Our department has several research centres, bringing together internationally regarded researchers and our community of PhDs. Through dedicated programmes in the department, and at University-level, we offer our postgraduate research students relevant and timely training in research-specific and transferable skills.

Our research centres and groups

• The Centre for European Politics
• The Democracy and Elections Centre
• The Centre for International Public Policy
• The Centre for Islamic and West Asian Studies
• The Centre for Politics in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East
• The New Political Communication Unit
• The Contemporary Political Theory Research Group

As a first-year doctoral student you will attend weekly research and professional development seminars that provide training and advice in writing book reviews, getting published, achieving impact, entering the academic job market and more, and in which students develop and present their research to one another and to staff.

We are committed to ensuring that you are well-equipped, not only to complete your studies but also to develop your future careers.

A PhD is awarded to students who produce a substantial piece of original research in the form of a thesis of up to 100,000 words.

You will normally be required to have successfully completed a postgraduate degree (MA/MRes/MSc) in a relevant field.

We will also consider applications from those with long-term relevant work experience.

Before applying we recommend securing a supervisor in order to apply for your research project.

We advise getting in touch with the Director of Postgraduate Education making an informal enquiry for your chosen research degree to inquire whether there is any other additional material they require you to submit in your application.

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

• IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
• TOEFL ib: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see here.

Many of our postgraduate students, even before they complete their studies, are presenting their work at international conferences and publishing in top-ranked journals. Our students are also deeply committed to public engagement, not only in the UK but also around the world.

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £5,006

EU and International students tuition fee per year**: £21,500

Other essential costs***: There are no individual costs greater than £50 per item.

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2025/26.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry. For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2025/26.  

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase fees for all students annually. Be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information see fees and funding and the  terms and conditions.

*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2025/26 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.