skip to content

Postgraduate Study

The Wellcome Sanger Institute occasionally takes on research MPhil students providing they have the support of a faculty member at the Institute. To obtain support from a faculty member, students should contact them directly. For information on our faculty members’ research interests, please visit the Potential Supervisors page on the Sanger Institute website.

This is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time research MPhil, which starts in October. Assessment is by submission of a thesis and an oral examination. 

Please note that part-time study may not be viable, depending on the project, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you are considering part-time study, please reach out to the Sanger Institute Postgraduate Office (gradoffice@sanger.ac.uk) to discuss this option before making an application for this mode of study.

The MPhil aims to provide research opportunities in the field of genomic science that reflect the unique nature of Sanger Institute science, with an emphasis on large-scale, high-throughput approaches and the development of a blend of wet-lab and computational skills. The Institute also aims to provide students with general research and transferable skills training in addition to training in their specific research area.

Applicants will generally have a bioscience background, but applicants with a computational or mathematical background can also apply.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the MPhil, students will be expected to have acquired a detailed understanding of the relevant areas of genomics that underlie their research project and written a thesis on their work (of not more than 20,000 words in length, excluding tables, footnotes, bibliography and appendices). They will also be expected to have attended courses or lectures on general research and transferable skills, covering subjects such as bioinformatics, statistics, ethics, research integrity, scientific writing and presentation skills, together with the Institute’s Postgraduate Student Lecture Series and student journal club.


Continuing

Students who want to continue to a PhD have to apply through the usual Wellcome Sanger Institute PhD application process.


Open Days

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the Postgraduate Open Day page for more details.

See further the Postgraduate Admissions Events pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Apply Now

Key Information


12 months full-time

24 months part-time

Study Mode : Research

Master of Philosophy

Wellcome Sanger Institute

Course - related enquiries

Application - related enquiries

Course on Department Website

Dates and deadlines:

Applications open
Sept. 15, 2022
Application deadline
Oct. 4, 2023
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2024

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 15, 2022
Application deadline
Jan. 15, 2024
Course Starts
April 17, 2024

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Michaelmas 2024

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
May 16, 2024
Course Starts
Oct. 1, 2024

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
Oct. 2, 2024
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
Jan. 15, 2025
Course Starts
April 17, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Course Funding Deadline
Dec. 5, 2023
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 11, 2023

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.


Similar Courses