MPhil and PhD Opportunities in Slavonic Studies at the University of Cambridge

 The Slavonic Studies Section at the University of Cambridge invites applications from qualified students for a 1-year MPhil or 3-year PhD in Slavonic Studies, beginning in Autumn 2027. 

The Slavonic Studies Section engages in the advanced study of Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, with an emphasis on cultural history from the medieval period to the present day. It is home to a dynamic annual programme of public lectures, research seminars, conferences, and exhibitions. Its intellectual vitality is particularly evident in the fields of pre-modern East Slavic culture; Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian literatures of the 19th and 20th centuries; Slavonic linguistics; nationalism studies; history of science and medicine; print culture and media studies; law and humanities; and film and visual culture. We encourage applications from students who work comparatively across Slavonic cultures and languages, as well as those who focus on individual ones. 

 

The Slavonic Studies Section is part of the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, which offers a 1-year MPhil in Literature, Culture, and Thought (LCT) in which students can focus on Slavonic topics. To apply for the PhD programme, students must have completed an MA or MPhil. Candidates may also apply to the MPhil in Film and Screen Studies (FSS), in which supervision for work on Slavonic topics is available.

 

Funding is available for both the MPhil and the PhD. For US students interested in applying for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the deadline is 14 October 2026. The deadlines for most other funding applications are 8 December 2026 for PhD applications and 6 January 2027 for MPhil applications. Self-funded applicants will continue to be considered for any remaining places in these programmes until the final deadline of 13 May 2027. Please see the website for details on applications and funding. 

The University of Cambridge has repeatedly been judged the best in the UK for Russian and East European Languages (covering Languages, Literature, Society, and Culture) in the University Subject Tables compiled by The Complete University Guide. Our section also works in close collaboration with the Cambridge Committee for Central and East European and Eurasian Studies (CamCCEEES) and the Cambridge Centre for Research in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CRASSH).

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the Slavonic Studies Postgraduate Officer, Prof. Anna Berman, with any questions.