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Postgraduate opportunities
Current Chemistry opportunities
Postgraduate projects undertaken in the Chemistry Department here in Durham cover all of the traditional areas of chemistry and other contemporary, often interdisciplinary topics. Ph.D. projects are available each year that span all aspects of the Department's research activities.
The Department offers Ph.D. positions via the EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) and for research projects hosted by individual research staff.
Current funded postgraduate studentships are listed on FindAPhD.
Additional funding routes are listed below.
How to apply
To apply for a PhD (F1A001) or MSc (F1A009) please click the link below to access our University's application portal.
Before you apply it is essential that you obtain supervisory support for your project. A list of our academic staff with their contact details can be accessed here.
Please note that if you are a student looking to apply for a scholarship for which you need an offer letter, please allow at least two weeks from submission of application for the release of the offer letter.
Note that the applications to ReNU CDTs are handled by the respective lead institutions. Please follow the instructions on the respective website.
Academic qualifications:
Our minimum entry requirements for a research degree in Chemistry are:
- A Masters degree (or equivalent) at Class 2:1 for Ph.D.
- A Bachelors degree (or equivalent) at Class 2:1 for Masters by Research
- Two satisfactory references, at least one of which should be academic.
English Language requirements: For students whose first language is not English or whose first degree was awarded by a University not delivering the courses in English, postgraduate students must demonstrate proficiency in English Language. For postgraduate study and research in the Department of Chemistry the requirement is here.
Search for Postgraduate Research Opportunities
Research, scholarship and ideas are at the core of Durham University. Discover our range of postgraduate research opportunities and begin your application.
We offer two research degrees, which can be completed on a full or part-time basis:
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PhD
The majority of those beginning postgraduate study in Durham work toward a PhD, which normally requires between 36 and 48 months of full-time study, depending on the programme. The degree is awarded based on the presentation and oral examination of a thesis.
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MSc by Research
This research programme usually takes 12 months to complete. The degree is awarded based on the preparation and examination of a thesis and an oral examination (where necessary), together with successful completion of the Department's postgraduate training programme.
Current postgraduate studentship opportunities
Full details of current postgraduate studentships are listed on FindAPhD and FindaMasters.
Our current projects include:
MSc by Research - Chemical Biology
A list of available research projects is available here
To find out more about the M.Sc. by Research in Chemistry and available projects, please contact chemistry.postgrad-admissions@durham.ac.uk
PhD: Enzyme-Inspired Catalysis: Organic Cages, Organocatalysis and Reaction Mechanism
How to apply: To discuss possible projects and scholarship applications, contact Dr Keith Andrews at keith.g.andrews@durham.ac.uk, including your CV, academic results to date and a brief description of how your research interests overlap with the goals of the group.
PhD: Understanding nanoscale machines with neural density functional theory
To apply, or for informal enquiries, email Stephen Cox with:
A brief personal statement outlining your research experience, skills relevant to the project(s), and your goals for a PhD.
A CV including your performance in relevant university courses.
Names and email addresses of two academic or professional referees.
PhD: From Photosynthesis to Sustainable Solar Materials: Simulating Photoexcited Molecules in Complex Environments
How to apply:
Students interested in applying for this opportunity should email susannah.l.bourneworster@durham.ac.uk with the following documents:
A CV (maximum 2 A4 pages). You may format your CV in whatever way you feel will best showcase your suitability for the role (e.g. traditional list, narrative prose or a combination of the two).
A brief statement outlining your research interests, personal goals for a PhD and any previous experience or skills relevant to the project you wish to pursue.
Contact details of 2 academic/professional referees.
Please note: Due to upcoming maternity leave, interested candidates are strongly encouraged to make contact with Susannah before mid-November, wherever possible.
PhD: Discovery chemistry for singlet fission materials to retrofit silicon solar cells
How to apply:
For informal enquiries please contact Jeffrey Gorman: jeffrey.e.gorman@durham.ac.uk
To apply please navigate to our Applications Link.If this link does not work on your computer, please go to our applications page, scroll to the bottom, and click on the ReNU course link – H1A601.
When completing the form on the application portal:
- Under the additional information tab and programme related information section, please input RENU+ CDT Funding and then write RENU/GORMAN in the name of the scholarship. No research proposal or scholarship documents are required.
- When asked if you intend to apply for a scholarship to fund your studies – enter ‘yes’
- When asked which person you have discussed your research proposal with, please name the primary contact for the project you are applying for.
In addition to completing the application form, ensure you upload the following additional documents.
1. A completed ReNU Plus Competency Assessment Form in the place of a proposal. Please read further instructions within the form.
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV).
3. Two satisfactory academic references.
4. A personal statement
5. Any other required documentation as listed on https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-apply/
Please ensure you follow all these steps to ensure your application is considered.
By submitting your application to ReNU+ you are agreeing for your data to be used as described in the ReNU+ privacy notice.
PhD: Membrane Technologies for Selective Rare Earth Metal Recovery and Recycling
How to apply:
For informal enquiries please contact: Dr Stefan Borsley stefan.h.borsley@durham.ac.uk
To apply please navigate to our Applications Link.If this link does not work on your computer, please go to our applications page, scroll to the bottom, and click on the ReNU course link – H1A601.
When completing the form on the application portal:
- Under the additional information tab and programme related information section, please input RENU+ CDT Funding and then write RENU/BORSLEY in the name of the scholarship. No research proposal or scholarship documents are required.
- When asked if you intend to apply for a scholarship to fund your studies – enter ‘yes’
- When asked which person you have discussed your research proposal with, please name the primary contact for the project you are applying for.
In addition to completing the application form, ensure you upload the following additional documents.
1. A completed ReNU Plus Competency Assessment Form in the place of a proposal. Please read further instructions within the form.
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV).
3. Two satisfactory academic references.
4. A personal statement
5. Any other required documentation as listed on https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-apply/
Please ensure you follow all these steps to ensure your application is considered.
By submitting your application to ReNU+ you are agreeing for your data to be used as described in the ReNU+ privacy notice.
PhD: Next-generation catalysts for CO2 to methanol conversion
How to apply:
For informal enquiries please contact Dr Louis Morris: louis.morris@durham.ac.uk
To apply please navigate to our Applications Link. If this link does not work on your computer, please go to our applications page, scroll to the bottom, and click on the ReNU course link – H1A601.
When completing the form on the application portal:
-
- Under the additional information tab and programme related information section, please input RENU+ CDT Funding and then write RENU/MORRIS in the name of the scholarship. No research proposal or scholarship documents are required.
- When asked if you intend to apply for a scholarship to fund your studies – enter ‘yes’
- When asked which person you have discussed your research proposal with, please name the primary contact for the project you are applying for.
In addition to completing the application form, ensure you upload the following additional documents.
1. A completed ReNU Plus Competency Assessment Form in the place of a proposal. Please read further instructions within the form.
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV).
3. Two satisfactory academic references.
4. A personal statement
5. Any other required documentation as listed on https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-apply/
Please ensure you follow all these steps to ensure your application is considered.
By submitting your application to ReNU+ you are agreeing for your data to be used as described in the ReNU+ privacy notice.
PhD: The electronic structure of reactive intermediates from ion spectroscopy
How to apply:
Please contact Jemma with any informal inquiries (jemma.gibbard@durham.ac.uk) and
apply via Durham’s online portal How to apply - Durham University
PhD: From curiosity to catalysis: repurposing the p-block elements as sustainable catalysts
How to apply:
Prospective applicants should contact Dr Louis Morris at louis.morris@durham.ac.uk, including a CV and brief description of how your research interests overlap with those of the group.
Multiple PhD Opportunities in Crystallisation, Crystal Science, Crystal Engineering and Particle Technology
How to apply:
Prospective applicants should contact Prof Aurora J. Cruz-Cabeza aurora.j.cruz-cabeza@durham.ac.uk for details of current funded opportunities, eligibility, project-specific deadlines and start dates. Enclose a CV and cover letter.
PhD in organic/supramolecular chemistry – How can we harness active transport to control chemistry?
How to apply:
To apply, please send a CV and a cover letter to Dr Stefan Borsley (stefan.h.borsley@durham.ac.uk).
PhD in organic/supramolecular chemistry – Can chemistry make decisions? Engineering stochastic symmetry breaking
How to apply:
To apply, please send a CV and a cover letter to Dr Stefan Borsley (stefan.h.borsley@durham.ac.uk).
PhD: Development of economical, sustainable and scalable fluorination technologies
How to apply:
For informal enquiries please email william.d.brittain@durham.ac.uk
Applications can be made via Durham postgraduate webpage.
PhD: How do molecules recognise each other? Combining experiments, robots, and data
How to apply:
For informal enquiries please email filip.t.szczypinski@durham.ac.uk.
Applications can be made via Durham postgraduate webpage.
Additional funding routes:
- EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award
Details yet to be announced for 2027 entry
2026 Entry:
Up to 15 PhD studentships are available across Durham University’s Faculty of Science, for October 2026 start, funded by the EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA). The studentships are administered through the University’s Science Comprehensive Offer for Postgraduate Education (SCOPE) programme.
Applications will be considered in any area of Chemistry carried out in the Department that fall within the remit of EPSRC, but applicants must first contact prospective supervisors to discuss the possibility of applying and to devise a research project by mutual agreement.
Closing date for applications: 15/12/2025.
For more information click here.
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China Scholarships Council (CSC)
The China Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships are available thanks to a partnership with the China Scholarships Council. The scholarships are open to applicants from Mainland China wishing to study for a PhD at Durham. Details of the eligibility criteria along with information specific to applicants applying for this joint scheme can be found here.
Please ensure you have submitted an academic application and provided all relevant documents, including transcripts, study certificates, academic references and English Language certificates, to Durham University by 15 January 2027.
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Dr Anthony Palmer Scholarship for Masters by Research
The Dr Anthony J Palmer Scholarship award is available annually and has been established from a generous legacy gift bequeathed to Durham University by Dr Anthony J Palmer, alumnus and friend of the University. The funding covers the Tuition Fees and research expenses that are allocated to the supervisor to support the project. Further information about this award, including how to apply can be found here.
For further information on this award, please email chemistry.postgrad-admissions@durham.ac.uk .