Making an Application

Before applying, please ensure that you have confirmed the following:

Read our entry requirements for admission onto a research degree to check that you meet mandatory entry criteria in full
Researched your research - check that Coventry University offers research expertise and activity in the area within which you wish to research. Visit our Research Centres and Research Directory where you can contact one of the listed academic experts within that field to discuss your application. You’ll also want to check out our existing postgraduate research opportunities that you can apply for
Gathered all of the supporting documentation that you are required to submit with your application
Considered your proposed entry point in line with the University Application Closing Dates. Academic decisions can take up to 3 months, so it is very important that you apply well in advance of the date you wish to start.

Making an application online

When you are ready you will need to apply using our online application system.

Please ensure that you have the following available as you will be asked to upload all required documentation in order to make an online submission:

Your research proposal (if required). Guidance on what to include is available in our Research Proposal Guidelines. If you are applying for an advertised research opportunity please use the Apply now button in the advert.
If you are required to submit a Personal Statement please follow the guidance.
If you are required to submit a cover letter please follow the guidance.
Two academic (or one academic and one professional) references. If you provide referee contact details in your online application, email requests will be sent to your nominated referees once you submit. Please note we do not accept references from personal (e.g. hotmail / gmail) accounts or those submitted as editable word documents. If you need help identifying a suitable referee, please use our guide.
Scanned copies of your undergraduate and/or postgraduate degree certificates. If these were issued in a language other than English, we must see both the original documents as well as notarised translations into English.
Scanned copies of your undergraduate and/or postgraduate degree transcripts/diploma supplements detailing your individual modular achievement. If these were issued in a language other than English, we must see both the original documents as well as notarised translations into English.
If you are enrolled on a programme of study which is yet to complete, you also need to include a student status letter from your current university. This letter should contain the start and end dates of your course, your course code and course title as well as the expected date your final degree result will be confirmed.
A scanned copy of the photo page of your passport.

If any of the above documentation was issued to you in another name, you must also provide official evidence of your name change e.g. marriage certificate or deed poll document.

Applying as an EU or Overseas National

If you are an EU (non UK) or Overseas national, you are also required to provide:

A copy of your latest IELTS / SELT qualification certificate awarded in the two years immediately preceding your proposed course start date. An overall IELTS Academic, or IELTS for UKVI (strongly recommended) score of 7.0 or above with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the four components, or a UKVI accepted equivalent English language qualification.
The only exception to this requirement is for students educated to UK degree level standard in the medium of English in the UK or in a majority English speaking country within the two years immediately preceding your proposed course start date (e.g. for courses starting in May 2018 your qualification must have been awarded in June 2016 or later).
Please visit the UK Visa Immigration Service website for further guidance on accepted English language qualifications
Please visit the UK Visa Immigration Service for further guidance on recognised test centres.
If you have booked to take this examination, but are not yet in receipt of your test results, please attach confirmation of your test booking to enable further consideration of your application.

Any current/previous UK visas you have been awarded (if applicable)

Please note that the UK has left the European Union. If you were a resident in the UK before 31 December 2020 (including if you are currently overseas but were a UK resident), you will be eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme.

An overview of the EU Settlement Scheme can be found on the EU Withdrawal Guidance web pages, and there is information on travelling to the UK for EU or EEA citizens on the UK Government website.

If you arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020 and were not previously a UK resident, then you will be subject to the new Point Based Immigration System. More information can be found on the UK Government website.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the new rules for EU or EEA Nationals please email UKVIcheck@coventry.ac.uk

For further guidance for students from the EU please visit our EU withdrawal guidance webpages.

Applying as an externally sponsored applicant

If you are applying as an externally sponsored applicant sponsored by an employer or government, you must provide evidence in the form of recently dated sponsorship letter on official headed paper. If you need more information about what a sponsor letter should contain, please download our guide and share it with your sponsor organisation.

Please note that any applications submitted containing documents that have been forged or altered will be automatically rejected. If any supporting documents were issued in a language other than English, we must see both the original documents as well as notarised translations into English.