Masters Compare - Find your perfect masters course.
Masters Compare - Find your perfect masters course.
Deadline: 31 July 2026
Wales
Open to: UK fee eligible applicants only
Funding Providers: STFC
Subject Area: Theoretical Cosmology
Project Start Dates: October 2026
** (Please see the note below regarding potential later start dates.)
Supervisors:
Aligned programme of study: Physics, Ph.D.
Mode of study: Full time
Place of study: Swansea University (Singleton Campus)
Project description:
This PhD project will investigate theoretical aspects of quantum field theory in cosmological spacetimes, with a particular focus on the physics of the early Universe. It will explore the behaviour of quantum fields in expanding backgrounds, including particle production, the dynamics of cosmological perturbations, and the emergence of effectively classical observables from primordial quantum fluctuations.
A central theme of the project will be the role of quantum information concepts in cosmology. Notions such as entanglement, quantum coherence, and information flow offer new perspectives on the quantum-to-classical transition, as well as on the structure and evolution of quantum correlations generated during the early Universe. These questions will be addressed using frameworks from open quantum systems, decoherence, and non-equilibrium quantum dynamics, providing a unified description of quantum fields interacting with a cosmological environment.
The project will further aim to connect these theoretical developments with potential observable signatures. In particular, it will investigate how quantum information–theoretic features may be encoded in cosmological and astrophysical observables, and how they could be accessed through next-generation probes, including gravitational-wave observatories, measurements of the cosmic microwave background, and emerging concepts inspired by quantum sensing technologies.
The research will be primarily theoretical, relying on analytical methods from quantum field theory, general relativity, and cosmology, with interdisciplinary links to statistical physics and quantum information theory.
**In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the discretion of the University and/or the relevant funding body, a deferral of offer may be granted to the next available enrolment period. Such deferral will typically not exceed a duration of three calendar months from the originally stipulated commencement date. Please note that only one deferral may be considered, and any such deferral is not guaranteed.
PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University).
English Language
IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.0) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here.
UK fee eligible applicants only
Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA (Full list of categories for HE in Wales)
This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £21,805 for 2026/27).
Additional research expenses of up to £1,000 per year will also be available.
UK fee eligible applicants only
Note for applicants holding international and/or European qualifications: details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.
If you have questions regarding your academic eligibility based on the above, email [email protected] with the link to the scholarships you are interested in.
Please note that the programme requires some applicants to hold ATAS clearance, further details on ATAS scheme eligibility are available on the UK Government website.
ATAS clearance IS NOT required to be held as part of the scholarship application process. Successful award winners (as appropriate) are provided with details as to how to apply for ATAS clearance in tandem with a scholarship course offer.
Discover a range of postgraduate research funding opportunities at Swansea University Now more than ever, we recognise the importance of offering a ...
