong interdisciplinary training also prepares graduates for roles requiring advanced analytical and modelling skills across sectors such as environmental governance, finance and data science. Career destinations are expected to span the UK and international energy markets.
Changes to this course
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.
Research areas
You’ll have the opportunity to undertake research within the specialised themes of this course, which include:
- renewable and low-carbon energy generation
- materials and processes for energy conversion
- chemical, thermal, mechanical and electrical storage
- energy distribution, infrastructure, digitalisation and security
- energy use in buildings, transport, industry and the power sector
- modelling and analysis of energy systems and transition scenarios
- policy, governance, economics and social dimensions of energy transitions.
These themes connect the scientific, engineering and societal aspects of zero-carbon energy, supporting the programme's aim to produce researchers able to deliver practical, system-level impact.
Further information
Information on academic and research staff and departmental research can be found on The Zero Institute's website.
Entry requirements for entry in 2026-27
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 guidance to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
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.
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
The above qualification should be achieved in:
- any of the following fields related to engineering: architecture, physics, chemistry, materials science, mathematics, computer science, earth or environmental sciences; or
- a relevant social science disciplines such as, economics, geography, public policy, sociology, or anthropology.
A previous master's qualification is not required.
For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.5 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.
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 |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 165 | 155 |
*Changes to the TOEFL iBT test are being introduced on 21 January 2026. The University will not accept TOEFL tests taken from that date to meet the English language condition until a review of the revised test has been completed. Our Application Guide provides full details of the tests we accept.
†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 are shortlisted for interview based on their academic record, research potential, and the quality and suitability of their proposed research. Shortlisting is undertaken by academic staff associated with the programme. Typically, a limited number of applicants are shortlisted for interview for each available place, though the exact ratio may vary between admissions cycles.
Applicants who are shortlisted for an interview will normally be notified by email. Interviews are typically held within a few weeks of shortlisting, usually during the main admissions period for the course.
Interviews typically last around 25 minutes and are conducted by at least two academic members of staff. The interview will usually explore the applicant’s academic background, research experience, motivation for doctoral study, and preparedness for research at the doctoral level. Interviews are usually conducted online. Further details and instructions will be provided in the interview invitation email.
There are no formal additional exercises as part of the interview process, although candidates may be asked to discuss aspects of their previous work or proposed research during the interview.
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.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
This course may require you to obtain an ATAS certificate before you can apply for a visa/immigration permission. If you are offered a place, the academic department will confirm whether an ATAS certificate is required. If so, they will also send you the information you need to apply for one. You can apply for ATAS whilst your offer is conditional and before the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is issued. Further information about ATAS is available on the student visa webpages.
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.
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.
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.
Costs
Annual course fees
The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis.
Fees for the 2026-27 academic year at the University of Oxford
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £10,470 |
| Overseas | £34,700 |
What do course fees cover?
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 costs information below.
How long do I need to pay 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 fees will usually increase annually, as explained in the University’s Terms and Conditions.
Graduate students who have reached the end of their standard period of fee liability will be required to pay a University continuation charge and/or a college continuation charge.
The University continuation charge, per term for entry in 2026-27 is £656, please be aware that this will increase annually. For part-time students, the termly charge will be half of the termly rate payable by full-time students.
If a college continuation charge applies (not applicable for non-matriculated courses) it will be between £150 and £500, as explained in our information about continuation charges. Please contact your college for more details, including information about whether your college's continuation charge is applied at a different rate for part-time study.
Where can I find more information about fees?
Our fees and other charges pages provide further information, including details about:
- course fees and fee liability;
- how your fee status is determined;
- changes to fees and other charges; and
- continuation charges.
Information about how much fees and other costs will usually increase each academic year is set out in the University's Terms and Conditions.
Additional costs
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 to help you cover some of these expenses.
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 2026-27 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,405 and £2,105 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 (if dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and periods of high national inflation in recent years make it harder to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2026-27 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.
A breakdown of likely living costs for one month during the 2026-27 academic year are shown below. These costs are based on a single, full-time graduate student, with no dependants, living in Oxford.
| Lower range | Upper range | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | £315 | £545 |
| Accommodation | £825 | £990 |
| Personal items | £160 | £310 |
| Social activities | £50 | £130 |
| Study costs | £35 | £90 |
| Other | £20 | £40 |
| Total | £1,405 | £2,105 |
For information about how these figures have been calculated as well as tables showing the likely living costs for nine and twelve months, please refer to the living costs page of our website.
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 on this course:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application, including advice 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 December 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.
Application fee waivers
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 are considering applying (or have already applied) to any of the associated courses listed below, 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.
For full details about how to request an application fee waiver, please select the course you are interested in from the list below and refer to the equivalent section of its course page.
The following associated courses are taking part in this application fee waiver scheme:
- Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems, EPSRC CDT
- Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (Oxford-GSK), DPhil
- Cancer Science (Biological background), CDT
- Cancer Science (Clinician), DPhil
- Cancer Science (Intercalation), DPhil
- Cancer Science (Maths/Physics background), CDT
- Chemical Synthesis for a Healthy Planet, CDT
- Engineering Biology, BBSRC and EPSRC CDT
- Fundamentals of AI, EIT CDT
- Fusion Power, EPSRC CDT
- Genomic Medicine and Statistics, DPhil
- Healthcare Data Science, EPSRC CDT
- Inflammatory and Musculoskeletal Disease, DPhil
- Inorganic Materials for Advanced Manufacturing, EPSRC CDT
- Intelligent Earth, UKRI CDT in AI for the Environment
- Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science, DPhil
- Materials 4.0, EPSRC CDT
- Mathematics of Random Systems: Analysis, Modelling and Algorithms, CDT
- Neuroscience (1+3), DPhil
- Quantum Informatics, EPSRC CDT (expected to open soon)
- Robotics and AI for Net Zero, EPSRC CDT
- Statistics and Machine Learning, EPSRC CDT
- Superconductivity: Enabling Transformative Technologies, EPSRC CDT
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
We recommend contacting a potential supervisor(s) ahead of submitting your application.
Please ensure that you have researched the specialisms of the department and those of your potential supervisor(s) before making contact. You can also contact the Admissions Administrator using the contact details provided on this page if you have additional queries.
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
Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.
You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).
Proposed supervisor
Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research.
You can enter up to four names and you should list them in order of preference or indicate equal preference.
Referees:
Three overall, of which at least one must be academic
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.
Professional references are welcomed, but these must be obtained from your line manager (or equivalent). At least one academic reference must be provided.
Your references will support your intellectual ability, academic achievement and potential, motivation, creativity, and ability to work singly and in a group.
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.
Research proposal:
A minimum of 1,000 words, up to a maximum of 1,500 words
You should submit an outline of your proposed research, written in English. The overall word count should not include any bibliography.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Inevitably your ideas will change as you develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to describe the extent and ambition of your proposed research using sources and methods from the current literature. Your proposal should focus on your research ambitions in engineering, rather than on personal achievements, interests and aspirations.
This will be assessed for:
- your past commitment to sustained and intense study and your reasons for wishing to undertake research
- evidence of interest in, experience of, and understanding of the proposed area of study
- the originality of the proposed research
- the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available
- your ability to present a reasoned and coherent case in English.
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.
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.