The University of Leeds is advertising a competitive PhD on using past climates to improve predictions of future change. UK and international applicants may compete for funding. The deadline is 13 January 2027. Applicants should consider the research fit and financial conditions together before deciding whether to apply.
Research Focus
The work combines climate simulations with evidence from Earth’s past. It develops data-assimilation and uncertainty methods to investigate climate sensitivity. Machine learning supports simulation ensembles and the comparison with observations. Read the project description as a starting point for identifying a question that interests you, rather than assuming that every possible method will appear in the eventual thesis.
Location and Academic Team
The university base is Leeds, United Kingdom. The study links past and future climates. The School of Earth and Environment hosts the opportunity. It forms part of UNRISK. Dr Ruza Ivanovic is the named supervisor. The project includes collaboration with the Met Office.
Who Can Apply
Relevant backgrounds span physical, mathematical, climate, environmental and data sciences; programming or numerical-modelling experience is highly desirable. Check the current programme requirements for the precise qualifications and supporting documents needed. A relevant subject or an eligible nationality does not by itself guarantee admission or an award.
Funding and International Conditions
UNRISK offers 15–18 awards across the programme, covering full tuition, a UKRI-rate stipend, £6,000 individual research support and £5,000 cohort training per student. International awards are limited, with visa and Immigration Health Surcharge expenses remaining personal costs. Confirm the applicable stipend and written award terms before making financial commitments.
Exploring the Research Problem
For optional preparation, imagine two model configurations that both reproduce one observed feature but disagree about another. Ask which additional evidence would be most useful for distinguishing them and explain why. Consider whether rejecting one configuration establishes that the remaining configuration is correct in every respect. This is a hypothetical research-thinking exercise, not a prescribed case study, an admissions task or a statement about the results the successful applicant will obtain.
You could extend the example by considering observations that are themselves uncertain or describe different aspects of a system. Explain how you would avoid treating every measurement as exact or every comparison as independent without justification. Identify what your reasoning can establish and which assumptions remain open to challenge. A careful account of that distinction can show interest in evidence-constrained modelling without requiring you to claim specialist experience with every technique named in the announcement.
Presenting Evidence of Preparation
If you have completed a modelling or analytical project, explain the question, your individual contribution, the evidence used and the conclusion you could support. Describe a point where comparing a model with information changed your interpretation or revealed a limitation. If you mainly studied theory, use a genuine exercise to show how you investigated an assumption rather than implying that you carried out an observational research campaign. Identify the computational or subject skills you would want to develop and connect them to the advertised scientific problem. Where relevant, explain whether you assessed the result against a baseline or independent evidence, if either comparison was actually part of your work.
If supporting materials are requested, make your individual contribution clear when discussing work completed with other people. Distinguish a class exercise, an unpublished report and a peer-reviewed research output instead of presenting them as equivalent achievements. Explain what your evidence can establish and what remained unresolved, including any limitation that would matter to the conclusion. Adapt these preparation suggestions to the actual application questions, since optional advice does not add requirements to the programme’s document checklist or guarantee a particular assessment outcome.
How to Apply
Use the current programme instructions to establish the submission route and complete supporting-document checklist. Review the exact project title and academic contacts wherever the form asks you to identify your research preference. An informal academic conversation can clarify fit, but it does not replace a formal application or constitute an admission or funding offer.
- View scholarship details and follow the linked institutional application instructions.
- Identify this named project and check the current academic and funding requirements.
- Submit through the specified route by 13 January 2027 and retain confirmation.
Before Submitting
Information was checked on 23 October 2026. Reconfirm the deadline and current terms before submission, particularly where your ability to enrol depends on receiving an international award. Keep a copy of the final form and any written clarification that materially affects your eligibility, financial expectations or decision to accept an offer.