PhD in Film – Lancaster University

Institution providing the doctoral degree

Lancaster University

Location

Lancaster | England, United Kingdom

Name of PHD

PhD in Film

Research Clusters
  • Multimedia Arts, Audio-visual Techniques and Media Production
  • Film Studies

Duration
  • Full-time: 3/4 years
  • Part-time: 4/7 years

Public / Private institution

Public University

Financial terms of the PHD position
  • PhD fully funded and with a stipend by the university
  • PhD funded by the university but without a stipend
  • Self-funded PhD – you must provide both tuition and your own maintenance
  • PhD Fully or partially externally funded, with a stipend, through private or public foundations, scholarships, grants, one or more companies, or public institutions that you have to find on your own

It is important to know that many universities offer different funding options and public and private grants available to students who match the application criteria. Before applying, it is a good idea to check the institutions’ websites and inquire about the options available to you.

Many universities require applicants to pay fees such as matriculation or dissertation fees, even if they offer a fully funded programme with or without a stipend.

Fees:
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-courses/film-phd/2025/#overview

Funding resources:
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/ https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/arts-and-social-sciences/postgraduate-funding/phd/

Final output

You can take your Film Studies PhD at Lancaster either in the standard format of a written thesis, or as a project that combines the written thesis with creative practical work. Many of our academic staff are engaged with practice-based research in the fields of film, theatre, art and design, and we have a dedicated team of technicians to support you as well as workshops, editing suites and technical resources for our students.

How to apply

Online applications can be made via the postgraduate application portal which provides full details of what you need to include with your application. These will usually include:

  • transcripts of previous higher education (college/university) degrees or other courses that you have completed/for which you are currently studying. Note that, for transcripts in languages other than English, a certified English translation will be required.
  • 2 references, at least one must be an academic reference.
  • for those for whom English is not their first language, copies of English language test results.

Once your application has been received by the Postgraduate Admissions Office it will be checked to ensure all required documents have been submitted and it will then be passed on to the Department for consideration. You may be contacted by the Postgraduate Admissions Office or the Department to discuss your application further.

Additional Requirements by Scheme

  • In addition to the above requirements, we require a PhD Proposal Form. Once completed, please upload your proposal form to your online application.
  • Practice-based Research applicants are also required to submit a portfolio.

Portfolios
If you are applying for a Practice-based Research PhD you will need to submit a portfolio with your application.
What can I submit as a portfolio? The preferred submission would be an uploaded document to your application, for example, a pdf or a small music or video file. If it is not possible to upload your portfolio then we will accept the following formats:

  • DVD in a readable format
  • CD in a readable format
  • Book/bound portfolio (paperback or hardback)
  • A link to an online video site (such as YouTube) if the video quality is very good

What we will not accept as a portfolio:

  • A link to an online video site (such as YouTube) if the video quality is poor/average
  • A poor quality submission that does not allow the Department to clearly see/hear a demonstration of your practical work.

Personal Statement Guidance
Applicants are required to complete a Personal Statement (minimum 100 words) as part of the application process. Please use the following guidance on how to complete the Personal Statement in your own words:

  • Why did you choose Lancaster University and the course you are applying for?
  • What makes you a suitable candidate for the course you are applying for?
  • What can you contribute to the course?
  • What benefits do you expect to gain from the course?
  • How is the course related to your academic and/or career development?

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements
Master’s Degree: Master’s degree or equivalent in an appropriate discipline
Undergraduate Degree: 2:1 (Hons) degree (UK or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline
We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.
If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements
As part of your application you will also need to provide

  • A PhD Proposal form, which you can find on the Departmental website. You will need to upload your completed proposal form to your online application.
  • Practice based Research applicants are also required to submit a portfolio

English Language Requirements
We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.
We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.
If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Pre-master’s programmes
Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees.
Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contact / Web page
The LICA postgraduate coordinator | lica-pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-courses/film-phd/2025/#overview

Additional information

As a PhD student based in LICA and part of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), the student will be part of a multidisciplinary community of research students, able to participate in seminars, reading groups, conferences, and research training courses. We also offer opportunities to study for a certificate in higher education teaching.

Info for international students:

About the required VISA to stay in UK:
They have a visa and immigration center with experts available for any support, advice or guidance:

They also have lots of advice and guidance on the visa and immigration support page:
Visas and immigration

Languages used within the program and for thesis writing and discussion: English.