PhD Studentship (Fixed Term)

The Kavli Newnham Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Postgraduate Studentship Programme is an ambitious new initiative to attract outstanding, international women in STEM to pursue PhD degrees at Kavli Institute for Cosmology Cambridge (KICC) https://www.kicc.cam.ac.uk/ and Newnham College https://newn.cam.ac.uk/. We expect to recruit one student annually, creating a cohort of four Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Students at any given time. We provide a unique cross-disciplinary research environment at the nexus of three world-leading departments ¿ Institute of Astronomy https://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/ (IoA), Cavendish Laboratory (the Department of Physics https://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/, and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) https://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/ ¿ to support, inspire and train the next generation of global scientific leaders.

In addition to scientific training, students will be embedded within highly successful PhD student cohorts across the three departments and benefit from a wide variety of optional courses and training opportunities. Alongside the extensive range of lectures and seminars on offer, student development and transferable skills training (e.g., sessions on communication, organisational and leadership skills, presenting work at seminars or conferences, and applying for postdoctoral positions) will be provided.

Successful Applicants Will Receive

a fully funded four-year international studentship, covering University Composition Fee and a maintenance allowance for living costs (£21,805 in 2026-27);

a personal research allowance of £6,000 over the course of the PhD, for example for conference attendance, books, technical equipment and training;

it is expected that Newnham College accommodation, surrounded by 17 acres of beautiful gardens, would be available to rent for the first two years of the Studentship;

support to cover the cost of a student visa and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS; national health insurance) for the duration of the visa granted;

support for one economy-class journey to Cambridge from abroad for the purpose of relocation;

a child dependent allowance may be available to student parents to cover visa application fees, IHS, and the cost of one economy-class journey to Cambridge from abroad for each accompanying child.

Inquiries

Carolyn Young, Debbie Peterson

Email: admissions@ast.cam.ac.uk, phd-admissions@maths.cam.ac.uk, pgadmin@phy.cam.ac.uk

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 4 years in the first instance.

Applications must be received via the central University Postgraduate Admissions Office's Applicant Portal. Applicants may apply to:

Institute of Astronomy - https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/pcaspdpay

Cavendish Astrophysics, Department of Physics - https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/pcphpdphy

Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics - https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/maampdmtp

All eligible applications submitted to any of the three participating departments will be considered for the Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Postgraduate Studentship Programme. Applicants should apply through the department that best matches their proposed PhD project and should express interest in working with one or more KICC supervisor(s) https://www.kicc.cam.ac.uk/people/academic-staff. Successful applicants will be affiliated with KICC to pursue degrees within the range of KICC's scientific themes with their supervision team including at least one KICC member.

To be considered for the Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Postgraduate Studentship Programme, applicants do not need to select Newnham College as a first or second College preference on the Applicant Portal as long as applicants accept a transfer to Newnham College to take up the Studentship. However, in the case of equally exceptional applicants, preference will be given to applicants who select Newnham as their first- or second-choice College.

Application deadline (including the reference letters) is December 8, 2026 for the programme starting in October 2027. It is expected that the shortlisted applicants will be notified by the end of January 2027.More information can be found: https://www.kicc.cam.ac.uk/phd-applications/cosmology-at-cambridge/kavli-newnham-cecilia-payne-gaposchkin-postgraduate.

Please quote reference KA51596 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.