Applying for Engineering taught courses (MPhil and MRes, including the CDTs)

All applications are made online via the Postgraduate Admissions website. The links below will take you to the course pages, where you can click the Apply Now button to start an application. It is worth starting an application early, so that you can see what information you will need to provide.

Supporting documentation

In addition to the application form, you will need to upload the following to the Application Portal:

• Details of two academic referees,
• All degree-level academic transcripts,
• CV/Resume,
• Reasons for applying (2500 characters),
• A personal reference and statement (Gates funding applicants only),
• Evidence of competence in English (if required and available),
• Some courses have additional requirements; see the links above for further information.

Many of the course websites have further information on what your application should include. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the contents of the course in advance, so that you can identify where your interests and previous experiences, both academic and otherwise, align with the programme you are applying for.

What happens after applying?

Your application will not be considered until it is complete, including all supporting documents and two references. You can check whether your references have been submitted via the Applicant Portal and send reminders to your referees if they have not yet completed them. It is your responsibility to ensure that both of your references have been submitted by the course (or funding) deadline.

When the application is complete, it will be referred to the department for a decision. All completed applications will be reviewed by academic members of staff, who will decide whether to invite you for an interview (either in person or remotely, by phone or video-conference).

When a decision has been made by the course team, it needs to be approved by the head of the academic division within the department, and the Deputy Head of Department (graduates), before your application status is updated. After this, you will be notified if your application has been unsuccessful, or, if the course wish to make you an offer, the application will be reviewed by the Degree Committee and the Postgraduate Admissions Office, before an offer is issued. You can track your application as it progresses through these stages, via the Applicant Portal, and offers are issued by email. Further information can be found on the Postgraduate Admissions website.

When will I receive a decision?

We aim to make decisions as quickly as possible, however some courses receive very high numbers of applications, which can lead to delays. This is particularly the case with the MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence. All courses receive an extremely high volume of applications immediately before the Cambridge Trusts funding deadline, and it can take several weeks for staff to review all of these and record decisions, so delays are particularly likely between December and February.

Some courses consider applications in batches, whilst others do so on a rolling basis. Some of the CDTs can only make offers once an industrial partner has been secured for a particular project. Further information about selection processes for each course can be found on the course pages of the Postgraduate Admissions website, via the links above.

Staff in the Engineering Graduate Studies Office follow up on the progress of applications where no decision has been made on a regular basis, however if you have been waiting for a while, you are welcome to contact us, or the course administrator (contact details can be found on the course websites), to request an update.