ReNU+ welcomes and encourages applications from candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. Find out more about this via the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion page.
Deadline for PhD applications is 3rd February 2025 for a PhD start date of 1st October 2025. All applicants should review the application process and other information in the drop-down sections below before applying via FindaPhD.
For further information please see the drop down section below or visit the Studentships page.
If you have any questions or queries please contact us.
ReNU+ welcomes and encourages applications from candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences such as:
Find out further information at the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion page.
Programme Duration: 4 years (Full Time). Studentships are also available for applicants who wish to study on a part-time basis (please see individual adverts on findaphd for further details).
Funding: Each studentship supports a full stipend, paid for four years at UKRI rates (for 2025/26 full-time study this is £20,780 per year) and full tuition fees and a Research Training Support Grant (for travel, consumables, and further training). UK and international (including EU) candidates may apply.
Please access the FindaPhD landing page for ReNU+ here.
If you do not hold the entry requirements but you feel you have evidence of relevant skills and expertise that is equivalent, please get in touch with both the project contact and relevant institution director.
Please note: to be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:
If a candidate does not meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student. Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence, and be aware of the following additional costs that may be incurred, as these are not covered by the studentship.
Immigration Health Surcharge https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application
If you need to apply for a Student Visa to enter the UK, please refer to the information on https://www.gov.uk/student-visa. It is important that you read this information very carefully as it is your responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct funds required for your visa application otherwise your visa may be refused.
Costs associated with English Language requirements which may be required for students not having completed a first degree in English, will not be borne by the university. Please see individual adverts for further details of the English Language requirements for the university you are applying to.
Please access the FindaPhD landing page for ReNU+ here.
Deadline for application: 3rd February 2025
PhD Start Date : 1st October 2025
Please see individual ReNU+ CDT project advertisements on findaphd and follow the instructions on how to apply detailed within the project advertisement.
If you wish to discuss your application informally and/or if you do not hold the entry requirements but you feel you have evidence of relevant skills and expertise that is equivalent, then please contact the relevant ReNU+ Institution Director for the project you are interested in which at Northumbria is Prof Vincent Barrioz (vincent.barrioz@northumbria.ac.uk), at Newcastle, Prof Elizabeth Gibson (elizabeth.gibson@newcastle.ac.uk) and at Durham, Prof Chris Groves (chris.groves@durham.ac.uk).
You will need to prepare and upload the following documents to the University Application Portal:
By submitting your application to ReNU+ you are agreeing for your data to be used as described in the ReNU+ privacy notice.
We need a supply of talented next-generation leaders who will drive getting towards Net Zero. Programs like ReNU and ReNU Plus really focus on making sure those people understand the wider context for energy, not just their individual research project, but also things like the energy system, energy policy, and also finance and economics associated with getting towards Net Zero.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD?
"I'm a PhD scholar in Northumbria University funded by ReNU. I chose to pursue my PhD because of my passion in material science and engineering and to contribute towards the digital sustainable technologies. "
"I decided to pursue a PhD was because I really enjoyed my master's project and I realized that doing more research would probably be very interesting to me. The long answer is that I've always thought of research as one of the things I wanted to do so it made sense in terms of my future path."
Why did you choose to apply for the ReNU program specifically?
"I chose to apply in the ReNU program specifically because it focuses on the interdisciplinary research and the renewable energy. ReNU is actually part of three universities that is Northumbria, Newcastle and Durham University. So this gives us more support from various experts in the field and the state of art that we are working on."
"The ReNU training program brings in a lot of support so there's to begin with very wide lectures on what kind of problems we're facing in terms of reaching net zero or just the energy problem. There's also a lot of help with careers advice and stuff like progression."
What would you say are the benefits of being part of a cohort of students?
"The benefits for being part of the cohort of students is that it creates a collaborative environment for everyone and we all can interact with each other and this creates a good support network and exchange of ideas and research which actually helps us in our research. And secondly, with the help of this, we can have access to various labs, be it Northumbria University, be it Durham University or Newcastle University, for example, in my research I need TEM for morphological studies of the films. And it's not in Northumbria University and I'm planning to use the one that is in Durham. So it actually helps to overcome the barriers."
"Being part of a cohort is really motivating for me because I can talk about what I'm facing and find someone with similar problems or find solace in the fact that we're all stuck in the same problems but also it's more than that it's sharing experiences and ways to deal with certain problems that a normal PhD student might not be able to have."
In terms of the ReNU Plus program specifically, what would your advice be to future students who might be interested in that?
"I would highly recommend that they join the ReNU Plus program. They're going to find access to a lot of different resources within the program spanning from biology, physics, electrical engineering and chemistry and they're going to have crossovers with industry partners to find job opportunities as they go further afield."
Please see below for answers to frequently asked questions. For any further queries or if you need further clarification, please email renu@northumbria.ac.uk
Can I apply if I already have a PhD from elsewhere?
Durham University and Northumbria University will not accept applications if you are already a PhD holder. Home students can apply for a second PhD under a different research area for Newcastle University projects but International students are advised to check with their visa team at visa@ncl.ac.uk whether they are eligible for a second research degree before applying.
How do I apply for a project I am interested in?
Projects are advertised on FindaPhD but to apply you would need to submit a formal application via individual university's applicant portal/website. The link to apply will be within the findaphd project advert you are interested in.
I have questions about the project and application, who do I contact?
If your query is an academic query about the project, please contact the project supervisor. If you wish to discuss your application informally and/or if you do not hold the entry requirements but you feel you have evidence of relevant skills and expertise that is equivalent, then please contact the relevant ReNU+ Institution Director for the project you are interested in which at Northumbria is Prof Vincent Barrioz (vincent.barrioz@northumbria.ac.uk), at Newcastle, Prof Elizabeth Gibson (elizabeth.gibson@newcastle.ac.uk) and at Durham, Prof Chris Groves (chris.groves@durham.ac.uk). For all other enquiries relating to eligibility or application process please email the institution’s admissions team. For Northumbria this is pgr.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk , for Newcastle this is pgadmissions@newcastle.ac.uk and for Durham please submit your query via their form.
Can I do a part-time PhD ?
Yes please see individual findaphd project adverts for further info or contact the relevant ReNU+ Institution Director/admissions team. Please note that if you are classed as an International fee student, there are certain visa restrictions/requirements at the different universities and this is mentioned in the project adverts on FindaPhD or you can contact respective university’s admission team for further info.
Do you offer remote / distance learning PhD ?
We are not able to offer distance learning PhDs. Part-time study is an option but you would still need to be campus based.
Does the studentship cover International student tuition fee?
Yes full tuition fee is covered for both UK and International (including EU) students, and for both full-time and part-time PhD. However, the studentship does not cover the Immigration Health Surcharge, student visa and costs associated with English language requirements.
I need the information in an alternative format. Who do I contact?
Please contact the ReNU team via our contact us form or email renu@northumbria.ac.uk with your requirements.
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