Is the first year training undertaken at the admitting University, or at Oxford?
The initial training programme (September-December) and our core professional development programme is based at the Doctoral Training Centre in Oxford. Rotation projects (January-July) may be undertaken with any of the six partner organisations, and in some cases in collaboration with collaborative or Open-IIC partners.
Are the core training modules in person?
Primarily in person.
The term-1 training programme is full-time. How will part-time students approach this initial training period?
All part-time students need to commit at least 50% of their time to doctoral study, but specific arrangements may vary between students, so we will develop an individually-tailored training plan for each student. Where it is not possible for a student to attend a course full-time it will be possible to spread training across multiple terms, for students to attend some courses remotely/hybrid or for students to use lecture recordings and course material to study independently with support from mentors. Where possible we encourage students to attend induction and initial training courses full time, but we appreciate that this may not be possible for all students.
Will successful candidates be able to access training courses offered to other DTC training programmes, such as the Intelligent Earth CDT?
Yes, many DTC courses are offered across multiple programmes, but they do often run concurrently so you will need to consider in consultation with your programme director which will serve your interests and professional development best.
Is it possible to take up training opportunities in other departments that will be applicable to our interests?
If this course is relevant to your project, and the course running at the same time in the DTC is not, then it is possible to sign up for external courses, or to undertake relevant training at a later date. All students develop an individually tailored training plan in consultation with their programme mentor.
Do all students complete rotation projects?
Yes. All students undertake two 10-week rotation projects during the first year to gain skills and explore different research groups.
If I already have a preferred supervisor or project, do I still need to do rotations?
Yes. Rotations are compulsory. Your final DPhil supervisor is confirmed only at the end of the first year.
Do you have to have rotated in a lab in order to do your DPhil project there? Or can you choose a lab/supervisor that was not a part of the two lab rotations?
Students can exceptionally carry out a project with a different group from either of your rotations if you wish, but rotations do provide the experience of how a group works and allow you to make an informed decision as to whether you would be happy working within that group and with that supervisory team.
When do I find out who my rotation supervisors will be?
Rotation opportunities are presented in a project booklet at induction. You will select projects during your first term.
Is there financial support for the rotations, e.g. travel costs?
Yes, there is a budget of £1000 per rotation project for consumables. There may be some support available to undertake a rotation project at a location that is away from your normal place of work, depending on the project.
Can my research direction change once I start?
Potentially, yes. The programme is broad, and you may discover new areas. However, you won’t be forced into a direction you do not want to pursue.
Should I contact prospective supervisors before applying?
It is not required. Demonstrating awareness of relevant research areas strengthens an application, but applications are not shared with supervisors to avoid conflicts of interest. Prospective applicants are therefore encouraged to explore the research interests of a range of potential supervisors across the partnership when deciding whether to apply.
Can a supervisor be anyone at the University of Oxford or partner institution, or is there a list of specific supervisors who are currently accepting PhD students that I must pick from?
Students will receive a full list of potential projects and eligible supervisors during induction. This means that students are limited to those supervisors who choose to offer projects through ILESLA but have considerable flexibility in terms of the range of projects available and the direction of their research. Students are additionally able to propose alternate rotation projects in collaboration with eligible supervisors who have submitted an approved project.
Will the supervisor I list on my application necessarily become my supervisor?
No. You are not obliged to work with supervisors named at application, and supervisor assignment occurs after rotations.
How are supervisors assigned?
Students will be able to express their preference to work with a particular supervisory team with the approval of that supervisory team. While we make every effort to match students with a suitable project and supervisory team, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to work with your preferred supervisor(s) and/or on a specific topic that can only be supervised by a specific supervisory team. However, you will have a very wide range of supervisors and projects to choose from.
You will be presented with a project booklet during induction which will have a list of short rotation projects on it of which you will choose two. One of these projects will either turn into your PhD project, or you will develop a new project based with that group. Students will have the opportunity to meet with individual supervisors and members of their research groups during induction and their first term to inform their choice of rotation project.
Once you have received your offer, you can start to contact supervisors with whom you have an interest in working and if appropriate encourage them to submit a rotation project in response to the call which will go out at around that time. It will not be possible to work with a supervisor who has not submitted a rotation project to us.
Do I have to have a supervisor from Industry?
It's not compulsory for most students to have an industrial or non-academic supervisor. However, we have a target of 25% of projects to be partnered with industry and eligible non-academic organisations, and therefore we offer Open-IIC or CASE studentships (collaborative partners) to some students who have expressed an interest in working with industry or non-academic organisations to help us meet this target. Industry linked projects will be offered through the rotation project process. All students will undertake rotations with two different lead supervisors before deciding on their substantive doctoral project. One or both of these can be industry-linked projects.
Can my final PhD project be jointly supervised across departments or institutions?
Yes, co-supervision across departments or partner organisations is allowed.
If I have a co-supervision arrangement between two universities, where will my final degree be from?
You will get your degree from the university you were registered to when you were admitted.
What do I list under ‘Proposed Supervisor’ and ‘Project Title’?
Indicate the ILESLA research theme and broadly describe the area you wish to develop. These are not binding.
Can I list collaborative partners (e.g., Natural History Museum)?
Yes, you may note your interest in collaborative partners in your statement. It is optional to list them as proposed advisors.
Is it possible to co-develop a proposal with collaborative partners directly? If so, are there any guidelines or considerations I should be aware of during the proposal design before application submission?
A full list of potential projects is provided to students when they start their studies, along with the opportunity to meet potential supervisors during induction, which ensures that the projects offered are timely and reflect recent discoveries and current supervisor eligibility. Students are able to propose alternate rotation projects in collaboration with eligible supervisors who have submitted an approved project, subject to the approval of the directorate and the guidance provided by the programme. Therefore, it is certainly possible to co-develop a proposal if you are admitted to the programme and if partners are interested in doing so. However, you are not able to submit a research proposal when applying.
Who decides the direction of the industry projects, and how much collaboration is there between the industry partner and the student?
The direction of industry projects is initially agreed in collaboration between the industrial partner and supervisory team. During their first year students have the opportunity to further develop the project direction when they write their research proposal, but this proposal must be approved by all members of the supervisory team, including any industry partners. Students stay in close contact with their industry partners for the duration of their project.
When does the 12-week internship occur?
Any time between the end of Year 1 and the start of the final year.
Are internships paid in addition to the stipend?
No. The stipend continues as normal.
Can internships be undertaken with any organisation?
Everyone on the programme will carry out an internship, and students that are not working on an industry-linked research project can choose to undertake an industry-linked internship from a wide range of internship options. Many of our students carry out internships with spin out companies. Internships must align with programme requirements and may occur with industry partners, public organisations, or approved alternative hosts.
Are there any restrictions to the internship options - are they limited to established industry partners?
If your project is sponsored by industry then you will undertake an internship with that partner. Students that are not working in partnership with industry have a very wide range of internship options, including internship with companies that are not yet partners. Internships are already a core feature of the existing Oxford-led Interdisciplinary Bioscience DTP, and students in this DTP have undertaken internships with over 200 different internship providers.
Are internships available at UKHSA?
Yes, internships with UKHSA may be possible.
Can I apply to more than one of the admitting universities of ILESLA?
Applications to the ILESLA programme are now made through the Oxford application portal regardless of which university you are applying to but you must make it clear on the application form if you wish to be considered for Oxford Brookes or the Open University.
You can apply to more than one institution on the application form, depending on your research interests and potential supervisors. If you have separate projects and potential supervisors at more than one institution in mind, it could well be appropriate to apply to two or three institutions, depending on where lead supervisor for each would be based. If you apply to more than one institution and are shortlisted for interview you will be interviewed only once for entry to all the institutions you have applied to.
If you are offered a place at Oxford Brookes or the Open University, then you will need to complete an application form for that institution at that point in order to be admitted to that institution.
How do I show on the application form that I'm applying to more than one of the ILESLA partner universities?
You can show this in the "Proposed Supervisor" field. If you have a supervisor in mind, you must put the university where they are based in parentheses after their name. You can apply to multiple universities but must indicate after each supervisor name which university they are based at. If you wish to work with someone at e.g. Pirbright, do the same thing.
If you don't yet know which supervisor you wish to work with, just put the name of the university, and if relevant, any other hosting partner (e.g. "Diamond Light Source" in the "Proposed Supervisor" field.
I don't want to apply to Oxford, and Open/Brookes don’t charge an application fee. Do I have to pay?
If you are applying to Oxford Brookes and/or the Open University, who do not charge an application fee, then you do not have to pay the Oxford application fee, even though you are applying through our system. You can use a fee waiver code at the point of payment.
To obtain the fee waiver code, please contact the relevant institution.
Oxford Brookes contact: ilesla.oxford.brookes@brookes.ac.uk
Open University contact: ILESLA@open.ac.uk
Please note that if you use the code when applying also to Oxford, your application will not be considered for Oxford entry.
Do I have to pay a separate application fee if I apply to more than one programme at Oxford?
Not necessarily. If the programmes are in related fields you can apply for up to three programmes and only pay one application fee. You need to contact graduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk to get a waiver code, or for any other questions that relate to the application form itself.
In addition some students do not have to pay an application fee at all, this is classed as a fee waiver.
• Applying from a low income country
• Refugees and displaced persons
• UK applicants from low income backgrounds
• Receiving benefits
• Graduate access programme applicants
• Applying for re-admission (current Oxford PGT students)
• Applying to related research courses (e.g. Departmental D.Phil entry)
If I apply to Oxford Brookes University or the Open University will I still be able to conduct research in a Department at the University of Oxford?
If you have a collaborative project then you may work with a supervisory team consisting of supervisors from more than one ILESLA organisation and conduct research in more than one location, but your lead supervisor will be in the institution you are registered at. During the rotation phase you will be required to undertake at least one rotation with a lead supervisor in the institution you are registered at. You cannot transfer institutions in order to undertake a substantive doctoral project with a primary supervisor employed by a different institution after acceptance.
I have also applied (will apply) for a DPhil/PhD in a different programme within one of the partner organisations. Is this contact with a potential supervisor relevant for the ILESLA application as well?
If you are interested in undertaking a DPhil/PhD with the same supervisor through ILESLA then you should mention your contact with this supervisor in your statement of purpose. However, please note that you may not be able to undertake the same project with the same supervisory team in ILESLA, particularly if the proposed project is not within our remit or the supervisor has not registered with us.
In the Funding section of the application form, I can’t find the Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science Landscape Award (ILESLA).
Leave this section blank. You will automatically be considered for funding by ILESLA and will be put forward for any other scholarships for which you are eligible.
Can I use AI to write my application statement?
AI may be used to assist in researching application materials, but any submitted documents must be written by you and must adhere to our plagiarism policy, and any text that is not your own should be referenced. All supporting documents must be in English, unless stated otherwise on your course page.
Supporting documents may not be translated into English by an AI tool, as our academic assessors need to understand your powers of expression in English. Our application assessors will be evaluating your ability to undertake critical analysis, so using AI for more than assistance with initial research is likely to reduce your chances of success.
If academic assessors consider that inappropriate use of AI was made in application documents, they may reject your application. Please note that AI technology to assist with a disability (such as voice recognition software for transcription or spelling and grammar checkers) may be used.
Do I need a project proposal to apply to ILESLA
No, you do not need a project proposal. You will apply to one of the five research themes and you will state that research theme in the field where you would normally put a project title, on the application form.
Should I mention the labs I want to work with on the application?
It is helpful to our admissions processes if you indicate any research areas you are particularly interested in or specific groups that you are interested in working with.
Can I only apply to the university where the theme lead is based that I am interested in applying to?
No, your application(s) should be based on whether there is an eligible supervisor based at that university. We are working collaboratively across the six hosting partners and so theme leads are drawn from all of the ILESLA hosting partners.
Is it a requirement for your research project to have translational value? Will this be considered as a factor during admissions?
No, it's not a requirement and is not considered as a factor during admissions.
Does population level modelling of infectious diseases in humans using new mathematical and computational approaches fit in with the research themes?
No, we do not support research focused on specific human diseases and human disease processes or abnormal conditions. We do support some research into viruses that spread from animals to humans, in particular via research at The Pirbright Institute.
I'm confused about whether or not I need to name a supervisor on the application, or speak to a supervisor before applying.
The advice on this can seem to be contradictory as we both ask you to name a supervisor and say that you don't need to.
It is not necessary to contact potential supervisors or to know which supervisor you want to work with, however where applicants do have people in mind that they wish to work with, it is extremely helpful for us to know this, as it helps us to direct applications to reviewers who are best placed to assess them.
Most potential applicants do, at the very least, research possible supervisors if only to find out whether there is anyone at a particular institution working in the area(s) they are interested in. It can be very helpful to contact potential supervisors to discuss opportunities in their groups, or your ideas for a PhD project, but bear in mind that many supervisors are extremely busy and may not respond immediately or at all. However talking to potential applicants is an important way for supervisors to bring students into their research groups so often they will welcome discussions with potential applicants with good skills and a strong background.
Do I need separate applications to ILESLA and to departments?
Yes. Applications to ILESLA are independent from direct DPhil applications in departments.
Can I apply to ILESLA and also apply directly to other Oxford DPhils?
Yes. These are separate applications and assessed independently.
Do I need to choose a university (Oxford, partner institutions) when applying?
Yes. Follow the instructions on the application form to indicate the institution you are applying through.
Is funding guaranteed if I receive an offer?
Not automatically, but the programme works to match offer-holders to funding wherever possible.
If I apply to ILESLA and another related programme, will I be considered for a broader range of funding opportunities?
Students at the University of Oxford are funded through a variety of funding mechanisms including programme or department-specific studentships and University-wide scholarships. Therefore, while a department and ILESLA each award specific funding opportunities, they may both also nominate candidates to the same University scholarships.
What is the stipend?
The stipend is the UKRI minimum plus £2,000 per year (with an additional £1,000 in years 2–4 for Open-IIC students). The UKRI minimum increases annually.
Can I combine ILESLA funding with another scholarship?
No. You cannot hold multiple scholarships for the same programme.
Are there research cost funds available?
Yes. Rotation projects each receive £1,000. PhD projects have access to a research and training support grant. Conference and fieldwork funding is available.
Does the programme cover international travel or airfare?
No, airfare for international students is not provided.
How should students organise their living and travel arrangements during the first year if they need to travel to different places for extended training?
Once students accept their offer, we will meet with them to discuss their personal circumstances and agree the optimal solution to address their individual circumstances. Students who are planning to undertake their doctoral research at a site some distance from Oxford (e.g. The Pirbright Institute or the Open University) will normally be encouraged to be resident in or near Oxford (their normal place of work) during their first term where feasible (or for their first six months if they are likely to undertake one rotation in Oxford or at Harwell and then move to another institution). If it is not feasible for students to be resident in Oxford, arrangements for remote or hybrid working can be made. Students undertaking a rotation at the Pirbright Institute will be able to request free accommodation in Pirbright-owned accommodation for the duration of their rotation. After their first term students will be able to request reasonable travel expenses to attend ILESLA events in Oxford or at other partner sites if they work with, and live locally to, geographically-distant partners such as Open University or The Pirbright Institute.
Does ILESLA fund conferences?
Yes. Funding is available for conference travel.
What degree classification is required?
Minimum requirement: a 2.1 undergraduate degree.
A strong master’s degree can strengthen your application if your undergraduate degree is weaker but is not a mandatory requirement.
Do I need a master’s degree to apply?
No, although a master’s degree can be an advantage. Integrated master’s degrees are considered.
Are graduates from disciplines outside the life sciences eligible?
Yes. Students from chemistry, physics, maths, computational sciences, geography and related backgrounds are welcome if applying to relevant research areas. We welcome applications from students who are interested in changing disciplines and can support applicants in identifying suitable training opportunities to help with this transition during their studies. In your application you may wish to explain why you are interested in making this change and how your previous experiences demonstrate your ability to learn and give you a unique perspective.
Are nursing graduates eligible?
Eligibility depends on alignment with BBSRC remit (no research on named diseases). Nursing applicants should demonstrate fit with approved research themes.
Do unconventional backgrounds disadvantage applicants?
No. Admissions consider potential, motivation, and evidence of relevant skills. A contextual statement may be submitted.
Is there a cap on international places?
Up to 30% of offers can be made to international applicants.
Can international students self-fund the difference between home and international fees?
This may be possible depending on funding configuration, but funding is competitive and not guaranteed.
Are there scholarships specifically for students from developing countries?
You may be eligible for wider institutional scholarships; please check university scholarship listings.
Do international students need to consider visa requirements?
Yes, including the NHS surcharge.
Do I need to submit IELTS or equivalent?
You must demonstrate English proficiency, but you may qualify for a waiver if:
• You completed a degree in the UK, or
• You completed a degree fully taught in English (case-dependent).
What IELTS scores do you require for international students?
We normally require students to have IELTS scores at the higher level described in the second table on this page and apply this condition uniformly for all ILESLA applicants to all three institutions.
English language proficiency | Application Guide | University of Oxford
Can English certificates be submitted after the application?
Yes. Check the graduate admissions website for deadlines and waiver rules. If you don’t have the qualification at the time of application, this will be set as a condition of offer.
Do referees receive reminders?
No. The system sends one email with the submission deadline.
Can referees use personal email addresses?
Only if institutional emails are unavailable. Additional information may be requested.
How long must a referee have known me?
No strict minimum; they must know your academic or research capabilities well.
I finished higher education several years ago therefore it is difficult to secure an academic reference. What would the admissions team accept instead?
Wherever possible applicants should provide at least one academic reference, even if the referee is only able to provide limited information. If it is not possible for an applicant to provide an academic reference, three professional references can be provided. However, it is important that these references directly address skills or attributes that are important for success in doctoral research.
Is there a word limit for the personal statement?
Yes. You must adhere to the word limit.
Can I include personal motivations or inspirations?
Yes. Personal narrative and motivation are welcome.
What experiences should be included under ‘relevant employment’?
Include roles relevant to research or skills development. Unrelated part-time work need not be included.
Common pitfalls in statements?
• Overly generic PhD statements not tailored to ILESLA
• Lack of understanding of ILESLA themes
• No reflection on interdisciplinary fit
• Limited evidence of research potential
Can I discuss multiple research interests?
Yes. Being open to interdisciplinary pathways can strengthen your application.
Can I explain low grades or personal circumstances?
Yes. For study-related circumstances use the "Extenuating Circumstances" field on the application form itself. If you have personal or sensitive information to share, use the contextual statement link to submit a statement that is held separately from the application form; it is viewed confidentially.
Who reads contextual statements?
A restricted group within the admissions team who assess contextual factors.
Are interviews in person or online?
All interviews are online.
How many interviews will be conducted?
This varies annually based on applicant numbers.
What is included in the interview?
A brief presentation (typically 5 minutes), discussion of research aptitude, and assessment of fit for the programme.
Will supervisors named in my application interview me?
No. Interviewers are independent to avoid conflicts of interest.
Will I be informed if I am on a waiting list?
Yes, candidates on the waiting list will be notified.
Do I need to choose a college?
You may list a preference, or select “open” if unsure.
Is accommodation guaranteed?
No, but early application increases the likelihood. Colleges increasingly offer matching schemes.
Can I live outside Oxford?
Yes, especially after Year 1 when research locations vary.
Is part-time work allowed?
Work is limited to around 6 hours per week due to research commitments.
Is teaching required?
No, there is no teaching obligation.
Can the four programme years be non-consecutive?
Generally they must be consecutive, though formal leave may be possible in exceptional circumstances.
Can I take time out of study before applying?
Yes. Provide context through your statement or CV.