Timeline of hiring process 

(This is information of the hiring process in 2023/2024. For the 2024/2025 process, please refer back to this page after the summer break 2024)

Mid-October to Early-November

• applications open 

Late November/Early December

• selected candidates will be contacted with instructions on how their referees can submit the reference letters

Mid-December 

• successful applicants will be invited to our `PhD recruitment days’ in February 

8-9 February you will :

• give a presentation on your research work
• meet the staff offering PhD positions
• meet our current PhD researchers and postdocs
• be interviewed for the positions which you are interested in.

Mid-February to March

• offers for positions will be made

Autumn

• positions expected to start (earlier or later starts may sometimes be possible and should be negotiated with the staff member offering the position).

Depending on availability, PhD positions may sometimes be offered at other times of year, so it helps to check our job vacancies webpage from time to time (positions will also usually be advertised on the AAS Job Register)

Main application requirements

         -you have done some advanced courses,
          -your degree also includes a significant research project (at least several months in duration).

Reference letters 

Applicants who have cleared the first screening process will be contacted for references in late November/early December. Prior to hearing if you have been selected to send reference letters, it is not necessary to have them.

Academics 

You have or are studying for an advanced (Masters or equivalent) degree in physics, astrophysics or a related subject.  This will usually be a separate Masters degree, carried out after doing a Bachelors degree, but in some cases it may be an enhanced (4 or more years) single degree including standard Bachelor-level and more advanced courses. 

You do not need to have obtained your degree to apply: we only require that you obtain the degree before starting your PhD position.

Language

English is the main language of our institute, socially, for research, and for teaching. A high level of proficiency in English is mandatory.  Although we do not request formal qualifications in English, we may ask for them to be sure that an applicant’s level of English is sufficient.