Each year we accept applications for a funded PhD in Astronomy. The deadline for STFC and QMUL funded studentships is 31 January for entry in the following academic year (although students with external funding may apply at any time). Please take a look at our PhD project page, or get in touch with a member of staff to learn more about the research opportunities that are available. Information on the next main round of PhD applications will be made available in the autumn.
The Astronomy Unit has a high level of success in supporting research fellowship applications. We currently host 1 Future Leaders Fellow, 2 Royal Society University Research Fellows, 1 Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow, 1 ERC Starting Grant and 1 ERC Consolidator Grant.
If you are interested in applying for a fellowship in the Astronomy Unit at Queen Mary, please get in touch - you can contact Dr Scott Melville and/or the academic staff member most relevant to your research, all of whom will be happy to discuss your options and the application procedures. There are often restrictions on who can apply for these fellowships and how many we can support, so please contact us well in advance of any deadlines (see below for further details).
Available fellowships include:
STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships (ERF): The STFC application deadline is usually sometime in September. The Astronomy Unit is normally able to support 2 applications per year and we use a competitive internal application process to select candidates. Our internal application deadline this year is the 8th July; late applications are possible, but may not receive full consideration. If you are interested in applying for an ERF with QMUL as your host institution, please follow the instructions below, or contact Dr Scott Melville with informal queries.
Prospective candidates should submit a draft case for support, CV and publication list to s.melville@qmul.ac.uk by the 8th July.
The main things we are looking for are that you have a compelling, timely, and well-scoped research proposal, evidence of leadership ability, and a case for how your research connects to existing research themes at QMUL and in the UK more broadly.
Please contact us (the earlier the better) if you would like to discuss any details of the internal application process.
Royal Society University Research Fellowships (URF) and Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships (DHF): These tend to have a similar deadline to the ERF, but there are no limits on how many applications we can support, and so we are able to give yes/no answers for whether we can support your application much more quickly. This year's application deadline will be in September. Please get in touch with us as soon as possible if you are interested in applying for a URF with us. Preparing and reviewing the application materials (including costings) generally takes several weeks, so candidates should be prepared to have their materials sent for internal review well in advance of the deadline. Ideally URF applicants should contact us by the 8th July.
Other Fellowships: For any other fellowship that you are interested in applying for at QMUL (e.g. Future Leaders Fellowship, Stephen Hawking Fellowship) please contact us well in advance of the deadline to discuss your application.
For job opportunities, please see the QMUL job listings.