Program Overview

Cognitive Science PhD

The Cognitive Science PhD program at the University of Sussex is an interdisciplinary research-based degree that explores the nature of cognition in humans, animals, and machines. This pioneering approach brings together faculty and research students from artificial intelligence, psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and philosophy.

Key Information

• Duration: Up to 4 years full-time or 8 years part-time
• Start date: Choose to start in September 2026, January 2027, or April 2027
• Apply by: 1 month before start (UK), 3 months before start (international)

Entry Requirements

• Degree requirements: Normally expected to have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honors degree or above
• Subject-specific requirements: Qualification should be in a subject relevant to the chosen area of research
• International requirements: Vary by country, with specific undergraduate degree requirements for each

English Language Requirements

• IELTS (Academic): High level (6.5 overall, including at least 6.0 in each component)
• Alternative English language qualifications accepted, including Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English, Pearson PTE Academic, and TOEFL (iBT)
• Country exceptions for English language requirements apply to nationals of certain countries

Funding and Fees

• Fees for self-funding students:
  • Home students: Fees are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2026/27
  • International students: £27,300 per year for full-time students
• Funded projects and scholarships available, including China Scholarship Council (CSC) University of Sussex Scholarships and Climate Leaders Scholarship
• Additional costs may include empirical research costs, living costs, and other expenses

Our Supervisors

Supervisors are available in various research areas, including:

• Creative Technology
• Data Science
• Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems (EASy)

Research Areas

Research areas include:

• Creative Technology: Interfaces between humans and digital technology
• Data Science: Deriving knowledge from large heterogeneous datasets
• Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems (EASy): Interfaces between biological and computational sciences

How to Apply

To apply, browse funded projects or propose your own research project. Choose to study full-time or part-time. Note that PhD and MPhil degrees differ in duration and the extent of research work.