The Department of Pharmacology offers three postgraduate programmes:
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MPhil in Biological Science (Pharmacology) (1 year): code BLPHM1.
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MPhil in Biological Science (Cell Science) (11 months)
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PhD in Pharmacology (minimum 3 years, maximum 4 full-time): code BLPH22.
All applications for postgraduate study are made through the University’s online Postgraduate Applicant Portal.
Please note that the October 2025 application deadlines are to be confirmed.
Please note:
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Before applying, please ensure that you have discussed your application with your preferred supervisor. When applying, you must state your supervisor in your application. Without a named supervisor, we are unable to process your application.
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Your application will not be considered complete until both of your referees have submitted their references. You will be able to monitor this through your Application Portal.
You can find generic information about the application process and funding opportunities on the Postgraduate Admissions website, including some useful frequently asked questions (FAQs) relevant to postgraduate admission.
If you have any queries that are not covered on this page, please email Postgrad@phar.cam.ac.uk or contact the proposed supervisor directly in the case of specific queries about projects offered.
Discover Cambridge: Master's and PhD
You're invited to our online event - Discover Cambridge: Master's and PhD study. Monday 26 February to Friday 1 March.
If you are considering applying for a postgraduate course at Cambridge, join the University's next online event for support to help you navigate the application process and make a strong application
Book your place now at 'Discover Cambridge: Master's and PhD study' and let us support you through the process. Webinars take place from Monday 26 February to Friday 1 March, from 1.15pm to 2.15pm each day (UK time). Find out more and book your place: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/events/discover-cambridge
FAQs about postgraduate admissions in Pharmacology
Am I eligible to apply for admission to your programmes?
Like all departments in the Postgraduate School, there are several entry requirements to consider.
If you are a UK student wanting to apply, you will need:
- At least a 2.1 in an Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject
- Two supportive references from senior university staff at your most recent university (this is usually your supervisor, mentor or course organiser)
If you are an International student, you will need:
- A degree that is equivalent to at least a UK 2.1 (e.g. CGPA 3.5/4.0) in an Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject (please visit the International Qualifications page for more information)
- Two outstanding references from senior university staff at your most recent university (this is usually your supervisor, mentor or course organiser)
- Fluency in the English language – recent IELTS test with an overall band score of at least 7.0 with not less than 7.0 in speaking, listening and writing, and 6.5 in reading (please visit the English language requirement page for more information)
How do I find a topic to study and a supervisor to work with?
The Postgraduate Applicant Portal requires you to choose a course – for research applicants, this means specifying which department or institute you wish to work in.
To choose a department, you need to do some serious homework to identify a topic and one or more supervisors in the department with whom you wish to work.
If you have already decided on the Department of Pharmacology, you should:
- look at the abstracts of available projects
- browse the profiles of the Principal Investigators for more details.
Important Note
Applications without any supervisor's name specified cannot be processed by our Postgraduate team. Likewise, applications with supervisor name(s) specified but with no prior consultation with the named supervisor(s) are unlikely to be successful.
Therefore, you must consult with a potential supervisor before you submit your application and name the supervisor in your application. The supervisor can also provide you with valuable guidance to make the application and to improve the chance of funding.
What will my tuition fees cost?
You can find information about fees for full-time and part-time study on the Postgraduate Admissions Fees page.
How do I apply for funding for my studies?
You can find comprehensive information about funding on the How to Apply for Funding page.
To search for funding opportunities that may be available to you use the Funding Search Tool with appropriate filters.
If you do wish to be considered for funding, you must complete the relevant section of the Applicant Portal in full for your funding application to be considered.
Please note that admissions decisions are taken independently of funding decisions, and there can be separate deadlines for applying for funding. There can be separate deadlines for applications and funding for candidates from the USA.
Important Deadline for Funding
- Deadlines for October 2025 entry are to be announced.
source: https://www.gatescambridge.org/apply/timeline/
Does the Pharmacology Department offer any funding?
Research Studentships to study for the PhD degree are awarded on a competitive basis and supported by research councils, medical research charities, industrial sponsors and University schemes.
In addition to these funding opportunities, the Department may also offer studentships, including the David James Studentship, though this is not guaranteed.
What happens after applying?
You can find information on the post-application process on the University's Postgraduate Study website.
Useful links for prospective students: