Admission Guidelines

When to Apply

There are two annual intakes for the RSIS PhD Programme – January and August.

• To be considered for the January intake, submit your application online from 01 June to 31 July.
• To be considered for the August intake, submit your application online from 01 October to 30 November.

Admission Requirements

• A Bachelor’s Degree (2:1 or higher degree classification, or equivalent)
• A Master’s degree in a related discipline
• Well articulated PhD research proposal
  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to tailor their research proposals to fit into one of the three PhD programme specialisations on offer at RSIS, namely International Political Economy, International Relations or Strategic Studies.
  • Applicants are also advised to discuss their research proposal with RSIS faculty member(s) whom they wish to have as their main supervisor, and indicate the names of the faculty member(s) in the research proposal.
  • Detailed faculty profiles are available here
  • The research proposal should be around 10 pages and incorporate the following elements:
    1.  Title;
    2.  Research puzzle/question(s);
    3.  Literature review and potential contributions of the PhD research to the field;
    4.  Research design, including theoretical framework(s)/hypotheses and methodology;
    5.  Potential challenges in conducting the research;
    6.  Organisational structure of thesis;
    7.  Timeline for writing the thesis;
    8.  References/bibliography.

• Demonstrated competency in English: applicants who have completed their Bachelor’s degree for which English is not the language of instruction are required to demonstrate English proficiency with TOEFL/IELTS scores.
  • Test dates must be within 2 years from the date of application.
  • A TOEFL test score of minimum 100 or a IELTS score of minimum 7.0. is required.

The Admission Committee will consider the following in making their decision:

• Past academic record
• PhD research proposal
• Ability to undertake independent research in the proposed field
• Writing ability
• References
• Relevant work experience
• Other factors

Presently, the School admits all students as probationary research students. At the end of the first 18 months, students must demonstrate that their research proposals are worthy of PhD confirmation.

Important Notes to Applicants

Please read the instructions below carefully before completing the application form:

1. Applications for the PhD Programme are to be submitted entirely online. Applicants must complete the online application form and attach scanned copies of all required supporting documents as listed in the ‘How to Apply’ section. Incomplete applications, including incomplete submission of documents, will not be processed. Unless otherwise advised, submission of documents through email will not be considered.
2. Before submission of the online application form, applicants should thoroughly check the information entered as no changes will be allowed post-submission.
3. Supporting documents, if not in English, must be accompanied by scanned certified copies translated in English.
4. Please take note of your application number as it is required for any enquires.
5. Successful candidates who are offered admission must produce their original degree certificates and transcripts when they matriculate.

We kindly ask that you do not use AI to complete your application. If detected, the usage of AI will risk the disqualification of your application.