Join our vibrant community of PhD students and researchers. We're part of the growth of the photonics industry, including the optical telecommunication technology that underpins the internet as well as solutions in medicine, biosciences sensing, security and manufacturing.
Our inventions are making the world a better place – in air travel, the internet and in life-saving medical devices. We received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our expertise in fibre optics and photonics.
You'll study at our dedicated Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) based at the Zepler Institute. We have more than 90 state-of-the-art photonics labs to work in and over 200 researchers working in photonics, physics and advanced materials.
We'll make sure you have a thorough grounding in photonics and you'll be supported by a supervisor who'll guide your research. Your supervisor will encourage you to attend international conferences and write journal papers and also recommend additional courses to develop your skills. Courses include training in report writing, project management, time management, presentation skills and safety training.
Our PhD students and postdoctoral researchers have made successful careers in universities worldwide or as scientists and business leaders in industry. The quality of our research outputs, the cluster of spin-off companies and the worldwide network of successful alumni place the ORC amongst the top institutes worldwide for doctoral research.
We'll also introduce you to the the University of Southampton Optics and Photonics Society (OPSoc), which is the hub of a wide variety of social and professional activity among our students.
Our approach is multidisciplinary. You could be working with lasers, metamaterials, optoelectronics, photonics, fibre optics, hollow core fibres and more advanced materials. Our research areas include:
We regularly advertise projects with guaranteed funding. We are currently working to advertise our available projects in the section below. In the meantime, please visit the Optoelectronics Research Centre to find and apply for our structured studentships.
Taking one of our structured studentships will give you access to additional training, conferences and secondments.
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:
You can also apply for funding from all of our research groups. Each research group runs its own funded research projects.
We offer one of the most attractive packages for PhD students with full tuition funding, plus, for UK students, an enhanced stipend of £18,000 tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years. A handful of our research projects offer an even more attractive package.
Applications are accepted throughout the year but you should apply as early as possible in order to get the best choice of projects.
Contact the supervisor of each project for more information or email Peter Horak with any queries at orcadmis@soton.ac.uk.
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 £26,445 for a PhD starting in 2022. 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.
We charge tuition fees for every year of study. If you’re applying for a fully funded project, your fees will be paid for you.
2022 to 2023 entry:
| Subject | UK fees | International fees |
|---|---|---|
| Optoelectronics full time | £4,596 | £24,600 |
| Optoelectronics part time | £2,298 | £12,300 |
| Optoelectronics Research Centre full time | £4,596 | £24,600 |
| Optoelectronics Research Centre part time | £2,298 | £12,300 |
2023 to 2024 entry:
| Subject | UK fees | International fees |
|---|---|---|
| Optoelectronics full time | tbc | £25,500 |
| Optoelectronics part time | tbc | £12,750 |
| Optoelectronics Research Centre full time | tbc | £25,500 |
| Optoelectronics Research Centre part time | tbc | £12,750 |
2024 to 2025 entry:
| Subject | UK fees | International fees |
|---|---|---|
| Optoelectronics full time | tbc Spring 2024 | £26,100 |
| Optoelectronics part time | tbc Spring 2024 | £13,050 |
| Optoelectronics Research Centre full time | tbc Spring 2024 | £26,100 |
| Optoelectronics Research Centre part time | tbc Spring 2024 | £13,050 |
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.
We have 30 research groups working on a variety of individual and collaborative projects. A common theme of our research is to apply our extensive optical toolbox to new and developing areas, such as biosensing and manufacturing.
Decide whether to apply to an advertised research project or create your own proposal.
Each of our research groups has funding available for their projects. They can offer funding to the right candidates. If you see something you're interested in, then contact the group supervisor to discuss your options.
It's a good idea to email potential supervisors to discuss your research project. It's best to do this well ahead of the application deadline.
You’ll find supervisors’ contact details listed with the advertised project, or you can search for supervisors in the staff directory.
As part of your online application, you’ll need to send us:
The application process is the same whether you're applying for a funded project, or have created a research proposal.
You'll need a UK bachelor’s or master’s degree 2:1 honours or higher in a relevant subject or equivalent qualification.
If English is not your first language, you'll need an IELTS minimum level of 6.0 with a 5.5 in writing, reading, speaking and listening.
Your awarded certificate needs to be dated within the last 2 years.
If you need further English language tuition before starting your degree, you can apply for one of our pre-sessional English language courses.
Check the specific entry requirements listed on the project you’re interested in before you apply.
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.
| Programme | Full time | Part time |
| Optoelectronics | 2 to 4 years | 3 to 7 years |
| Optoelectronics Research Centre | 2 to 4 years | Not available |
