phd physics glasgow

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Physics and Astronomy

Studentships are available each year in the Physics and Astronomy programme from University of Glasgow. You should discuss opportunities with potential supervisors within the relevant research group listed below.

University of Glasgow Multiple locations Glasgow , Scotland , United Kingdom Top 0.5% worldwide Studyportals University Meta Ranking 4.3 Read 180 reviews

Our strong collaborations with UK and international institutions contribute to an excellent environment for top quality research.

Features 

• In the Physics and Astronomy programme from University of Glasgow we cover a wide range of topics, including solar and plasma physics, cosmology and radio astronomy. 
• Much of our research in solar physics concentrates on the theory, diagnostics and observation of solar flares, complementing our work in more general plasma theory and atmospheric plasmas.

Programme Structure

• Astronomy and astrophysics 
• Extreme Light
• Imaging concepts
• Materials and condensed matter physics 
• Nuclear & Hadron Physics 
• Optics 

Key information

• 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Disciplines, academic requirements, english requirements, student insurance.

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

• Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
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We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of Glasgow and/or in United Kingdom, please visit Student Insurance Portal .

Other requirements

General requirements.

• Transcripts/degree certificate 
• Two references
• Name of potential Supervisor

Tuition Fee

International, living costs for glasgow.

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Physics and Astronomy.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

Read more about eligibility

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• Quantum Leap

Study with QuantIC

If you are a physicist with an interest in technology, an engineer with an entrepreneurial flare, or a theorist with an interest in applied problems, join the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Quantum Enhanced Imaging (QuantIC) and help us shape the future of imaging technology.

PhD opportunities in Quantum Technology at The University of Glasgow

Are you interested in joining us for a PhD in Quantum Imaging, Sensing or Computing at the University of Glasgow? We are delighted to be able to offer 7 fully funded PhD opportunities through Glasgow University’s Centre for Quantum Technology , as part of the UK Governments drive to support this critical research.

 Apply now - fill out our Expression of interest form

The UK Government, over the course of the next 10 years, has pledged to invest £2.5 billion in Quantum Technologies. In order to harness the promise which quantum imaging, sensing, and computing can bring to society, developing and supporting the careers of the next generation of quantum scientists is imperative.

Graduate quantum PhDs are highly sought after by both academia and industry. We encourage PhD opportunities to be aligned strongly to an industry need, equipping graduates with the skillsets to enable them to flourish in their future career.

The  Glasgow Centre for Quantum Technology is the home to various large-scale quantum initiatives within the National Quantum Technology Programme (NQTP) , including Research Hubs in Imaging, Sensing and Computing, Centres for Doctoral Training and world-class facilities such as the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre (JWNC) .

 Glasgow, northern Europe’s second largest metropolitan region, is the Gateway to Scotland. Meaning “a dear, green place”, Glaschu the Gaelic for Glasgow, has the largest proportion of green space to enjoy of any UK city.

Application details

Please complete our  Expression of Interest form by 1st June 2024.

Applicants should possess a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline. Both students meeting ‘home’ status and international positions are available. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

If you have a specific supervisor or project in mind, please do include this information in your application else do specify your specific quantum area of interest.

We are committed to fostering and promoting an inclusive, supportive, and flexible working environment in all our activities. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from groups which have been historically under-represented in STEM subjects/research.

To learn more: please see our  Centre for Quantum Technologies webpage and get in touch with  Prof Miles Padgett for informal discussion.

Funding Notes

Funding is available for UK students to cover tuition fees as well as a stipend at UKRI levels for 3.5 years (estimated to be £19,162 per annum in session 2024/25 and rising in line with Research Council levels in subsequent session).

Studentship Career Spotlights

• Ryan Warburton, Photon Force
• Emma Le Francois, University of Strathclyde
• Matt Edgar, MSquared Lasers
• Alice Ruget, Heriot-Watt University
• Aurora Maccarone, Heriot-Watt University
• Osian Wolley, University of Glasgow

PhD student Kyle Nutt works with MSquared Lasers to image methane gas.

Phd student aurora maccarone strives to improve underwater imaging..

Career Spotlight: Matt Edgar MSquared Lasers

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:00:00 BST

Career Spotlight: Ryan Warburton, Photon Force

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 12:31:00 BST

Career Spotlight: PhD student Emma Le Francois

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 15:36:00 GMT

Career Spotlight: PhD student Alice Ruget

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 16:48:00 GMT

Career Spotlight: PhD student Osian Wolley

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 11:37:00 BST

Careers Spotlight: Dr Aurora Maccarone, Heriot-Watt University

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:52:00 BST

Support a PhD for a student

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Postgraduate physics courses at University of Glasgow

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Advanced Imaging and Sensing

• University of Glasgow
• College of Science and Engineering

Autonomous Systems and Connectivity

Electronics and nanoscale engineering, astrophysics.

• School of Physics and Astronomy

Physics and Astronomy

Nuclear and environmental physics, systems power and energy, sustainable energy.

• James Watt School of Engineering

Electronics and Photonics Manufacturing

Applied photonics, photonic integration.

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Medical Physics

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Sensor and Imaging Systems

Quantum technology, advanced functional materials, nanoscience and nanotechnology, theoretical physics.

Astronomy & Astrophysics Group

Supa school of physics & astronomy, university of glasgow, professor graham woan.

The detection and measurement of astrophysical sources of gravitational radiation. Radio astronomy.

Room 609 School of Physics and Astronomy Kelvin Building University of Glasgow G12 8QQ

Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 141 330 5897 Fax: +44 141 330 8600

Personal homepage (the contents of which are the responsibility of Prof. Graham Woan)

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Particle Physics Theory

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Research at Glasgow

At Glasgow we perform world class research on the fundamental particles and their interactions. We are principally interested in phenomena that can be probed at current and next generation particle colliders, such as the Large Hadron Collider. We use our current model of particle physics, the Standard Model, to make predictions that can be tested by our experimental coleagues . We also examine models of exotic new physics beyond the Standard Model.

In particular, we focus on the behaviour of the strong force as described by Quantum Chromodynamics, both in perturbation theory and on the lattice; the physics of the Higgs boson; and models beyond the Standard Model such as supersymmetry, extra dimensions and little Higgs. Click on the links to the left for more details on individual topics, or continue below to read a basic introduction to the Standard Model.

The Standard Model

The Standard Model of particle physics is at present our best theory for explaining how the universe works on a fundamental level. It describes the interactions of the fundamental particles via three of the four fundamental forces.

The three forces described by the Standard Model are:

The remaining force, the force of Gravity is absent from the Standard Model. It is much much weaker than the other three, and is not relevant to the interactions of particles at low energies.

High Energy Colliders

These energies were surpassed when the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) (at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland) began operation in 2009. Data was initially taken at a total energy of 7 TeV. Now the collider is being upgraded and will soon turn on at energies or 13 TeV, possibly increasing to 14 TeV. With such an increase in energy, it is hoped that the LHC will help solve various problems that have arisen with the SM.

In particular, on July 4 2012, CERN announced the discovery of the Higgs boson which confirms the mechanism for providing masses to the fundamental particles and is the last particle of the SM to tbe found. Although the Higgs boson decays almost instantaneously, it can be detected by observing its decay into other SM particles. This means that its dicovery and the search for furth new particles depend heavily on theoretical predictions in order to disentangle signals for new physics from large backgrounds predicted by the SM.

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University of Glasgow School of Physics and Astronomy

Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland tel: +44 (0) 141 330 4709 email: [email protected]

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Theoretical Physics MSc

University of glasgow, different course options.

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Course Summary

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MSc - Master of Science

Subject areas

Theoretical Physics

Course type

The Masters in Theoretical Physics provides an introduction to advanced topics in theoretical physics, ranging across the research frontier from quantum computing and optics, to theoretical astrophysics and cosmology, and calculations for elementary-particle physics. The constituent courses and research projects are delivered by experts in these areas, including members of the teams responsible for the discoveries and theoretical exploitations of the Higgs-boson discovery at the LHC, and of gravitational waves by the LIGO collaboration. It is suitable both for students who want a more advanced knowledge of theoretical concepts than possible at undergraduate level (and real research experience), and as an ideal preparation for applications to PhDs in theoretical physics.

WHY THIS PROGRAMME

Theoretical research in the School ranges from fundamental physics to experimental applications, and includes cutting edge topics such as quantum information and computing, and chirality and light-matter interactions.

You will gain the theoretical, observational and computational skills necessary to analyse and solve advanced physics problems, from quantum theory to cosmology, providing you with an excellent foundation for a scientific career in academia or industry.

You will benefit from direct contact with our group of international experts who will teach you cutting-edge physics and work closely with you on a novel, 3-month research project.

Fundamental-physics researchers in the School play leading roles in theory calculations for the Large Hadron Collider and other particle physics, and for gravitational wave searches with Advanced LIGO and future GW detectors.

You will develop transferable skills that will improve your career prospects, such as project management, team-working, advanced data analysis, problem-solving, critical evaluation of scientific literature, advanced laboratory and computing skills, and how to effectively communicate with different audiences.

You will also benefit from our membership of the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance. The alliance brings together internationally leading physics research across Scotland to form the largest physics grouping in the UK.

The School of Physics and Astronomy is active in research and knowledge transfer projects with industry. Our Masters students have opportunities to engage with industry through seminars and research projects.

This programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics. Accredited MSc programmes automatically meet the master’s level education requirement for Chartered Physicist (CPhys) status. To fully meet the educational requirements for CPhys graduates must also possess an IOP accredited undergraduate degree or equivalent.

The School has IoP Juno Champion and Athena Swan Silver Awards, demonstrating its support for women and under-represented groups in scientific studies and careers, with the goal to improve the working environment for all.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

A 2:1 Honours degree in Theoretical Physics. A 2:2 in this subject area may be considered on an individual basis, if there is evidence of substantial relevant work experience.

The University of Glasgow is one of four ancient universities in Scotland, founded back in 1451. Alumni include seven Nobel Prize winners, Scotland’s First Minister and a Prime Minister, while Albert Einstein gave a seminal lecture on the theory of relativity there in 1933. The university consists of four colleges: College of Arts College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences College of Science and Engineering College of... more

Medical Physics MSc

Full time | 1 year | 23-SEP-24

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Full time | 2 years | 23-SEP-24

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The boson that physics almost rejected

Nobel Laureate Peter Higgs died earlier this year. Twelve years ago this week, physicists discovered the particle that bears his name.

When researchers at the Large Hadron Collider announced the discovery of the Higgs boson on July 4, 2012, physicist Peter Higgs reacted to the vindication of his most important theoretical work in a typically mild manner, saying, “It’s very nice to be right sometimes.” 

The discovery triggered global celebration among the particle physics community. The Higgs boson was, until then, the only particle in the Standard Model of particle physics yet to be experimentally measured. Looking for it was a key motivation for building the LHC, and the defining question for many in my generation of particle physics researchers. Finding it confirmed long-standing predictions about the fundamental particles and forces that govern the universe. 

This year, the physics community came together again, this time to mourn the passing of Higgs at the age of 94. 

It was far from given that the particle Higgs predicted would be found in Higgs’s lifetime. The mathematical framework that implied the existence of the boson did not elaborate on what mass it would possess—meaning physicists would need to look for it everywhere across a wide range. 

Scientists finally narrowed in on it 48 years after Higgs and others proposed its existence. No other fundamental particle has taken so long to find.

As Reina Camacho Toro, an experimental particle physicist at Paris Cité University and CERN, says, the decade-spanning story of the prediction and detection of the Higgs highlights “the importance of working together, [as well as] the communication between the theory community and experimental community.”

Almost missing the bigger picture

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Higgs completed his PhD at Kings College London and then continued his research at the University of Edinburgh. That’s where he was when he published his most famous paper, in 1964.

At the time, the Standard Model of particle physics had not yet been conceived. 

Physicists were still trying to make sense of the menagerie of particles called hadrons that were continuously being discovered in early accelerator and cosmic-ray experiments. They did not yet know that these particles were all combinations of a much smaller set of fundamental particles, quarks, bound together by the strong force.

Physicists knew about the strong force, which they had observed holding together the particles that comprise the nuclei of atoms. They also knew about the weak force, which they had observed playing its role in radioactive decay. And the newly developed theory of quantum electrodynamics neatly described how electric and magnetic charges combined into the electromagnetic interaction. 

Physicists tried to find an analogous field theory to combine the strong and weak forces, but they could not work it out. The problem was related to the particles that carry the weak force, called W and Z bosons. Whereas all the other force-carrying particles are massless, W and Z bosons are not. 

Physicists could not figure out why W and Z bosons were different. Why were they the only force-carrying particles with masses? The unusual particles broke a symmetry in nature.

In 1964, Higgs published a paper explaining how the symmetry might have been broken. To put it much more simply than he did: Imagine the early universe was filled by a symmetrical but unstable field, responsible for providing particle masses, that can, with time, settle into a more stable state. This transformation could have retained the mathematical symmetry of the equations explaining the different forces—but instead resulted in an observable difference between the particles carrying those forces. The briefly unstable field, now known as the Higgs field, made it possible to have massive Ws and Zs.

Higgs further developed his ideas in a subsequent paper, which outlined what would eventually be recognized as “the Higgs model.” The publication Physics Letters initially rejected the paper due to a perceived lack of urgency to publicize the theory. Upon receiving this news, Higgs revised the paper. He drew attention to the possibility that this field would be associated with a massive boson also alluded to in a paper written by theorists Francois Englert and Robert Brout. The new boson would be different from all the others: They all had a property called spin, and the new boson would be spin-zero. He had given physicists a way to prove the theory was correct: Find the new boson.

Physics Letters accepted the paper, but it took years for the research community to pay much attention to it. 

This delay is a continuing source of inspiration. Dave Sutherland, a theoretical particle physicist at the University of Glasgow, says, “As a theorist, you are hugely buoyed by [this story]… the whole history of particle physics is littered with these successes.”

A massive discovery

Searching for the Higgs boson occupied particle physics for most of the latter half of the twentieth century and well into the twenty-first. However, its discovery is just the first scene in the particle’s story, with many important chapters still to be written. 

Even basic facts about the particle have yet to be established, such as whether the Higgs is a fundamental particle or has an internal structure. Sutherland adds that “every theorist [is interested in] the Higgs trilinear” coupling, a measurement that would provide crucial information about how Higgs bosons are produced in pairs within the Standard Model.

On the experimental side, the enormous quantity of data collected during the second run of the LHC allowed the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN to precisely establish how the Higgs couples to fundamental particles such as the top quark, bottom quark and tau lepton. But there is still much work to do. As Camacho Toro points out, “there are other couplings that we have not observed yet, like for example the couplings to [charm] quarks or the couplings even to electrons or to muons.”

Whether the Higgs boson will continue to confirm theorists’ predictions, or force them to come up with new explanations, one thing is certain: Research into the Higgs remains a vibrant field, on both the experimental and theoretical fronts.

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popular on symmetry

The deconstructed Standard Model equation

The Standard Model is far more than elementary particles arranged in a table.

Scaling up the dark matter search

Physicists are preparing for the next generation of dark-matter experiments. 

John Bahcall: Godfather of solar neutrinos

Bahcall’s scientific legacy is visible across the field of astrophysics

We have 159 PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in Glasgow

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University of Strathclyde

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Funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Arts Research Programme

Arts Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Change your world – choose Glasgow for PhD study

Phd opportunities.

PhD Opportunities highlight some of the specific PhD projects, programmes or other information currently available from a university.

PhD in Chemistry - Development of in situ and operando neutron imaging for real-world reactor and reaction imaging

Phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Glasgow School for Business and Society (GSBS) – Self-Funded PhD Projects

Self-funded phd students only.

The PhD opportunities on this programme do not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Business Research Programme

Business Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

School of Computing Science

Computing phd programme.

PhD Research Programmes describe the opportunities for postgraduate research within a University department. You may often be asked to submit your own research project proposal as part of your application, although predefined research projects may also be available.

School of Social & Political Sciences PhD Scholarships

Social sciences research programme.

Social Sciences Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

PhD in Engineering - Chip Scale Optical Frequency Combs

Funded phd project (european/uk students only).

This project has funding attached for UK and EU students, though the amount may depend on your nationality. Non-EU students may still be able to apply for the project provided they can find separate funding. You should check the project and department details for more information.

UKRI funded PhD Research Studentship (3.5 years): The Dynamic Relationship Between Health and Wealth Inequalities

Phd in computing science - interactive model-based probabilistic visualisations for exploring decisions, funded phd project (students worldwide).

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Fast radiation detectors for environmental research (VC24104)

Innovative and manufacturable approaches to exploiting low cost-per-watt diode-laser pumping of ti:sapphire, urban retrofit phd scholarship - place adaptation and urban retrofit 'on the move', phd in chemistry - amorphous aggregates and non-classical crystal nucleation, phd in suerc - lanthanide accelerator mass spectrometry (ams), phd in chemistry - taking crystal sponges into the nanoscale using 3d electron diffraction.

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The UK's 15 top universities - according to the success and 'employability' of their graduates

• There are a raft of different ways to measure what the best universities are, but in the current economic climate future employability is becoming increasingly important for prospective students.
• Based on this metric, it’s not just the UK’s best known universities taking the cake.
• When it comes to graduate employability, all of the UK’s four countries are represented in the top 15.
• Even in England alone, schools from the North East down make the cut.

With the cost of living crisis putting a squeeze on the economy, future career prospects are likely at the forefront of many upcoming university student’s minds.

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This year’s high school leavers have only just finished their A Level exams in the last week, but before they know it the summer will blow by and results day will be upon them. Some will already have multiple offers to choose from, while others might be waiting on the results-day ‘clearing’ process - where universities open up leftover places in their courses to students without them. But whatever the case, prospective university students have a big choice ahead of them.

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The Complete University Guide releases an annual ranking of more than 100 UK universities based on a host of different measures, to help simplify this decision. This includes league tables for graduate prospects - including an outcomes category that measures how many of its most recent students have successfully gone on to either a graduate-level job or further study.

While it’s not a perfect measure of how many graduates end up employed, the list is a valuable reference point for students who want to think ahead about their future job and earning prospects after university. Here are the top 15 scorers from across the UK:

15. University of Nottingham

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 86.3%

Rounding out the top 15 is the University of Nottingham, which operates from a number of campuses across Nottinghamshire - as well as two international ones, in China and Malaysia (offering great opportunities to study abroad). Students are able to study a wide variety of different courses, with 18 - including everything from veterinary medicine to social work - ranked in the top 10 for that subject in the UK. The guide also notes it’s a good option for athletically-minded students, offering sports scholarships, top notch facilities, and more than 70 different sports clubs.

14. Cardiff University

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 86.4%

Situated in the Welsh capital, Cardiff offers a mammoth 300 different degree programmes, meaning there really is something for everyone - no matter what kind of career you’re considering. The university has nine subjects in their UK top ten list; including psychology, architecture, and Celtic studies.

13. Loughborough University

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 86.8%

Based in the Leicestershire market town of Loughborough - between Nottingham and Leicester - Loughborough posts some 500 acres of gardens and open spaces on campus. Part of its success might be down to the fact that all of its undergraduate courses offer the option to include a year of work experience in the industry as part of the degree, according to the guide. Loughborough also has 18 subjects ranked in the UK top 10, including English, marketing, and communication and media studies.

12. King’s College London (University of London)

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 86.9%

The capital’s most central university, King’s College may be the place for you if you want to immerse yourself in a global city - with it also hosting students from more than 190 different countries. Understandably given its spot in the cultural and political heart of the capital, among its 16 subjects in the UK top 10 are law, politics, classics, and history.

11. University of Warwick

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 87.6%

Sitting on the outskirts of Coventry, the University of Warwick is a comparatively young institution. But it’s already well and truly made its mark on the world of academia - and is ranked 10th overall out of all of the UK’s universities. It has 17 subjects in their respective top 10 lists, including creative writing, economics, and Iberian languages.

10. University College London (UCL)

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 88.4%

UCL has a grand and storied history, and was England’s first university to allow women to enrol - as well as to welcome students of any religious background. It is considered the UK’s 9th best university overall by the guide, and a whopping 35 of its 400+ subjects are in the top 10; including French, anthropology, law, and business and management studies.

9. Queen’s University Belfast

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 88.7%

Off to Northern Ireland, Queen’s is one of the UK’s very oldest universities. It it dedicated to the employability of its students, and has many active spin-out companies and innovation centres to this end. As could be expected with the Irish isle’s reputation as an international big tech hub, its 12 top 10 subjects include aerospace engineering and biomedical sciences.

8. Durham University

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 89.2%

Considered England’s third oldest university after Oxbridge, Durham is the jewel of the North East. It’s ranked 7th overall in UK universities, and has 31 top 10 subjects - everything from theology and religious studies, to geology, to music.

7. University of St Andrews

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 89.6%

Scotland’s very first university, St Andrews is a prestigious university known for its unique traditions and student experience. It’s considered the UK’s 4th best university overall, and has 23 top 10 subjects, including chemistry, mathematics, and philosophy.

6. University of Bath

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 90.6%

The first in the list to pass 90% of its students moving on to high level jobs or postgraduate studies, more than two-thirds of students take a work placement or study abroad as part of their course. Bath has also dedicated itself to readying students for the workplace. Its top-10 courses include civil engineering, pharmacology and pharmacy, and manufacturing and product engineering.

5. London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London)

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 91.4%

A bit more of a specialist school than some of the others in the list, LSE is considered one of the world's leading social science universities - dedicated to educating students who want to make a difference in the world. It’s considered the UK’s third best school overall, and has 13 top-ten subjects, including social policy, law, and sociology.

4. University of Oxford

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 91.9%

Good old Oxford is thought to be the oldest university in the English speaking world - and is certainly the UK’s best known internationally. Its Oxford-based campus is a huge tourist draw in and of itself, but for students its a competitive school to get into. But once you do, it offers perhaps unparalleled student support (about one in four of its students receive some kind of bursary) and a tailored education from world-leading experts. It’s considered the second best in the UK currently, with 38 wide-spanning top-10 subjects.

3. St George’s (University of London)

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 92.4%

Another specialised school, St George’s focuses on teaching medicine and health sciences. It shares its South London campus with a teaching hospital, giving it unparalleled access to clinical work placements in the field. The university’s claim to fame is perhaps that it was the school that educated Henry Gray - author of staple medical textbook Gray’s Anatomy. From next month, it’s worth noting that St George’s will be merging with City, University of London, the guide says.

2. University of Cambridge

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 93.1%

The other half of the prestigious Oxbridge duo, Cambridge is currently considered the UK’s best university overall - which naturally means that its graduates are often directly scooped up by employers. Among the 40 different subjects it offers making (and frequently topping) the UK’s top 10 lists are archaeology, linguistics, mathematics, physics and astronomy.

1. Imperial College London

Amount of graduates going on to graduate-level jobs or further study: 94.2%

And we have a winner! Imperial College specialises solely in science, technology, engineering, medicine and business - so understandably its graduates are sought out by the Silicon Valleys of the world. Despite its specialist nature, Imperial is still the UK’s 5th best school overall. Its top-10 subjects include electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, medical technology and bioengineering, and computer science.

To find out more about other ways UK universities are ranked, or to look into a specific school or degree you’re interested in studying, you can check out the Complete University Guide online here .

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Graduate studies, commencement 2019.

The Harvard Department of Physics offers students innovative educational and research opportunities with renowned faculty in state-of-the-art facilities, exploring fundamental problems involving physics at all scales. Our primary areas of experimental and theoretical research are atomic and molecular physics, astrophysics and cosmology, biophysics, chemical physics, computational physics, condensed-matter physics, materials science, mathematical physics, particle physics, quantum optics, quantum field theory, quantum information, string theory, and relativity.

Our talented and hardworking students participate in exciting discoveries and cutting-edge inventions such as the ATLAS experiment, which discovered the Higgs boson; building the first 51-cubit quantum computer; measuring entanglement entropy; discovering new phases of matter; and peering into the ‘soft hair’ of black holes.

Our students come from all over the world and from varied educational backgrounds. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment and attracting the widest possible range of talents.

We have a flexible and highly responsive advising structure for our PhD students that shepherds them through every stage of their education, providing assistance and counseling along the way, helping resolve problems and academic impasses, and making sure that everyone has the most enriching experience possible.The graduate advising team also sponsors alumni talks, panels, and advice sessions to help students along their academic and career paths in physics and beyond, such as “Getting Started in Research,” “Applying to Fellowships,” “Preparing for Qualifying Exams,” “Securing a Post-Doc Position,” and other career events (both academic and industry-related).

We offer many resources, services, and on-site facilities to the physics community, including our electronic instrument design lab and our fabrication machine shop. Our historic Jefferson Laboratory, the first physics laboratory of its kind in the nation and the heart of the physics department, has been redesigned and renovated to facilitate study and collaboration among our students.

Members of the Harvard Physics community participate in initiatives that bring together scientists from institutions across the world and from different fields of inquiry. For example, the Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms unites a community of scientists from both institutions to pursue research in the new fields opened up by the creation of ultracold atoms and quantum gases. The Center for Integrated Quantum Materials , a collaboration between Harvard University, Howard University, MIT, and the Museum of Science, Boston, is dedicated to the study of extraordinary new quantum materials that hold promise for transforming signal processing and computation. The Harvard Materials Science and Engineering Center is home to an interdisciplinary group of physicists, chemists, and researchers from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences working on fundamental questions in materials science and applications such as soft robotics and 3D printing.  The Black Hole Initiative , the first center worldwide to focus on the study of black holes, is an interdisciplinary collaboration between principal investigators from the fields of astronomy, physics, mathematics, and philosophy. The quantitative biology initiative https://quantbio.harvard.edu/  aims to bring together physicists, biologists, engineers, and applied mathematicians to understand life itself. And, most recently, the new program in  Quantum Science and Engineering (QSE) , which lies at the interface of physics, chemistry, and engineering, will admit its first cohort of PhD students in Fall 2022.

We support and encourage interdisciplinary research and simultaneous applications to two departments is permissible. Prospective students may thus wish to apply to the following departments and programs in addition to Physics:

• Department of Astronomy
• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Mathematics
• John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)
• Biophysics Program
• Molecules, Cells and Organisms Program (MCO)

If you are a prospective graduate student and have questions for us, or if you’re interested in visiting our department, please contact  [email protected] .

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Infleqtion fellowships inspire physics graduate students

The third cohort of Infleqtion Graduate Fellowship recipients has been named, recognizing four outstanding first-year physics graduate students. This year’s Infleqtion fellows Natalie Bruhwiler, Yun Ma, Joseph McCarty, and Kai Zhou, join a growing list of students receiving the prestigious industry-sponsored fellowship.

Connections to CU Boulder  

In 2007, Dana Anderson, professor of physics and JILA fellow, founded Infleqtion (formerly ColdQuanta) based on quantum innovations originating from his lab on campus. Drawing on cutting-edge quantum research, the startup largely focused on utilizing the Bose-Einstein Condensate for quantum computing.

ColdQuanta was rebranded as Infleqtion in 2022, signifying the organization’s turning point to commercializing quantum technologies. From its humble beginnings in Anderson’s lab, Infleqtion has grown to employ over 200 people in six locations worldwide.

Today, Infleqtion focuses on making quantum available everywhere, through scalable devices that allow their technology to expand its reach.

Infleqtion is also a core member of the Elevate Quantum consortium along with CU Boulder. The consortium includes about 120 organizations – from industry to national labs, to educational institutions – working together to make the Mountain West the global center for quantum development.  

Industry sponsored fellowships draw top students  

As a company that grew out of a research lab at CU Boulder, Infleqtion has long been a part of quantum education and development at the university. The establishment of Infleqtion Graduate Fellowships has deepened their commitment to the recruitment and success of physics graduate students.

"We are incredibly proud to partner with CU Boulder, one of the world’s top Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Programs, to support the development of the next generation of quantum scientists. Our Graduate Fellowships program is a testament to our commitment to fostering talent and innovation in the quantum field," said Infleqtion CEO Matthew Kinsella.

The fellowships are among the highest awards given to entering physics students and help encourage top students to attend CU Boulder.

“Our graduate students are in many ways the engine of our research efforts, so bringing in the best graduate students is an important part of maintaining our top-quality research program,” said Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics.

Several Infleqtion fellowship recipients highlighted what it meant to receive the award, and that it ultimately helped them choose CU Boulder.

“Receiving this fellowship was a great honor for me,” said physics graduate student and 2023 Infleqtion fellowship recipient, Patricia Hector Hernandez. “It’s incredibly rewarding when your hard work is acknowledged by others.”

Sarah Dickson was among the first class of Infleqtion fellowship recipients in 2022. She was drawn to the range of hands-on research happening in Boulder. “Coming to Boulder for graduate school was a dream of mine,” she said. “The fellowship allowed me to choose Boulder for graduate school, and for that I am extremely grateful.”

Benjamin Shearer, now a second-year physics graduate student, originally applied to the program because of its top rankings in atomic, molecular, and optical physics. After being awarded the Infleqtion fellowship, Shearer said “it was the deciding factor that led me to choose CU Boulder.”

The fellowship support also helped recipients ease the financial burden of moving to Colorado for graduate school.

“The fellowship provided substantial support, which was especially helpful for my relocation as I was an out-of-state student,” said Hector.

Shearer was also an out-of-state student and said the fellowship supported him in making the move from his home in Pennsylvania to Colorado.

Industry panel highlights opportunities 

Part of Infleqtion’s support includes funding for an industry panel and recruitment dinner for prospective physics graduate students. Providing visiting students with an industry panel highlights potential career opportunities and emphasizes the vast range of local connections.

In the past few years, representatives from Infleqtion and other organizations have served on the graduate recruitment industry panel, sharing their stories and tips for pursuing careers in industry.

“The industry panel is something special that we do at CU, and it opens students’ eyes to the world outside of academia,” said Munsat. “The fact is that a large number of physics PhDs end up in the tech industry, sometimes starting their own companies, and we want to give students a window into that world and those opportunities.”

Shearer noted the excellent connections in the area as another reason he chose to attend CU Boulder. After he completes his PhD, Shearer plans to pursue a career in industry or at a national laboratory.

Hector’s main career focus is further pursuing her passion for physics and science. She is leaning towards a career in the private sector, with a particular focus on quantum computing. 

Developing future leaders 

The need for leading scientists in the quantum industry is growing, particularly as the industry evolves and expands. Colorado’s designation as a Quantum Tech Hub means more students will be needed to lead the industry.

Infleqtion’s support is key in helping to attract and retain top students from around the country and internationally. “These prestigious fellowships help enormously in bringing the best students to CU Boulder,” said Munsat. 

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• Postgraduate study
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• Theoretical Physics

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Theoretical Physics MSc

The Masters in Theoretical Physics provides an introduction to advanced topics in theoretical physics, ranging across the research frontier from quantum computing and optics, to theoretical astrophysics and cosmology, and calculations for elementary-particle physics. The constituent courses and research projects are delivered by experts in these areas, including members of the teams responsible for the discoveries and theoretical exploitations of the Higgs-boson discovery at the LHC, and of gravitational waves by the LIGO collaboration. It is suitable both for students who want a more advanced knowledge of theoretical concepts than possible at undergraduate level (and real research experience), and as an ideal preparation for applications to PhDs in theoretical physics.

• Academic contact: Dr David Miller:  [email protected]
• Teaching start: September
• Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
• MSc: 12 months full-time

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Why this programme

• Theoretical research in the School ranges from fundamental physics to experimental applications, and includes cutting edge topics such as quantum information and computing, and chirality and light-matter interactions.
• You will gain the theoretical, observational and computational skills necessary to analyse and solve advanced physics problems, from quantum theory to cosmology, providing you with an excellent foundation for a scientific career in academia or industry.
• You will benefit from direct contact with our group of international experts who will teach you cutting-edge physics and work closely with you on a novel, 3-month research project.
• Fundamental-physics researchers in the School play leading roles in theory calculations for the Large Hadron Collider and other particle physics, and for gravitational wave searches with Advanced LIGO and future GW detectors.
• You will develop transferable skills that will improve your career prospects, such as project management, team-working, advanced data analysis, problem-solving, critical evaluation of scientific literature, advanced laboratory and computing skills, and how to effectively communicate with different audiences.
• You will also benefit from our membership of the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance. The alliance brings together internationally leading physics research across Scotland to form the largest physics grouping in the UK.
• The School of Physics and Astronomy is active in research and knowledge transfer projects with industry. Our Masters students have opportunities to engage with industry through seminars and research projects.
• This programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics. Accredited MSc programmes automatically meet the master’s level education requirement for Chartered Physicist (CPhys) status. To fully meet the educational requirements for CPhys graduates must also possess an IOP accredited undergraduate degree or equivalent.
• The School has IoP Juno Champion and Athena Swan Silver Awards, demonstrating its support for women and under-represented groups in scientific studies and careers, with the goal to improve the working environment for all.

Programme structure

Modes of delivery of the MSc in Theoretical Physics include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in lab, project and team work.

The programme draws upon a wide range of advanced Masters-level courses. You will have the flexibility to tailor your choice of optional lecture courses and project work to a wide variety of specific research topics and their applications in the area of theoretical physics.

Core courses include

• PARTICLE PHYSICS
• ADVANCED DATA ANALYSIS FOR PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
• DYNAMICS, ELECTRODYNAMICS & RELATIVITY
• ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY 2
• GROUPS AND SYMMETRIES
• RESEARCH SKILLS
• MSC PROJECT

Optional courses include

• QUANTUM AND ATOM OPTICS
• GENERAL RELATIVITY AND GRAVITATION (course runs on alternate years)
• MATHEMATICAL METHODS 2
• PLASMA THEORY AND DIAGNOSTICS (course runs on alternate years)
• RELATIVISTIC QUANTUM FIELDS
• STATISTICAL MECHANICS
• THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE

Programme alteration or discontinuation The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract .

Career prospects

Career opportunities include academic research, based in universities, research institutes, observatories and laboratory facilities; industrial research in a wide range of fields including energy and the environmental sector, IT and semiconductors, optics and lasers, materials science, telecommunications, engineering; banking and commerce; higher education.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2024-25

• Full-time fee: £12150

International & EU

• Full-time fee: £28260

International and EU applicants are required to pay a deposit of  £2000 within four weeks  of an offer being made.

Deposits: terms & conditions

This programme requires some students to pay a deposit to secure their place.

If you are an international student, we will only issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) once the deposit has been paid.

Your offer letter will state:

• how to pay the deposit payment
• the deadline for paying the deposit

The following guidelines will apply in determining whether a deposit will be refunded. Where the deposit is refunded, a 25% handling fee will be deducted.

Deposits will be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:

• Where the University is unable to offer you a place.
• Where the applicant has personal circumstances such as illness, bereavement or other family situations that has prevented them coming to the UK. Medical or other proof may be requested.
• Applicant can prove that they have applied for a visa to attend the University of Glasgow, but the VISA has been refused. The applicant must have shown 'real intent' to study at the University of Glasgow but has been unable to obtain their visa.
• Applicant does not meet his / her conditions of offer: this may be academic or language test requirements. Satisfactory evidence must be uploaded to the student’s applicant self-service to prove that they have not met the conditions of their offer (note that applicants who do not meet the language condition of their offer must show reasonable attempt to meet this, i.e. they must provide a language test which was taken after the date that the deposit was paid).

Deposits will not be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:

• Applicant has decided to defer – in this situation the University will retain the deposit and credit it against the applicant’s account for securing their place for the following year of entry.

Refund requests must be made within 30 days of the programme start date stated on your offer letter.

Requests made after this date will be subject to discretion.

• Find out more about Deposits

Additional fees

• Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
• Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
• Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

• STEM in Scotland Scholarship

Postgraduate events

Open Days, information sessions, campus tours, events near you

Postgraduate prospectus