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Study alongside internationally recognised academics at one of the UK's most research-intensive universities and pursue your own research career in education. As a postgraduate research student at the Institute of Education you will be part of a large, vibrant and diverse research community - around 70 students from all over the world study on our doctoral programmes. You will work alongside a thriving group of leading academics and postgraduate researchers.

We have a long and established track record of research excellence, working with a wide variety of academic, business and governmental partners to achieve significant social and educational benefits.

The quality of our research was recognised in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021), the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions, which placed the Institute of Education in the top quartile of Education departments in the UK. 98% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Education).

The majority of our research falls into two areas: Language and Literacy in Education and Improving Equity through Inclusion. We are part of the University's Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism.

All postgraduate research students automatically become members of the University-wide Doctoral and Researcher College. The College, housed in a dedicated building on Whiteknights campus, provides training, professional development, study space, advice and administrative support for the postgraduate research community at Reading.

Our students go on to work in academia as postdoctoral researchers, but also quickly find employment in widely varied fields with links to education in all its forms, be it scholastic, government policy, corporate, non-profit and public training strategy and all areas of the world that benefit from education in any format.

I've had an outstanding experience as a doctoral student in the Institute of Education. It is a bustling international community that I enjoyed being part of. I have been actively encouraged to take advantage of all opportunities to become a professional researcher through engagement not only with my own research but also with other students' of interest.

Dr Tomasz John

PhD

How we support you

You'll receive support from the Institute of Education, as well as the Doctoral and Researcher College, which is the University of Reading's hub for all doctoral activity.

Doctoral opportunities

Find out about our areas of expertise, our postgraduate supervision, and the broad range of areas related to education that the can be explored on our doctoral programmes.

How to apply for an EdD

How to apply for a PhD

Fees and funding

The University allocates around 150 entry awards each year in PhD studentships and bursaries, so there are many ways to access PhD funding.