How to apply

Entry requirements

Applicants must demonstrate a high academic standard and relevant professional experience.

• Academic standard: At least a UK High II.i Honours Degree or international equivalent. If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country.
• English language standard: For those whose first language is not English and who have not previously studied for a degree in an English language university, we require evidence of proficiency in English at this level:
  • an IELTS score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component, or
  • a TOEFL score of 110 (with a minimum of 25 in each individual component).
• Professional experience: Applicants will be expected to have at least two years of experience working outside academia in professional role, though exceptions may be considered for outstanding candidates. This programme is curated for professionals with 2-5 years of experience at the nexus of technology and society. We are seeking candidates who wish to work at the frontier of digital transformation, whether they have shaped technology policy in the public sector, navigated the regulatory landscape in the private sector, or advocated for digital rights in civil society.

Please note: If you are not predicted to achieve these academic requirements it is very unlikely you will be offered a place on the course as we receive a large volume of applications from very well qualified applicants. If you do not achieve the required English language scores you will not be admitted.

Modes of study (full-time and part-time)

Applicants can apply to study either full-time: 9 months or part-time: 18 months. The admit term for both modes of study is Michaelmas Term (October) each year.

Full-time study

Full-time students will have a University ‘Terms of Residency’ requirement to fulfil. The ‘Terms of Residency’ requirement means that research students must live within ten miles of the city centre for the duration of their course, apart from when they take pre-arranged short breaks agreed with their supervisor, or when they are conducting research away from Cambridge.

Part-time study

It is important to note that the part-time study at Cambridge is not a distance-learning course, and part-time students will have a ‘Terms of Attendance’ requirement to fulfil.

• Home students: Part-time study is a suitable option for those applicants who wish to continue working alongside their studies; and who will also have the flexibility to attend the two ‘in person’ terms in Cambridge.
• International students:
  • Please note: International students who require a Student visa to study in the UK are expected to apply for the full‑time programme. The University is not able to provide visa support for part-time MPhil courses.
  • The part‑time option is only available to students who already hold UK immigration permission that allows study.

For the two terms of required ‘in person attendance’ students will be expected to live in Cambridge and attend all the department’s scheduled seminar teaching, supervisions, and other key elements of the course.

For the two terms of ‘hybrid attendance’ students will not be required to be live in Cambridge; but will be expected to attend the department scheduled seminar teaching, supervisions, and other key elements of the course either in person or catch up later online.

For additional information on part-time study, please read through the Part-Time Postgraduate Study Guide before you apply.

Guidance on completing the online application form

Information on the MPhil in Digital Policy course can be found on this Postgraduate Admissions course webpage. Key points to note before you start your application:

1. There is an application fee of (GBP Sterling) £85 per application. You can make the payment by providing your card details when you submit the online application. Please note: Some applicants may be eligible for an application fee waiver. This is dependent on your country of residence, or a scholarship you have applied for, please click the link above for further information.
2. Your application will not be complete without (i) the required supporting documentation and (ii) two (academic) references. 
3. Applications must be submitted using the Postgraduate Application Portal.

Please see the Postgraduate Application Guide for further information on the application process.

Statement of Interest (800 words in length)

Your statement of interest should (i) capture more broadly why are you interested in digital policy research (for example: What are the digital policy themes or issues that attract you, and why); and (ii) outline some of your reasons you wish to study digital policy topics at this level. You should mention specific academic interests you have in the field of digital policy, and how you see these fitting in with your medium and long-term plans.

Research Experience (1,500 characters maximum)

Please include any previous academic research experience you think would be beneficial to your application.

Career Goals (1,000 characters maximum)

Please state how you see taking this course would help you meet your career goals.

Research

Please provide the following information:

• A research title.
• Research summary. (1,500 characters maximum)
• Research supervisor (optional). If you have a preference as to who you may want to be your supervisor, please state their name on the form.

This information will help us with allocating a dissertation supervisor if you are successful in receiving an offer and subsequently admitted onto the course

Application outcome

Applications will not be considered by the department until they are released by the Postgraduate Study Admissions Office. Complete applications (i.e. an application form, supporting documents and two references) are considered on a rolling basis up until the application deadline. Decisions are usually made within twelve weeks of receiving a complete application. Applicants will be notified as soon as a decision has been made.

Incomplete applications

• Inactive applications will be automataically withdrawn by Postgraduate Study Admissions Office, and the department will not see them. 
• Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding, even if they were started before the funding deadlines. The department will not chase applicants for missing documents or references. If they are still incomplete by the application deadline, the Postgraduate Study Admissions Office will automatically withdraw them.

Supporting documents

The following documents must be uploaded with your application:

• Two references. Preferably two academic references, otherwise, one academic reference and one professional reference.
• Personal reference. This is only required if you are intending to apply for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and this referee must submit a reference setting out how they meet the scholarship’s criteria.
• Academic transcripts. A transcript is an official summary of your academic record and the marks you have obtained to date. You will need to provide academic transcripts and certificates for each degree you have taken.  If you are currently studying, you can provide an interim or unofficial transcript in your application.
• Evidence of competence in English if English is not your first language. You can check if you meet the University’s English compentency requirements on the English Language Requirements webpage. You do not have to have a language test certificate when you submit your application. Whilst it is preferable, you can upload a language test certificate at any point in the application process. If an offer of a place on the course was to be made, it could be included as one of the conditions of your admission.
• Your current CV.
• A sample of written work. (1,000 words in length).
  • You will need to submit one sample of your academic writing, for which you are the sole author. We will not accept a piece of work you have written collaboratively with others.
  • This should detail a policy issue of interest, why it is important and how it should be tackled.
  • There is no specific requirement for the essay. It can be presented in the format of a policy brief or as a conventional essay. The sample of written work is more about showing your academic abilities and style of writing. A reference list or bibliography will not be included in the word count; however, footnotes will be included in the word count.