Full Application Form - MPhil/PhD

1 Academic School to which you are applying:

2 Research Field:
Programme of study MPhil
3
PhD
Do you wish to study Full Time*
4
Part Time*
*Please note that students who require Tier 4 visa can only apply for full time study
Preferred entry point (please note that candidates October
5 are only admitted at the following two points
February
during the academic year)
6 Preferred year of entry: 20______
Have you had any prior contact with a member of Yes
staff in the relevant School at St Mary’s? If Yes, please
provid St Marys Contact:
7 e
details
,
No

SECTION A – Personal Details

8 Surname/Family Name:
9 Other names:
10 Title (Mr/Mrs/Rev etc):
11 Date of birth:
12 Country of birth:
13 Nationality:
14 Country of permanent residence:
15 Permanent home address

16 Have you previously studied at St Mary’s: Yes

No
17 Address for Correspondence (if different from
home address)

18 Telephone No. (daytime/work)

19 Telephone No. (evening/home)
20 Email:
21 Do you have a disability, or any other special
Yes
requirements, that you wish to disclose: If yes, please give details
No

22. SECTION B – Qualifications

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Please provide details of your first degree and any higher degrees or professional qualifications
achieved. You must also include information about any study for which you are currently registered and any
previous study that you did not successfully complete.

Full Class Or Grade

End University/ Subject Qualification
Start Time /Part Awarded Or Predicted
Date College Studied Awarded Or Sought
Date Time Outcome

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Please note that applicants should normally possess a Master’s Degree
with Distinction from a UK University OR a Master’s degree with Merit from a UK University, INCLUDING a
Distinction grade for the Dissertation

23. SECTION C - English Language Proficiency

(please put an X in the relevant response box)

Is English your first language Yes

23a (If Yes , please go to Section D
If No, please complete the rest of Section C) No

Yes
Is/was English the language of instruction of your
23b
first degree?
No

Yes
Is/was English the language of instruction at your
23c
place of employment?
No
Do you hold an IELTS (International English
Yes
23d Language Testing System) Academic 6.5 including
reading and writing?
No

Do you hold a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Yes

23d
Language) 560 or equivalent?
No

24 SECTION D – International Students

24a Do you require a visa to Yes

study If Yes, please complete all of Section D
No
If No, please go to Section E
*If you responded Yes to 24a, please give details
24b Have you ever had your visa curtailed by the Home Yes
Office? No

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24c Have you ever had a visa application refused? Yes
No
24d Do you consent to St Mary’s University to contact the Yes
Home Office to verify information contained in this
section? No
24e Please list all UK Visas you have had including any Tier 4 or Student Visitor visa including those
prior to October 2009 Visa or Student Visitor Visa
Type of Visa Visa Start Date Visa End Date

24f Please list all courses you previously studied in the UK including courses that you did not complete
but applied for a visa for.
Did you complete these
Course Course
Courses? If not please give
Course Title and NQF Level start end
details of why you did not
date date
complete

25. SECTION E – Your Professional Experience/Employment History

Please state your professional experience/previous employment in chronological order:

Current Employer/Address Post Held Dates
From:
To:
Previous Employer/s Post Held Dates
From:
To:
From:
To:
From:
To:
From:
To;

26. SECTION F – FUNDING & RESIDENCE

26a How are you intending to finance your I am paying my own fees and
studies: living costs
I am applying for a funded St
Mary’s scholarship/fee waiver
(please provide details)

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 My employer or organisation is
paying my fees (please provide
contact details and attach a
letter of confirmation to your
application)
Other, or a combination of the
above, please give details
26b Do you require a visa to study in the UK?
Yes

No
26c Residence – all applicants should answer the following
question: Yes
On the day you expect to start your PhD programme, will
you have been ordinarily resident in the UK or EEA for at
least 3 years (not counting any time spent for educational
No
purposes) and have indefinite leave to remain the UK?

Applicants who have not been ordinarily resident in the UK or EEA for 3 years before their degree
start date will be liable for the overseas fee rate.

27. SECTION G – RESEARCH PROPOSAL

27a Do you have experience of qualitative and/or Yes

quantitative research? No
27b Have you undertaken any research training? Yes
No
27c Have you earned credits from any of your research
training or experience Yes

No
27d If you answered yes to 27a, b or c, please provide details

YOUR PROPOSED AREA OF RESEARCH

All applicants are required to submit a detailed Research Proposal which should be approximately
3,000 – 4,000 words in length. Please find below a suggested outline of what should be contained
within the proposal. The proposal must be submitted along with the application.
Project Description The research topic(s) to be studied, including the nature of the problem, why is it
problematic, and how it is significant. The general aims of the research and how
these differ from previous published work in the field. A summary of academic

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 research already undertaken in this area of research, and how the intended
research will build upon the existing research.
Research Methods: An explanation of the main concepts and theories relevant to the research and the
proposed methods of investigation. A summary of methodologies considered, and
authors who have influenced this consideration. A statement of the most useful
methodology to adopt in the research, the kinds of data this will yield and how the
data might be analysed
A Research Plan: This should indicate the main research tasks (e.g. literature review, research and
writing) and indicative timescales.
Ethical Approval A summary of the key ethical issues arising from the proposed research (for
example, ensuring informed consent is obtained if the project involves live subjects),
how such issues would be addressed. Please note that all research conducted by
staff and students at St Mary’s University is subject to ethical review and approval.
An Indicative This should cite, using the standard referencing system used in the discipline, the
Bibliography main works of reference consulted in developing the proposal.

28. SECTION G – ACADEMIC REFERENCES

Please enter the names, addresses and status of TWO referees who should be able to comment on
your academic suitability for research. References must be written on headed paper and submitted
with your application.
Referee 1
Name
Status
Address

Postcode
Email
Referee 2
Name
Status
Address

Postcode
Email

29. SECTION H – DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT YOUR APPLICATION

PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU INCLUDE COPIES OF THE FOLLOWING

Copies of your undergraduate and postgraduate degree
certificates / qualifications
Transcripts of academic qualifications (for undergraduate
degree and postgraduate degree/s only)
Your 3-4,000 word research proposal.

Copies of English language qualification certificates (if

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appropriate).

Photocopy of your personal Information page of your

passport (International students only)

Copies of your references.

Copies of previous UK Visas (if applicable).

30. SECTION I – YOUR FORMAL DECLARATIONS

By ticking the following boxes I agree that

The details on this form are, to the best of my knowledge, correct.

If I am accepted as a research student I hereby agree to comply with the Rules and
Regulations of both St Mary’s University and those of Liverpool Hope University.

I agree to St Mary’s University and Liverpool Hope University processing personal data
contained in this form, or other data which the University may obtain from me or other
sources. I agree to the processing of such data for any purpose connected with my
studies or my health, welfare and safety or for any other legitimate reason.
Signature of applicant Date

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ADDITIONAL STATISTICAL DATA

Giving this information is voluntary. It is required for statistical purposes only and will not be made
available to staff considering the application for admission. Please check the appropriate options
below.
Gender Male Female

Ethnic 11 – White: British

Origin
19 – Other White
background
22 – Black or Black British: 29 – Other Black background
African
31 – Asian or Asian British:
Indian
33 – Asian or Asian British:
Bangladeshi
39 – Other Asian
42 – Mixed: White and Black
African
49 – Other Mixed
background
90 – Not given (UK
Domicile)

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To be completed by the Academic School Only

Name of Institution to which application has been made ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY

Name of Constituent College, where appropriate

Name of School(s) in which the programme of study will be

undertaken
Degree for which initial registration is being sought MPhil

PhD

Field of proposed research

Mode of study

Location of study (if other than entirely UK)

Date of commencement of studies

Proposed Supervisory Director of Studies

Team
Research Supervisor

Research Advisor

What conditions, if any, will the applicant be required to

meet for acceptance to pursue the proposed programme of
study
Statement of support, if any, from the sponsoring School

Name of Head of School

Signature of Head of Date
School

Name of St Mary’s Director of Research

Signature of Director of Date
Research

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Guidance Notes

Section A: Address, Email Address and Telephone Numbers

Your Personal Details Please let the University know immediately if these change.

Disability/Special Requirements
If you have any physical or other disability or medical condition including any
which might necessitate special arrangements or facilities, please attach a
supplementary sheet giving details. This will help us to determine the support
we would need to provide.

Section B: Please include copies of your academic transcripts, and degree/professional

Your Qualifications certificates, with your application, if available.

Applicants should normally possess:

EITHER a Masters degree with Distinction from a UK University;

OR a Masters degree with Merit from a UK University, INCLUDING a

Distinction grade for the Dissertation [or equivalent];

OR a a Masters Degree from a UK University that does not offer awards with
Merit, the Liverpool Hope Registrar having confirmed that the profile of marks
satisfies or exceeds Liverpool Hope University’s requirements for the award of
a Masters degree with Merit, AND that the dissertation [or equivalent] was
awarded a Distinction grade;

OR an equivalent qualification from outside the UK.

Section C: The University expects that all international students from whom English is not
Your Proficiency in the their first language to provide formal evidence of their competence, via an
English Language International English Language Testing System [IELTS] score of at least 6.5
[including reading and writing] or equivalent.

Notwithstanding an applicant’s IELTS score, the Scrutineers may judge, on the

basis of the application form or interview, that an applicant is insufficiently
competent in written and/or spoken English.

Section D: PhD/MPhil students shall be admitted on two dates each year, normally 1st
Your Proposed Research October and 1st February.

Your summary of the topic of your research will be treated as the provisional
title of your thesis. However, you will be able to amend it later!

Section E: Details of your employment history to date including any voluntary positions
Your Professional
Experience/Employment
History

Section F: It is your responsibility to provide the Student Finance team with documentary
Your Proposed Funding evidence of how their studies are to be funded. Failure to do this will result in
Arrangements the applicant being invoiced for their tuition fees.

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Section G: References from your two referees must be put into an envelope, which must
Your Referees be sealed by the referee, and then enclosed with the application. No offer of a
place will be made to an applicant without supporting references.

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