Biomedical and Life Sciences

MPhil/PhD

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Full time 3 - 4 years, Part time 4 - 7 years
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Overview

Lancaster’s PhD programmes in Biomedical and Life Sciences bring students from all over the world to our world-class research facilities. Over a three or four-year period you will develop and execute a significant body of research in your chosen field of biomedical science that will contribute to the development of new knowledge.

Areas of PhD research fall within, but are not limited to, the diverse biomedical portfolio of our academic staff - global health, cancer biology, diseases of the brain, infectious disease, drug discovery and biomedical ethics.

Working under the supervision of world-leading, research-active supervisors, you will be encouraged to contribute substantially to the development of new techniques, ideas or approaches as you pursue research in your chosen field at an advanced level.

You will enjoy the autonomy to pursue an independent research project whilst acquiring a substantial body of knowledge, placing yourself at the forefront of an academic discipline.

You will become a competent researcher, equipped with advanced technical skills and the ability to take responsibility for decisions made in complex and unpredictable situations.

Our programme benefits from a dual focus: on your research, and on you and your development as an effective researcher. This means that whilst your technical abilities will be honed throughout the extended period of study, we will also strive to instil in you a respect for intellectual integrity, a robust ethical approach and an appreciation of scholarship.

These attributes are invaluable in forging lasting relationships within both academia and industry, enabling you to co-operate and collaborate with professionals and academics alike.

Our graduates develop the confidence and competence that opens doors to careers in the NHS, industry, government and science communication. Your skills in advanced research, project planning and management, critical analysis and evaluation, and your ability to communicate with specialist and non-specialist audiences, help you to gain a competitive edge in the employment marketplace.

Please contact one of our research team leaders whose interests align with your own to discuss the proposed focus of your research undertaking. Alternatively, for more general enquiries or if you are unsure about your preferred area of research, please contact the Department.

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in a relevant subject.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application you will also need to provide a viable research proposal. Guidance can be found on our writing a research proposal webpage.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 5.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Fees and funding

The tuition fee for students with home fee status is set in line with the standard fee stipend provided by the UK Research Councils. The fee stipend for 2025/26 has not been set. For reference the fee stipend for 2024/25 was full-time £4,786, part-time £2,393.

The international fee for new entrants in 2025/26 is full-time £27,150, part-time £13,570.

Depending on the nature of the research project, an additional programme cost may be charged. This additional fee will contribute towards the costs incurred on specific research projects. These costs could include purchasing specialist consumables, equipment access charges, fieldwork expenses and payments for transcription/translation services. Normally any additional charge will not exceed a maximum of £9,720 but this could be increased in exceptional circumstances.

Applicants will be notified of any specific additional programme cost when the offer of a place is made.

General fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

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