About us

The Philosophy programme at Royal Holloway offers a broad range of research supervision, with academic staff working both the Anglo-American and European traditions, as well expertise in the history of philosophy.

Our areas of specialism include pragmatism, Wittgenstein, applied ethics, Kant and the Post-Kantian tradition,nineteenth-centuryy German philosophy (Hegel, Schelling), twentieth century French philosophy (Merleau-Ponty, Deleuze), and Greek philosophy.

Prospective applicants for research degrees are in the first instance encouraged to make contact with a prospective supervisor.

For detailed information on how to apply for our Philosophy PhD course see here.

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Research facilities and environment

Our staff regularly organise conferences and there is a regular programme of visiting speakers and reading groups. As part of the University of London, our research students have full access to the wide range of philosophy events taking place in London, such as those held at the Institute of Philosophy.

Assessment

A PhD is awarded to students who produce a substantial piece of original research in the form of a thesis of up to 100,000 words.

Entry requirements

Usually, you will need a good first degree in philosophy and a relevant Masters degree. Applicants are considered on a case-by-case basis.

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
TOEFL ib: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see here.

Your future career

A number of previous research students have gone on to secure academic positions.

Fees & funding

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £19,700

Other essential costs***: There are no individual costs greater than £50 per item.

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2024/25.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry. For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25. 

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually, based on the UK’s Retail Price Index (RPI). Please therefore be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information, please see our terms and conditions.

*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included. 