Advertised Project or Your Own Proposal?
Choose the application route before you start writing. Your strongest application will respond to the actual selection process and the research opportunity on offer.
Read the GuideUniversity of Leicester
English PhD/MPhil.
Application Timing
Intakes January, May and September. International applicants requiring a visa should apply at least 5–6 months before the proposed start. Use the mandatory Research Proposal Form; campus-based part-time study is not normally available to international applicants.
The Research Opportunity
Develop research in English literature across historical periods and themes including life writing, gender, literature and science, and the history of the book. Applications need a proposal in the university’s specified form.
English/MPhil
Connect a literary question with the material, period and analytical approach you intend to investigate.
What the Funding Covers
University directs applicants to separate funded-opportunities adverts. No attached award or guaranteed fee/stipend support for this general programme. Specific award eligibility, duration and deadlines require separate review.
Funding has not been confirmed for this listing. Check the university’s current scholarship information; admission does not include an automatic funding award.
- Home Tuition Fees
- Not Confirmed in This Record
- International Tuition Fees
- Not Confirmed in This Record
- Living-Cost Support
- Not Confirmed in This Record
- Expected Start
- Date Needs Confirmation
A course offer, a funding award and international fee coverage are separate decisions. Confirm the support that applies to your circumstances.
Entry Requirements and Eligibility
- International Applicants
- Conditions Apply — Read the Requirements
- Published Requirements
- First/2:1; master's normally expected. English-specific IELTS7.0overall/6.0components conflicts with generic how-to6.5link that omits English; confirm with department.
Before You Apply
- Use Leicester’s Research Proposal Form; a proposal outside the required form is not considered.
- Plan well ahead of the January, May or September intake, especially if you need a visa.
Official Sources
Official Opportunity NoticeLast checked 11-10-2026. Confirm current details with the university before applying.
Prepare Your Next Step
All Research GuidesPrepare for a PhD Interview
Prepare to explain your research interests, defend reasonable choices and discuss what you still need to learn. Use the invitation to establish the format before practising.
Read the GuideUnderstand What PhD Funding Actually Covers
Treat tuition support and living-cost support as separate questions. “Funded” is a starting label; the award conditions determine what support an applicant can receive.
Read the Guide