About the course

Our inventions are making the world a better place – in air travel, the internet and in life-saving medical devices. We received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our expertise in fibre optics and photonics. Get into Photonics and transform society You'll study at our dedicated Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) based at the Zepler Institute. We have more than 90 state-of-the-art photonics labs to work in and over 200 researchers working in photonics, physics and advanced materials.

　　We'll make sure you have a thorough grounding in photonics and you'll be supported by a supervisor who'll guide your research. Your supervisor will encourage you to attend international conferences and write journal papers and also recommend additional courses to develop your skills. Courses include training in report writing, project management, time management, presentation skills and safety training. Our PhD students and postdoctoral researchers have made successful careers in universities worldwide or as scientists and business leaders in industry. The quality of our research outputs, the cluster of spin-off companies and the worldwide network of successful alumni place the ORC amongst the top institutes worldwide for doctoral research.

　　We'll also introduce you to the the University of Southampton Optics and Photonics Society (OPSoc), which is the hub of a wide variety of social and professional activity among our students. Scholarships - View all scholarships Internships

　　

Start dates and prices

Course fees are indicative and should be used as a guide. Speak to a counsellor to get an accurate price.

　　Duration: 2 Year(s)Fees: Not available

Intake	Location
Autumn (September), 2026	Southampton

　　

How to apply

Entry requirements for University of Southampton

You'll need a UK bachelor’s or master’s degree 2:1 honours or higher in a relevant subject or equivalent qualification.

　　If English is not your first language, you'll need an IELTS minimum level of 6.0 with a 5.5 in writing, reading, speaking and listening, or equivalent. More information can be found here.

　　Your awarded certificate needs to be dated within the last 2 years.

　　If you need further English language tuition before starting your degree, you can apply for one of our pre-sessional English language courses.

　　TOEFL iBT- 92

　　

English language requirements

　　6.0

　　Overall IELTS band score

　　Book IELTS

　　About IELTS

　　Practice and prepare

　　TOEFL Internet based overall score: 92.0

　　

Application deadline:

This date isn’t available – speak to an IDP counsellor to get detailed information.

　　

Further information

Career outcomesIf you aren’t eligible for the above entry requirements, you might want to explore pathway options at University of Southampton. If you want to find out more, please speak to our counsellors.

　　Pathway options to study at this institution

　　

Reviews and rankings

World ranking

　　97th / 1250

　　THE World ranking17th / 130

　　Complete University guide

　　

What our students think

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