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Psychology PhD
Key information.
- Top 20 in the UK for our research overall in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience in REF 2021 (Times Higher Education)
From crowd behaviour to perception and studies of the brain – you’ll work with experts who will guide and support you through your research project.
Sussex is one of the largest and most diverse centres for the study of psychology in the UK. You’ll work in an intellectually stimulating and supportive environment, within a community of postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and field-leading faculty.
Our research spans the full spectrum of psychology and has significant societal impact through our close engagement with policymakers and practitioners .” Robin Banerjee Head of the School of Psychology
Find out more about research in the School of Psychology
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Masters and P h D events
Meet us on campus or online
Book your place
Entry requirements
- UK requirements
- International requirements
Please select your country from the list.
Philippines
Saudi arabia, south africa, south korea, switzerland, united arab emirates, my country is not listed.
If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us
English language requirements
Ielts (academic).
Advanced level (7.0 overall, including at least 6.5 in each component).
IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about IELTS
We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.
We do not accept IELTS Online.
Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below
Alternative English language qualifications
Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).
176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.
We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.
You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.
You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency
LanguageCert International ESOL SELT
Advanced level (International ESOL SELT C1 with a minimum of 33 in each component)
LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT
We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.
Pearson PTE Academic
Advanced level (67 overall, including at least 62 in all four skills)
PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)
We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.
TOEFL (iBT)
Advanced level 95 overall, including at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking, 24 in Writing.
TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)
We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.
The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.
English language qualifications
As/a-level (gce).
Grade C or above in English Language.
Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.
GCE O-level
Grade C or above in English.
Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.
Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.
GCSE or IGCSE
Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).
Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.
Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate
If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.
If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language
Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)
Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.
Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)
The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only: 70%
Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English: 70%
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)
English A or English B at grade 5 or above.
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Grades A - C in English language
Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level
If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.
If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.
The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).
West African Senior School Certificate
Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Country exceptions
Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.
If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.
You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.
Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.
List of exempt countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- The British Overseas Territories
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.
English language support
If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course
- Visas and immigration
Admissions information for applicants
If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us
- How to apply
If you’d like to join us as a research student, there are two main routes:
- browse funded projects in this subject area
- browse our potential supervisors and propose your own research project.
Find out how to apply for a PhD at Sussex
Full-time and part-time study
Choose to work on your research full time or part time, to fit around your work and personal life. For details about part-time study, contact us at [email protected]
PhD or MPhil?
You can choose to study for a PhD or an MPhil. PhD and MPhil degrees differ in duration and in the extent of your research work.
- For a PhD, your research work makes a substantial original contribution to knowledge or understanding in your chosen field.
- For an MPhil, your work is an independent piece of research but in less depth than for a PhD. You’ll graduate with the degree title Master of Philosophy. You might be able to change to a PhD while you study for an MPhil.
Sussex PhD student Becky Heaver talks about her experiences of research in Psychology
Our supervisors
I’m passionate about engaging the public in my work and have taken part in ‘soapbox science’ events, given many interviews on TV and radio programmes, and hosted talks at festivals.” Gilly Forrester Professor of Comparative Cognition Read Gilly’s story
Explore our research interests and find potential supervisors.
This research group has interests in:
- neurobiology of learning
- social learning and cognition
- decision-making
- effects of drugs on human cognition
- ageing and dementia
- appetite and obesity.
Dr Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn
Senior Lecturer in Psychology
View profile of Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn
Prof Pete Clifton
Professor of Psychology
View profile of Pete Clifton
Prof Hans Crombag
Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience
View profile of Hans Crombag
Prof Dora Duka
Emeritus Professor
View profile of Dora Duka
Prof Gillian Forrester
Professor of Comparative Cognition
View profile of Gillian Forrester
Prof Catherine Hall
Professor of Neurovascular Stuff
View profile of Catherine Hall
Dr Sarah King
Reader in Behavioural Neuroscience
View profile of Sarah King
Dr Eisuke Koya
Reader in Psychology
View profile of Eisuke Koya
Dr Liat Levita
Reader in Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience
View profile of Liat Levita
Dr Emiliano Merlo
Lecturer in Psychology
View profile of Emiliano Merlo
Dr Alexa Morcom
Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience
View profile of Alexa Morcom
Dr Charlotte Rae
View profile of Charlotte Rae
Dr Bryan Singer
View profile of Bryan Singer
Prof Martin Yeomans
Professor of Experimental Psychology
View profile of Martin Yeomans
This research group has interests in:
- attention, visual perception and cognition
- synesthesia
- language and communication
- learning, memory, and consciousness
- mammal vocal communication and cognition
- multimodal perception
- decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, insight and expertise .
Dr Sam Berens
View profile of Sam Berens
Prof Chris Bird
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience
View profile of Chris Bird
Dr Jenny Bosten
View profile of Jenny Bosten
Prof Zoltan Dienes
Professor in Experimental Psychology
View profile of Zoltan Dienes
Dr Sophie Forster
Reader in Psychology and Cognitive Neuro
View profile of Sophie Forster
Prof Anna Franklin
Professor of Visual Perception and Cognition
View profile of Anna Franklin
Prof Alan Garnham
View profile of Alan Garnham
Dr Graham Hole
Honorary Senior Lecturer
View profile of Graham Hole
Dr Theodoros Karapanagiotidis
View profile of Theodoros Karapanagiotidis
Dr John Maule
View profile of John Maule
Prof Karen Mccomb
Emeritus Professor (Animal Behaviour & Cognition)
View profile of Karen Mccomb
Prof Jane Oakhill
View profile of Jane Oakhill
Prof Thomas Ormerod
View profile of Thomas Ormerod
Dr Giulia Poerio
View profile of Giulia Poerio
Dr Ryan Scott
View profile of Ryan Scott
Prof Julia Simner
View profile of Julia Simner
Dr Ediz Sohoglu
View profile of Ediz Sohoglu
Prof Jamie Ward
View profile of Jamie Ward
- social, cognitive and emotional development
- mental health through the lifespan
- cognition during psychosis
- mental health interventions
- social and emotional development
- behavioural genetics
Prof Robin Banerjee
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global and Civic Eng
View profile of Robin Banerjee
Prof Samantha Cartwright-Hatton
Professor of Clinical Child Psychology
View profile of Samantha Cartwright-Hatton
Prof Kate Cavanagh
Professor of Clinical Psychology
View profile of Kate Cavanagh
Prof Andy Field
Professor of Quantitative Methods
View profile of Andy Field
Dr Elian Fink
View profile of Elian Fink
Prof David Fowler
View profile of David Fowler
Dr Darya Gaysina
Reader in Mental Health Science
View profile of Darya Gaysina
Prof Kathryn Greenwood
View profile of Kathryn Greenwood
Prof Mark Hayward
View profile of Mark Hayward
Prof Jessica Horst
Professor of Developmental Psychology
View profile of Jessica Horst
Dr Emma Howarth
Reader in Child and Family Mental Health
View profile of Emma Howarth
Dr David Leavens
Reader in Comparative Psychology
View profile of David Leavens
Dr Kathryn Lester
View profile of Kathryn Lester
Dr Faith Matcham
View profile of Faith Matcham
Dr Frances Meeten
Visiting Clinical Senior Lecturer
View profile of Frances Meeten
Dr Raquel Nogueira Arjona
View profile of Raquel Nogueira Arjona
Dr Faith Orchard
View profile of Faith Orchard
Prof Alison Pike
Interim Head of School Psychology
View profile of Alison Pike
Dr Adhip Rawal
View profile of Adhip Rawal
Dr Pablo Romero Sanchiz
View profile of Pablo Romero Sanchiz
Prof Clara Strauss
View profile of Clara Strauss
Miss Heather Taylor
Lecturer in Psychology (Teaching Focused)
View profile of Heather Taylor
Dr Ellen Thompson
View profile of Ellen Thompson
Prof Nicola Yuill
View profile of Nicola Yuill
Our work is concerned with theory development, testing and application in four main areas:
- health psychology and behaviour change
- identity, culture and well-being
- intergroup relations, group processes and collective behaviour
- pro-social and moral engagement.
Dr Rod Bond
Emeritus Reader
View profile of Rod Bond
Prof Richard De Visser
Professor of Health Psychology
View profile of Richard De Visser
Prof John Drury
Professor of Social Psychology
View profile of John Drury
Dr Matthew Easterbrook
Reader in Social Psychology
View profile of Matthew Easterbrook
Dr Tom Farsides
Lecturer in Social Psychology
View profile of Tom Farsides
Dr Sean Figgins
View profile of Sean Figgins
Dr Matthias Gobel
View profile of Matthias Gobel
Dr Donna Jessop
Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology
View profile of Donna Jessop
Dr Karen Long
View profile of Karen Long
Dr Eleanor Miles
View profile of Eleanor Miles
Dr Anna Rabinovich
Reader in Social Psychology and Sustainability
View profile of Anna Rabinovich
Dr Rim Saab
View profile of Rim Saab
Dr Ozden Melis Ulug
View profile of Ozden Melis Ulug
Prof Ayse Uskul
Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology
View profile of Ayse Uskul
Prof Vivian Vignoles
View profile of Vivian Vignoles
Dr Mariko Visserman
View profile of Mariko Visserman
Funding and fees
How can i fund my course, funded projects and scholarships.
Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals. Don’t miss out on scholarships – check the specific application deadlines for funding opportunities. Note that funded projects aren’t available for all our PhDs.
£3,000 scholarships available to environmental influencers bringing about real-world behaviour change
Find out more
£800 scholarship available to reward talented organ player studying on any course at Sussex.
5 scholarships of £800 are available to reward talented musicians studying on any course at Sussex
A fully funded PhD studentship supervised by Dr Mariko Visserman - closing date Friday 10 May 2024
A fully funded PhD studentship supervised by Dr Ellen J Thompson - closing date Wednesday 17 April 2024
Cash scholarships available for students who have demonstrated sporting excellence
Up to 10 scholarships for outstanding PhD students holding China Scholarship Council awards
Applying for USA Federal Student Aid?
If any part of your funding, at any time, is through USA federal Direct Loan funds, you will be registered on a separate version of this degree which does not include the possibility of distance learning which is prohibited under USA federal regulations. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .
Part-time work
We advertise around 2,500 part-time jobs a year so you can make money and gain work experience. We have a special scheme to employ students on campus, wherever possible.
Find out more about careers and employability
How much does it cost?
Fees for self-funding students.
Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students
Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £4,786 per year for full-time students
International students: £25,000 per year for full-time students
Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation. Overseas fees are subject to an annual increase - see details on our tuition fees page
Additional costs
Note about additional costs.
Please note that all costs are best estimates based on current market values. Activities may be subject to unavoidable change in response to Government advice. We’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. We review estimates every year and they may vary with inflation. Find out how to budget for student life .
Empirical research costs
On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include: - travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities) - a laptop - overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training) - conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation) - laboratory consumables and workshop materials - participant costs - transcription or translation costs - open-access publication costs. If you been awarded a scholarship from one of the UK Research Councils, from the University of Sussex, or from another source, this will typically cover these types of costs. You’ll receive details of how to claim this additional funding. If you're self funded, or if your scholarship doesn’t cover these costs, check with the Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator in your School for details of School or Doctoral School funding that may be available.
- Living costs
Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex
Find out about our terms and conditions
Explore our campus
Experience Sussex life in our virtual tour.
Start your virtual tour
PhD Information Sessions
Visit campus and chat to staff and students. Book your place
Online PhD Sessions
Join a live webchat. Book your place
International
Meet us in your country
Course enquiries
+44 (0)1273 876787
Send us a message
Admissions enquiries
If you haven’t applied yet:
+44 (0)1273 876638 psychologyphd-enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Find out about the School of Psychology
After you’ve applied:
+44 (0)1273 877773 [email protected]
Find out how to apply
Quick links
- Guide to PhD study
- PhD support
- Academic facilities
- Open Days and events
- Accommodation
- International students
- Student life
- Order a printed prospectus
What do you want to do next?
- Courses Browse our courses by subject area
- Sussex Life Find out about life at Sussex
- Visit Come to a PhD Open Evening
- Apply Find out how to apply
- Department of Psychology
- Postgraduate study
PhD opportunities
Discover the PhD opportunities currently available within the department.
Our projects cover clinical psychology, cognition and cognitive neuroscience, computational neuroscience and robotics, developmental psychology, forensic psychology, social, health and environmental psychology and systems neuroscience.
Some of our projects come with specific funding (eg, from a research council or Centre for Doctoral Training) to cover your tuition fees and living expenses. If you apply and are selected for one of these projects, you will be automatically awarded the funding.
If a project does not come with specific funding, you may be able to apply for a scholarship . Once you have found a project you want to apply for, find out how to apply .
If you have your own idea for a project, you can find a potential supervisor by visiting our research pages . Contact a member of academic staff to find out about PhD opportunities in their area.
Faculty of Science Research Prize Scholarship
The scholarship is open to applicants who have received an offer to study on any programme that does not come with an attached funding package including self proposed projects.
Deadline: 24th January 2024
Further details can be found on the Science Graduate School webpage .
Upcoming deadlines - Scholarship opportunities for 2024/25 entry
The deadline for the following scholarship applications for PhD study in the Department of Psychology is 8th January 2024. This is a strict deadline. You must have a study offer in place to be considered for a scholarship. The scholarship opportunities can be found below:
- Sheffield–China Scholarships Council PhD Scholarship Programme
- White Rose ESRC DTP Open Competition Scholarships
The Department of Psychology is currently advertising 7 fully funded (home UK rate) project studentships with a closing date 29 February 2024.
All Phds can be studied on a full time basis over 3.5 years or part time over 7 years. Our minimum entry requirements are a 2:1 BA/BSc and a good pass at MA/MSc in Psychology or a related science. Applicants without a MSc but with relevant research methods training skills may be considered.
See studentships below.
Funding your PhD
Search for PhD opportunities at Sheffield and be part of our world-leading research.
Alternatively, use our A–Z index
Attend an open day
PhD/MPhil Psychology / Overview
Year of entry: 2024
- View full page
We require applicants to hold, or be about to obtain, an Upper Second class Honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in a related subject area for entry to a PhD programme. A Lower Second class Honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a Master's degree with a Merit classification.
Full entry requirements
For potential projects please get in touch with the division Senior Tutor to discuss.
See full guidance on how to choose a project and submit an application on our website . You should then complete the online admissions application form to apply for this programme. Ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, or this may delay the processing of your application.
Application deadline
You must submit your application for a postgraduate research programme before the relevant deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these deadlines have passed.
- January entry: 15 October (of the year prior entry)
- April entry: 15 January (year of entry)
- September entry: 15 June (year of entry)
Programme options
Programme overview.
- Learn from some of Europe's leading researchers while undertaking your own project.
- Access some of the best research facilities in the world at both the University and in hospitals around Greater Manchester.
- Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme.
- Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2023).
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:
- PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
- PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250
- PhD (full-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
- PhD (part-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
Contact details
Programmes in related subject areas.
Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.
Regulated by the Office for Students
The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .
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COMMENTS
The Department of Psychology is currently advertising 7 fully funded (home UK rate) project studentships with a closing date 29 February 2024. All Phds can be studied on a full time basis over 3.5 years or part time over 7 years. Our minimum entry requirements are a 2:1 BA/BSc and a good pass at MA/MSc in Psychology or a related science.
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows: PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000. International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500. PhD (part-time)