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Applicants must have or expect to have of a at least a 2.1 degree or the international equivalent.  

Students who apply will be considered for both the PhD in Algebra, Geometry and Quantum Fields as well as the pre-year MSc program which serve as an admissions pathway to the PhD.

CDT stands for Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) and is one of the approaches used by Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) to fund and train doctoral students across the UK. CDTs focus on cohort-based learning experiences and skills training to develop a future academic or industry career. They are funded by research councils which fall under the umbrella of UK Research and Innovation.

The AGQ CDT 2026/2027 admissions timeline, including important dates, is provided below for your reference.

The AGQ CDT is a fully funded PhD program, covering four years of tuition fees and an annual stipend that is currently set at £19,132 for the 2024/25 academic year (increasing yearly with the UKRI stipend rate). A stipend is a tax-free payment to support students to pay living costs and the basic expenses associated with study. 

• an undergraduate or masters degree, that was taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country as defined by UK Visas and Immigration
• Accepted English Proficiency Tests include:
  • IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component
  • TOEFL-iBT: total 92 with at least 20 in each section
  • PTE(A): total 68 with at least 63 in each section
  • CAE and CPE: total 176 with at least 169 in each paper
  • Trinity ISE
  • OET
• All English Proficiency Tests must have been awarded within two years at the point of application.
• For additional information on specific English Language requirements please contact the central Glasgow University admissions team using this webform.

Our students’ primary institution is the same as their principal supervisor’s, however all teaching is hybrid and joint between the three institutions, and the degree is awarded jointly by all three institutions. Applications will be considered by multiple supervisors at the same institution, as well as being considered across all institutions. Applicants can receive multiple offers from different supervisors at different institutions.

Your application can still be reviewed if you are missing some evidence, however having full information available to the admissions panel will strengthen your application. If you are interviewed and offered a position with the CDT, this offer will be conditional that all above evidence requirements are satisfied.

The pre-year MSc programme is fully funded in the same manner as the PhD, with fees covered and a stipend paid to students.

In the Pre-Year you complete a standard mathematics MSc at either the University of Edinburgh or the University of Glasgow. During this year you already start engaging with some of the CDT activities while orienting yourself on your PhD project together with your potential PhD supervisor(s).

Please email admissions@agq-cdt.org for further queries.

Admissions to a PhD programme is a very complicated process.  We aim to complete the first round of admissions by June, however we may run a secondary round after that if additional funding opportunities arise.

If you have a competing offer with a deadline, you may write to admissions@agq-cdt.org with the deadline, and to request an update.  We will try our best to give you timely information under these circumstances.

However, please note that due to the volume of inquiries we cannot respond to individual requests for general updates.  Instead, we have created the page https://www.agq-cdt.org/admission-status where we will post general updates about the admissions process.