{"id":216,"date":"2026-10-02T14:13:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T13:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/?page_id=216"},"modified":"2026-10-02T14:14:51","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T13:14:51","slug":"phd-applications","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/study\/phd-students\/phd-applications\/","title":{"rendered":"PhD Applications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Initial approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you apply formally for a research degree, we strongly recommend that you approach potential supervisors directly to discuss a possible research proposal. Remember that your chances of success are greater if you align your research interests with those of your potential supervisors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please browse our school&#8217;s research pages, staff pages and student projects, to find people you can approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are unsure whom to approach, please contact the School&#8217;s research degrees admission tutor, Dr Alistair Willis (<a href=\"mailto:stem-cc-phd@open.ac.uk\">stem-cc-phd@open.ac.uk<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For this initial approach, you should include in your email your CV and a brief paragraph describing the research topic you are interested in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Formal application<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your formal application should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>a 600-1000 words&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/study\/phd-students\/research-project-proposal\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"160\">research proposal<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a covering letter outlining your suitability for your chosen project. Please cleary indicate that you are applying to the School of Computing and Communications. If you are answering an advert, please make sure you quote the related reference number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a copy of your CV<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a completed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/postgraduate\/research-degrees\/how-to-apply\/mphil-and-phd-application-process\">application form<\/a>, including details of two referees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>copies of relevant degree certificates and transcripts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a copy of your SELTS test results (if applicable)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your application should be sent to the STEM Faculty at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:STEM-research-student-support@open.ac.uk\">STEM-research-student-support@open.ac.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Research degrees admission tutor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n        <div class=\"unity-stem-block unity-stem-staff-card\">\n            <a class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/people\/alistair-willis\/\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/alistair-willis-67f39c4678ad8-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Alistair Willis\" style=\"object-position:50% 50%;\">\n                                <div class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__body\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-arrow-right post-title-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <h3 class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__name\">Alistair Willis<\/h3>\n                                            <p class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__job-title\">Senior Lecturer In Computing<\/p>\n                                                                <span class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__unit-wrap\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__unit unity-stem-staff-card__unit--light\" src=\"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/cdn\/img\/icons\/computing-and-communications-white.png\" alt=\"Computing And Communications\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"unity-stem-staff-card__unit unity-stem-staff-card__unit--dark\" src=\"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/cdn\/img\/icons\/computing-and-communications-black.png\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                        <\/span>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        \n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Initial approach Before you apply formally for a research degree, we strongly recommend that you approach potential supervisors directly to discuss a possible research proposal. Remember that your chances of success are greater if you align your research interests with those of your potential supervisors. Please browse our school&#8217;s research pages, staff pages and student [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":70,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_unity_review_frequency":"","_unity_review_next_due":0,"_unity_review_reset_requested":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-216","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":221,"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/216\/revisions\/221"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.stem.open.ac.uk\/computing-and-communications\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}