How to apply

1. Investigate research opportunities 

We offer three types of postgraduate research programmes at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China.

PhD

EdD (Professional Doctorate in Education, part-time)

MRes (Master of Research Programme)

Prior to applying, you should thoroughly research prospective programme and select one that best suits your research interests and career goal.   For more information about the programmes, please refer to the department/school page.

2.  Identify a supervisor

If you plan to study for a research degree (except EdD), e.g. MRes or PhD, you will have to make contact with a potential supervisor in a department/school before submitting an application. EdD applicants are not required to find a supervisor before submitting an application but are still encouraged to discuss their research interests with the Director of the Programme in advance.

Please consult the academic staff profiles listed on the relevant department or school's website and contact a potential supervisor whose research interest aligns with yours. You may also wish to provide the academic staff with a copy of your CV and indicate your intention to apply for a postgraduate research programme and your research topic. When one faculty member expresses a willingness to be your supervisor, you can fill in his/her name in your application form.

3. Check key dates and deadlines      

We strongly advise that you submit your application along with all supporting documents at least a week before the application deadline. Don't wait until the day of the deadline! During our busiest application seasons, we may not be able to reply to your enquiries or help you to resolve any problems in time.

If you are applying for a PhD scholarship, please refer to each scholarship's deadline.

4. Write a research proposal

Your application will usually include a 1,000 to 3,000-word research proposal. This will be judged on both content and format. A well-written research proposal will help us assess your suitability for graduate-level research and whether we can support your proposed area of study.

For advice on how to write a research proposal, please visit here. We recommend that you discuss your proposal with a member of staff who has expertise in your field. This can also help you to identify a potential supervisor. 

5. Prepare supporting documents

 Degree certificates

 Applicants who obtained a degree from a Chinese University must provide:

(1)    A scanned copy of both the degree certificate and graduation diploma for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

(2)    A certified English translation of the above documents by the attended university with its official stamp (on university headed paper, preferably). You may also provide the English “Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate” obtained from China Higher Education Student Information (CHSI中国高等教育学生信息网) as an alternative.

Applicants who obtained a degree from a recognized university in UK or other countries/regions must provide:

(1)    A scanned copy of the degree certificate.

(2)    A certified English translation of the above document by the attended university with its official stamp if it is in any language other than English.

(3)    Chinese applicants who obtained a degree abroad or in Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macao must also provide the certification obtained from the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (教育部留学服务中心). 

If you are currently studying for a degree programme, please provide an enrollment letter instead.

Transcripts

Applicants must provide official transcripts with marks for all the individual modules/courses taken as undergraduate and postgraduate studies and their English translations. (Only official transcripts with a university stamp will be accepted) 

A provisional transcript can be provided if you are still taking some modules but a final transcript has to be submitted before deadline.

References 

In the application form, you will need to give the details of your two referees who can provide an academic reference written in English in support of your application. You may nominate your personal tutor, your thesis supervisor, or an academic staff member from your previous studies as your academic referees. At least one should be from an academic member of the staff at the institution where you gained your most advanced qualification.

If you graduated for quite some time ago and are not able to nominate two academic referees from your previous universities, you may nominate your employer as one of your referees.

Please ensure that you have their consent before filling in their professional or personal details including their email address (an institutional email address is preferred) in the application form. 

If a UNNC academic staff has agreed to be your potential supervisor, please don't nominate him or her as your academic referee.

Please notify your referees to send their reference letters to PGR@nottingham.edu.cn directly, quoting your name and the PhD programme you are applying for.

Your application will not be reviewed until two references have been received. 

In a few circumstances, additional references may be requested to support your application.  If this happens in your case, you will be contacted directly.

A brief CV/Resume

Personal Statement

If you are applying for a PhD programme in the Faculty of Business or for any strategic scholarships, please provide a personal statement.

English Language test score report

Please provide the English Language test score report, e.g. IELTS, TOEFL IBT, PTE academic, if applicable. Native English speakers or applicants with an entry qualification that was obtained from a country/region as listed where English is the native language are not required for this qualification. Please refer to the English Language Requirement Page for details.

Identity Card/Passport

Domestic Chinese applicants must provide both sides of your Identity Card.

Hong Kong and Macau applicants must also provide the Mainland travel permit card in addition to your Identity Card.

Taiwan applicants must provide both sides of your Mainland travel permit card.

International applicants must provide a copy of your passport.

Photo

Submission of an electronic copy of a passport-sized photo taken within three months of this application is required.

Other supporting documents

Any supporting documents to demonstrate the research potential, if applicable, e.g. published papers, conference papers, patents, etc., should be submitted.

6. Submit your application

You can submit your application when your research proposal is finalized and when all supporting documents are ready.

Please download the PGR application form and complete it carefully.

Please then send the completed application form and scanned copies of all supporting documents to PGR@nottingham.edu.cn in one email, with the copies attached in an appropriate order (e.g. 1. PGR application form, 2. Research Proposal).

Application fee

There is no application fee for postgraduate research courses. 

Please Note:

An application missing any of the required documents (except for the English language score) is regarded incomplete and will not be considered. 

For one entry, please only submit one application for one Postgraduate research programme.

Please only submit when your research proposal is finalized. After your application is submitted, you will not have a chance to update your research proposal.

If you would like to supplement some updated documents after your application is submitted, e.g. English language test report, final transcript, please submit only those documents and don’t submit a duplicate application.

Documents submitted in any language other than English (except from prospects with a Chinese national ID or certification provided by the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange) must be accompanied by an English translation. 

If your application has an attachment larger than 20 MB, it’s unlikely to be received by our email box. Please divide it into two and send them to us via separate emails.

You should be prepared to provide original documents or original certified copies of supporting documents at registration and upon request at any time. Failure to do so may result in your candidacy being rejected. 

If you have any questions about these requirements, please refer to our frequently asked questions. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please email PGR@nottingham.edu.cn.  

7. Interview

If your application is reviewed by a department/faculty and they would like to further assess your suitability for the programme and proficiency in English etc., you will be invited for an interview. Most interviews will be conducted via video conferencing or telephone if an in person interview is not applicable. 

8. Selection process 

• A confirmation email will be sent to you after receiving the application.
• The Graduate School checks if the basic entry requirements are met and the application is complete.
• Relevant academic departments/schools assess applications.

• The Graduate School will notify you via email about the programme and scholarship application results when a final decision is made.    

• The Graduate School will email you about registration information before the start date.
• Registration in person is required on the start date.
• A compulsory induction programme will follow the registration.