Winchester School of Art is recognised as an international centre for research in global art, design and media. Our researchers are engaged in creative and critical practices across a wide range of interests. We're proud to be a hub for creative projects and events, offering a venue for artists to collaborate, investigate, and bring their ideas to life.
We're proud to offer a supportive and creative environment in which to carry out your work, and we encourage interdisciplinary engagement with other areas of research. Many of our PhD students have collaborated with colleagues in fields as diverse as archaeology, nanoscience, sound engineering, and the social and political sciences.
Winchester School of Art hosts PhD programmes for both practice and non-practice Fine Art and Design research. You'll be supervised by at least 2 academic specialists, who will work with you to identify the research skills training you need, oversee your studies, and support your career development. You'll also have access to workshops, dedicated study areas and media facilities.
Our postgraduate research community enjoys a wide range of social activities, guest lectures, seminars and research events. These provide opportunities to deepen the understanding of your research area, learn about your colleagues’ work and practice your professional skills.
Winchester has good transport links to London, providing easy access to a wide range of galleries and exhibitions, as well as professional and cultural events.
We offer a wide range of fully funded studentships. We run several of our PhD studentships in partnership with doctoral training centres, meaning you'll benefit from enhanced training and guaranteed funding.
These studentships:
We offer scholarships and teaching bursaries ourselves. Your potential supervisor can guide you on what is available.
If you’re an international student you may be able to apply for a scholarship from your country.
Find out more about scholarships
Once you've found a supervisor, they can help you with potential funding sources. We offer match funding in some cases.
You'll need to state how you intend to pay for your tuition fees when you submit your application.
Find out more about funding your PhD
You may be able to fund your postgraduate research with funding from your current employer or from industry.
You can borrow up to £30,301 for a PhD starting on or after 1 August 2025. Doctoral loans are not means tested and you can decide how much you want to borrow.
Find out about PhD loans on GOV.UK
You may be able to win funding from one or more charities to help fund your PhD.
You'll need to pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees are the same whether you're studying in person or by distance learning. If you're applying for a fully funded project, your fees will be paid for you.
| Subject | UK fees | International fees |
|---|---|---|
| Design - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,238 | £20,100 |
| Film - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,238 | £20,100 |
| Film - MPhil or PhD part time | £2,619 | £10,050 |
| Film (distance learning) - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,238 | £20,100 |
| Film (distance learning) - MPhil or PhD part time | £2,619 | £10,050 |
| Film Studies - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,238 | £20,100 |
| Fine Art - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,238 | £20,100 |
| Fine Art - MPhil or PhD part time | £2,619 | £10,050 |
| Subject | UK fees | International fees |
|---|---|---|
| Design - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,006 | £19,620 |
| Film - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,006 | £19,620 |
| Film - MPhil or PhD part time | £2,503 | £9,810 |
| Film (distance learning) - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,006 | £19,620 |
| Film (distance learning) - MPhil or PhD part time | £2,503 | £9,810 |
| Film Studies - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,006 | £19,620 |
| Fine Art - MPhil or PhD full time | £5,006 | £19,620 |
| Fine Art - MPhil or PhD part time | £2,503 | £9,810 |
Access full fee information from previous years.
You're eligible for a 10% alumni discount on a self-funded PhD if you're a current student or graduate from the University of Southampton. This will not apply for programmes that are externally funded. Please check the fees and funding section.
You can apply for a PhD in either design or fine art, depending on your research goals.
Carefully consider the details of your chosen research topic, and how to ensure this meets the standards required for a higher degree. You'll need to demonstrate that you fully understand what a PhD entails before you submit your application.
Your proposal should be 5-10 pages long, and include:
If your research is practice-based, you must also include a folio of images and documentation of your previous work, with commentary.
It's a good idea to get in touch with potential supervisors to discuss the specifics of your project. You can find out more about their research interests by visiting their staff profiles.
It's best to do this well ahead of the application deadline.
You'll need to send us:
Our PhDs start in September each year. You’ll need to submit your application for September entry by 1 July of that year.
If you require a visa to study with us, please apply as early as possible and allow plenty of time for visa applications.
You'll need to have a 2:1 honours undergraduate degree and a master of arts, or equivalent qualification, in a relevant subject.
If you do not have a master's degree, we will consider your application if you can demonstrate extensive work experience in a related field.
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
| overall score | 6.5 |
|---|---|
| writing | 6.0 |
| reading | 6.0 |
| speaking | 6.0 |
| listening | 6.0 |
Research degrees have a minimum and maximum duration, known as the candidature. Your candidature ends when you submit your thesis.
Most candidatures are longer than the minimum period.
| Degree type | Duration |
| Fine art PhD full time | 2 to 4 years |
| Fine art PhD part time | 3 to 7 years |
| Design PhD full time | 2 to 4 years |
| Design PhD part time | 4 to 7 years |
