Key information
Duration
- Full-time: 24 months (2-4 years, full-time).
- Part-time: 36 months, flexible (3-6 years, part-time).
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting January 2027: Apply before Oct 2026 (International, estimated deadline); Apply before Dec 2026 (National, estimated deadline).
Language
English — TOEFL iBT minimum score of 80.
Delivered
On Campus
Campus Location
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Disciplines
Design, Visual Arts, Literature
Overview
The Children's Book Illustration PhD programme at Anglia Ruskin University encourages individual, practice led research projects that explore aspects of the art of children's book illustration from the perspective of high-level practice.
We look for research proposals that are informed by personal practice and demonstrate an ambition to examine an area or aspect of children's book illustration through a combination of creative and theoretical enquiry. Using your personal creative practice as a research tool, you'll produce distinctive contributions to the growing knowledge pool in this area.
Learning outcomes
- All your subject-specific studies will be enhanced and supported by our University-wide training sessions, where you'll gain important research expertise in areas like ethics, presentations, intellectual property and digital scholarship. You'll also have access to many exhibition and conference opportunities.
Programme Structure
Curriculum:
- At Cambridge School of Art, you'll be part of a vibrant and growing community of researchers at PhD level.
- We provide various research forums that accentuate the discursive and interdisciplinary nature of research, including research clusters that hold regular seminars and informal presentations for postgraduate and research students, as well the Centre for Children's Book Studies.
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.
English requirements
TOEFL iBT minimum score of 80.
Other requirements
General requirements
- PhD: You'll need a Masters degree or equivalent in a related subject area.
- If English is not your first language, you'll require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (or equivalent test). If you don't meet our English language requirements, we offer a range of courses which could help you achieve the level required for entry.
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are shown in AUD and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.
International
Non-residents — Applies to you: 29,896 AUD / year ≈ 15,900 GBP / year
Domestic
Citizens or residents — Applies to you: 8,999 AUD / year ≈ 4,786 GBP / year
Living costs — Cambridge, United Kingdom
1,591-2,755 AUD / month. The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Scholarships
Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Children's Book Illustration.
Available Scholarships
- Sport Scholarship — Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Grant: 12,500 GBP. Deadline: Anytime. Merit-based.
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program — U.S. government. Grant: Various benefits. Deadline: 07 Oct 2026.
- ACES Scholarships — ACES Education Fund. Grant: 3,500 USD. Deadline: 15 Nov 2026.
- ServiceScape Scholarship — ServiceScape. Grant: 1,000 USD. Deadline: 30 Nov 2026.
- Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation. Grant: Various benefits. Deadline: Not specified. Merit-based.
- Scholarships for PhD Students — Junhua Li. Grant: 19,000 GBP. Deadline: Not specified. Merit-based.
- Boustany Astronomy PhD Scholarship — Boustany Foundation. Grant: Various benefits. Deadline: 28 Feb 2027. Merit-based.
- Amberscholar Scholarship — Amber Scholar. Grant: 6,000 USD. Deadline: 31 Jan 2027. Merit-based.
- $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship — IvyPanda. Grant: 1,000 USD. Deadline: 31 Oct 2026. Merit-based.
- Voice Talent Online Scholarship — Voice Talent Online. Grant: 1,000 USD. Deadline: 01 Mar 2027.
- Dream Chaser Scholarship — Salvado Law. Grant: 1,000 USD. Deadline: 13 Jan 2027. Merit-based.
- Scholarship for students with disabilities — Anonymous Hope Fund. Grant: 3,000 USD. Deadline: 31 Dec 2026. Need-based.
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids — UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Grant: 22,500 GBP. Deadline: Not specified.
- Grants of the Leopold Figl Foundation for students with residence in Lower Austria — Leopold Figl Foundation. Grant: Various benefits. Deadline: 31 Dec 2026. Need-based.
- The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship — IELTS from 6 to 9. Grant: 1,500 USD. Deadline: Not specified.
- Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme — The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme. Grant: 12,000 USD. Deadline: 11 Jan 2027.