Warwick Astronomy PhD Opportunities

We are excited to welcome applicants for PhD places with an October 2027 start! There are two distinct routes to applying, with different deadlines, depending on if you are applying for a scholarship or an STFC studentship.

Scholarship applicants cannot formally apply unless supported by one Astro Warwick faculty member, and these applicants should submit their expressions of interest to that faculty member by November 16th, 2026. All interested Overseas-feesLink opens in a new window students must take the scholarship route. Home-feesLink opens in a new window students are eligible for some scholarships and are welcome to also give expressions of interest.

Scholarships route (Expression of interest expected by: Nov 16th, 2026)

One of the following competitive scholarships would fund your PhD:

(1) Warwick Chancellors ScholarshipLink opens in a new window (no restrictions on applicants)

(2) China Scholarship Council-Warwick joint ScholarshipLink opens in a new window (only for applicants with a passport from the People's Republic of China)

(3) Pathway PhD ScholarshipLink opens in a new window (only for applicants who self-identify as being either Black or of Black heritage)

(4) Sanctuary PhD ScholarshipLink opens in a new window (only for applicants who have applied for asylum in the UK or are currently supported by CARA)

(5) Warwick-Monash Alliance Joint ScholarshipLink opens in a new window (no restrictions on applicants)

(6) Bell-Burnell ScholarshipLink opens in a new window (only for applicants in underrepresented groups)

We also welcome expressions of interest for scholarships that are not listed above, particularly those schemes with irregular or off-cycle calls, such as the Commonwealth ScholarshipsLink opens in a new window, the EUTOPIA PhD Co-Tutelle ScholarshipsLink opens in a new window, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University-Warwick Joint PhD ScholarshipsLink opens in a new window, or the Singapore-based A*STAR Research Attachment Programme (ARAP) ScholarshipsLink opens in a new window.

If you apply for one of the above scholarships without first expressing interest to a potential supervisor, then your application will be rejected.

To express interest in working with a potential supervisor, you will need to first identify that person from the bottom of this webpage, and then send them an introductory email along with your CV and the specific scholarship(s) that you wish to apply for. The potential supervisor will subsequently inform you if they are happy for you to submit a full application (including reference letters, transcripts, research statements) and if so, will work with you to refine your application to maximise chances of success.

At that stage, all supported applicants will be entered into a competitive departmental shortlisting process to determine which applicants will proceed to the university selection committee. This committee will likely award scholarships by comparing applicants' quantifiable signifiers of merit from different departments across the university. These signifiers should be emphasised in the CV and may include, but are not limited to, published papers, awards/prizes, and excellent academic track records as shown through cohort rankings and university rankings; in other words, any tangible indicators of excellence.

STFC route (Final application deadline: Feb 2nd, 2027):

The STFC (Science and Technologies Facilities Council) will fund your PhD. The specific projects that will be advertised for this route, as well as the university's application submission site, will both be posted here in December, 2026. No expressions of interest are needed; the full application deadline will be February 2nd, 2027. Full applications must be submitted for consideration. No Overseas-feesLink opens in a new window students will be eligible for this route.

Overview of Astronomy research areas with key staff

White dwarfs and the local stellar neighbourhoodLink opens in a new window

Key staff: CoppejansLink opens in a new window, CunninghamLink opens in a new window, GänsickeLink opens in a new window, PelisoliLink opens in a new window, SteeghsLink opens in a new window, TremblayLink opens in a new window, VerasLink opens in a new window

Our main interest is the study of compact stellar remnants, both single and in interacting binaries. We pursue population studies using large surveys, precision studies with custom high-time resolution instruments as well as detailed theoretical modeling.

Extra-solar planetsLink opens in a new window

Our exoplanetary activities include observation, instrumentation and theory. We are actively engaged in detecting and characterising exoplanetary systems across the full spectrum of size (gas giant, ice giant, super-Earth, terrestrial, asteroidal, dust), time (formation & evolution, main-sequence, post-main-sequence) and host-star characteristics (M stars, G stars, white dwarfs, binaries). We study planetary atmospheres, composition, habitability and dynamics.

Circumstellar discsLink opens in a new window

Key staff: MeruLink opens in a new window, VerasLink opens in a new window

We study the disks that orbit other stars like our Sun using theory and observation. Some of these disks are in the process of forming planets, and others are similar to the Solar System’s Asteroid and Kuiper belts. These disks reveal information about the origins of other planetary systems, and help place the Solar System in context.

Stellar populations across cosmic time

Key staff: LymanLink opens in a new window, StanwayLink opens in a new window

Understanding where and when galaxies formed the majority of their stars is key to understanding the processes of galaxy assembling, stripping and merging which have shaped them into the complex systems we see today. There are various approaches to this: through direct observation of young distant galaxies, through unravelling the history of today's systems, or through comparison to stellar population synthesis models.

Explosive transients and multi-messenger astronomyLink opens in a new window

Key staff: CoppejansLink opens in a new window, JiangLink opens in a new window, LymanLink opens in a new window, StanwayLink opens in a new window, SteeghsLink opens in a new window, UlaczykLink opens in a new window

We have an interest in exotic and energetic transients where we chase the transients themselves as well as the host galaxies they occur in. Of particular interest are short gamma-ray bursts, tidal disruption events and electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave sources. For the latter, the group is leading the deployment of the GOTO robotic telescope.

Space domain awarenessLink opens in a new window

Key staff: ChoteLink opens in a new window, McCormacLink opens in a new window, PollaccoLink opens in a new window

We tackle issues relating to the safety and sustainability of satellite operations in the space domain. Research activities include:

the timely acquisition of precise datasets to detect, track and/or characterise objects in orbit;
the fusion of physical and human-based information for improved object tracking;
the modelling and prediction of space weather, and the quantification of associated risk.