LCLU PhD Studentship (Fixed Term)

The Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe and the University of Cambridge are committed to widening participation in postgraduate students at the University of Cambridge. Research within the Centre aims to develop a deeper understanding of life, its emergence, and its distribution in the Universe by addressing four questions: 

• What are the chemical pathways which led to the origins of life that are compatible with benign conditions for life in different planetary environments? 
• How do we characterise the environments on Earth and other planets that could act as the cradle of prebiotic chemistry and life? 

What observational facilities and methods will allow investigation of bodies beyond the Solar System, the remote sensing of their atmospheres and the search for signatures of geological and biological evolution? 

How can philosophical and mathematical concepts refine our understanding of what we mean by life, leading to new interdisciplinary collaborations and modes of scientific enquiry? 

We have a fully funded PhD studentship available for home (UK) students starting October 2026. This studentship will cover fees and stipend for home students at the UKRI + LCLU uplift of £1,000 per year for 4 years and research cost support will be provided. 

Eligibility is reserved for applicants who meet at least one of the following criteria: 

• Have been in receipt of free school meals at secondary school; 
• Be in the first generation of your family to study at undergraduate level; 
• Have been a young carer under the age of 18 or have/ had caring responsibilities during your undergraduate study (providing unpaid support for a family who has a physical or mental health condition, or misuses substances); 
• Have entered university at undergraduate level from a care background or as a Foyer resident; 
• Be estranged from your parents/guardians; 
• Receive/ received the maximum Maintenance Loan for undergraduate study; 
• Have refugee status. 

To apply go to the University of Cambridge postgraduate admissions portal and note in the applying for funding section that you are eligible for LCLU funding. The materials required for your application will depend on the department of the primary PhD supervisor, details available here: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/how-do-i-apply.

The deadlines for applications vary with the department, so please check what the relevant deadline is with the relevant PhD Supervisor, since some departments have earlier deadlines, such as 2nd December 2025. All applications will have to be in by 11:59 pm GMT 7th January 2026. 

The list of research proposals 2025 can be seen here: https://www.lclu.cam.ac.uk/research-proposals-2025

The list of projects is not exhaustive, and applicants are encouraged to approach any of our supervisors with their own project ideas.

If you would like to propose your own research topic, you can also browse through the list of supervisors with research interests to find those that particularly interest you. (https://www.lclu.cam.ac.uk/supervisors). You should contact prospective supervisors before applying, to further explore your mutual interests, and to get additional advice and information. 

Participating Departments at the University of Cambridge are:

Cavendish Laboratory, Institute of Astronomy, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Department of Earth Sciences, Department of Zoology, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Faculty of Divinity, and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. 

For any enquiries, please contact: admin@lclu.cam.ac.uk 

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. 

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