Cardiff University PhD Studentships and Projects 2026 | 100 Doctoral Scholarship Opportunities

Cardiff University is offering a wide range of PhD research studentships and projects across multiple academic disciplines for prospective doctoral researchers.

The university’s current PhD listings feature 100 doctoral opportunities, covering fields including Computer Science, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Medicine, Psychology, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Economics and more.

The opportunities include directly funded and competition-funded research projects, with some positions open to students worldwide. Individual projects have different application deadlines, so applicants should carefully check the requirements and closing date for their selected project.

About Cardiff University PhD Opportunities

The available doctoral projects span a broad range of research areas and are hosted across Cardiff University’s academic schools and research centres.

The listings include opportunities in

Computer Science

Biological Sciences

Chemistry

Engineering

Physics and Astronomy

Mathematics

Medicine

Psychology

Healthcare Sciences

Environmental Sciences

Geography

Economics

Politics and Government

Sociology

Veterinary Sciences

Materials Science

Nursing and Health

Communication and Media Studies

Architecture, Building and Planning

Languages, Literature and Culture

The university’s listing also includes specialised research groups such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, Biomedicine, Neuroscience, Molecular Biosciences, Cybersecurity, Privacy and HCC Research, and Organisms and Environment.

Featured Cardiff University PhD Projects

The current listing includes a variety of research projects across different schools.

CyberInvent: Where Cybersecurity Research Meets Real-World Impact

This PhD research project is hosted by the Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics.

The project is listed as directly funded and is open to UK students. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Mapping the Developing Brain

This research project focuses on linking brain structure and function through imaging.

It is hosted by the Cardiff School of Psychology and is listed as a competition-funded project open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

Chronic Pain, Sensory Hypersensitivity and Neurodiversity

This project investigates the relationship between chronic pain, sensory hypersensitivity and neurodiversity.

The project is hosted by the Cardiff School of Psychology and is competition funded and open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

Pain as Neurobiological Surprise

This research project explores persistent pain using human brain imaging and animal studies.

It is hosted by the Cardiff School of Psychology and is listed as competition funded and open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

Search for Quantization of Space-Time with Photon Counting Interferometry

This project is hosted by the Cardiff School of Physics and Astronomy.

It is listed as a competition-funded PhD opportunity open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 30 October 2026.

Adaptive Virtual-Reality Exergaming for Physical and Cognitive Health in Older Adults

This research project is hosted by the Cardiff School of Healthcare Sciences.

It is competition funded and open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

Medication Adherence in Young People with First Episode Psychosis

This project is a longitudinal mixed-methods biopsychosocial study examining decision-making and medication adherence among young people experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

It is hosted by the Cardiff School of Healthcare Sciences and is listed as competition funded and open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

Mapping Cerebellar Network Dysfunction in Episodic Ataxia

This project is hosted by the Cardiff School of Biosciences and examines cerebellar network dysfunction using human organoids.

It is listed as competition funded and open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

From Multi-OMICs to Mechanism

This Cardiff School of Biosciences project focuses on understanding links between protein turnover and therapy resistance in glioblastoma stem cells.

It is listed as competition funded and open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

Gene-Diet Interaction and Psychiatric Risk

This project investigates gene-diet interactions and psychiatric risk, with a focus on FADS2 and dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids.

It is hosted by the Cardiff School of Biosciences and is competition funded and open to students worldwide.

Application deadline: 21 October 2026.

Funding Opportunities

The Cardiff University listing distinguishes between different funding statuses.

The current search page includes categories for

UK students

European students excluding the UK

Non-European students

Self-funded students

Applicants should therefore check the funding status attached to each individual PhD project rather than assuming that every listed doctoral opportunity carries the same funding arrangement.

The current first page also identifies some projects as directly funded and others as competition funded.

Application Deadlines

There is no single deadline covering all the listed PhD projects.

For example, the current listings show

CyberInvent — applications accepted all year round

Several Psychology, Healthcare Sciences and Biosciences projects — 21 October 2026

Photon-counting interferometry project — 30 October 2026

Applicants should therefore review the individual project page for the latest deadline, eligibility conditions and application procedure.

How to Find a Suitable PhD Project

Prospective applicants can use the Cardiff University PhD studentships and projects listing to search according to several criteria.

The listing provides filters for

Department

Supervisor

Discipline

Research Group

Funding Status

Keywords

This allows prospective students to narrow the available projects according to their academic interests, preferred supervisor, research field and funding circumstances.

Research Supervisors

The current Cardiff University listing includes a large number of potential PhD supervisors across different schools and disciplines.

The supervisor filter includes academics such as Dr Nitesh Kumar, Dr Mohammad Al-Amri, Prof Pete Burnap, Prof Mara Cercignani, Prof H. Grote, Prof P. Sumner, Dr George Tackley, Dr Yasir Syed and many others.

Applicants should examine the research interests of the supervisor attached to their selected project before applying.

Why Applicants Should Check Individual Projects

The 100 available projects do not all have identical funding arrangements, deadlines or eligibility requirements.

For example, the CyberInvent project is directly funded and accepts applications throughout the year, while several other projects are competition funded and have specific October 2026 deadlines.

Applicants should therefore avoid treating the entire listing as one single scholarship programme.

Instead, they should select a specific research project and review its individual requirements before submitting an application.

Application Portal: Cardiff University PHD Studentships

Conclusion

Cardiff University’s current PhD studentships and projects listing provides prospective doctoral researchers with access to 100 PhD opportunities across a broad range of academic disciplines.

The opportunities cover areas from artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering and physics to healthcare, psychology, biosciences, environmental sciences and other social and scientific disciplines.

Some projects are directly funded, while others are competition funded, and eligibility varies between projects. Several current opportunities are open to students worldwide, while others have more specific funding eligibility.

Interested applicants should use the university’s search filters to identify suitable projects, examine the funding status and deadline of their chosen opportunity, review the supervisor and research topic, and then follow the application instructions for that specific project.

Discover more opportunities on the OFY Webpage.

Individual projects have different application deadlines, so applicants should carefully check the requirements and closing date for their selected project.