PhD Studentship in Life in the Universe (Fully Funded, Fixed Term)

About the role

The Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe (LCLU) at the University of Cambridge is offering a fully funded, four-year PhD studentship for home (UK) students starting in October 2027. The successful candidate will be based within one of the Centre's participating departments and carry out a research project aligned with the Centre's mission to deepen understanding of life, its origins and its distribution across the Universe.

Research contributes to one or more of the Centre's core questions: chemical pathways leading to the origins of life; identifying environments on Earth and elsewhere that may support prebiotic chemistry; observational facilities and methods for studying exoplanets; and philosophical and mathematical approaches to life. The list of proposed projects is not exhaustive, and applicants are encouraged to propose their own topics after talking to prospective supervisors.

Required profile

• Eligibility: the studentship is open only to people who meet at least one of the eligibility criteria set out on the LCLU website.
• Home (UK) students starting in October 2027.

Application process

• Apply through the University of Cambridge postgraduate admissions portal, stating eligibility for LCLU funding.
• Contact the prospective supervisor first to discuss interests and the deadline, which varies by department; the final deadline is 8 December 2026 at noon GMT.
• Interviews are scheduled for the week of 15-19 February 2027.
• Quote reference KA51068 on the application.