Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease

Entry requirements

This programme is particularly suitable for international candidates who wish to gain experience in a modern, vibrant and forward-thinking research environment where training will be adapted to suit your specific desired outcomes.

Applications are welcome from individuals with, or expecting to obtain, at least a 2:1 honours degree, or equivalent qualification, in a subject relevant to your proposed field of research such as biological or physical sciences or other subjects aligned to medicine and relevant to your proposed field of research.

You must hold a British Council IELTS of score 7.0 overall with not less than 6.5 in other skill areas (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking). This qualification must be less than 2 years old at the start of the degree course.

How to apply

We accept applications all year round; the Academy has a single intake each year in mid-September.

• Completed Faculty Application Form indicating, in rank order, your chosen 3 projects. Please identify each project with the title and supervisor name. (Please note that if selected for the Academy it is possible to change these preferences later).
• Full Academic CV.
• Degree transcripts, or marks so far if your degree is in progress. Two references from academic referees. We may not be able to process your application if we do not receive references by the closing date.
• Evidence that you are able to cover the cost of fees (e.g. personal funding, sponsorship letter).
• IELTS certificate (or equivalent) which must be no more than two years old at the time of registration.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Are you looking for direct entry to a PhD programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease? If you have, or expect to obtain, a 2.1 (or equivalent) relevant BSc degree or higher then our International PhD Academy will be of interest to you.

This new Academy, based in the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds, is particularly suitable for international students with their own available funding who have minimal research experience. It is focused on bespoke, personalised training and support.

Four-year basic science/population studies PhD studentships are available for entry in Sept/Oct. There will be up to 5 places available.

Metabolism refers to the sequence of chemical reactions involved in controlling the body’s normal functioning, and dysfunction of any of these intricate processes can contribute to metabolic diseases. These dysfunctions may be inherited, but are also frequently linked to obesity, physical inactivity and other environmental or lifestyle influences. These are key risk factors for coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other pathologies.

Given the worldwide epidemic of diabetes, significant challenges lie ahead in understanding the mechanisms of complications and in developing new strategies for therapeutic intervention. We will use our expertise to develop future scientists to meet this challenge.

• A bespoke PhD studentship created with an emphasis on flexibility and support.
• Focus on support for you, including a dedicated course administrator and effective mentoring systems.
• Extensive taught and real-life training experiences customised for you.
• Over 30 outstanding and diverse supervisors to choose from.
• Opportunities to work with clinician scientists.
• Located in a stylish state-of-the-art scientific building on one of the largest university-hospital complexes in the UK.
• Funding available each year to support your conference attendance.
• Home to the British Heart Foundation’s only Chair in Cardiovascular and Diabetes Research, Professor Mark Kearney.
• Located in the vibrant modern multinational city of Leeds with a population of 750,000 people, major retailers in the centre and diverse restaurants, culture and entertainment, all surrounded by the outstanding Yorkshire countryside.