Postgraduate research study
We offer an enhanced PhD training programme to address the world’s demand for individuals with scientific expertise in AI and machine perception, as well as professional and cross-disciplinary skills required to develop and deploy future AI intelligent sensing technologies for modern life.
We acknowledge, understand and embrace diversity.
Postgraduate research at CVSSP
There is no better time to join us!
Our vision is to engage PhD, post-doctoral and industry researchers in AI and machine perception across the UK in high-quality training and networking with industry to ensure that the UK leads the future development of this field.
Our training programme enables PhD students to gain the research skills needed to obtain an internationally-recognised PhD including:
- Multi-disciplinary knowledge of the fundamental science and practical application of multi-sensory machine perception
- Experience of applying their research in industry and the public sector to real-world challenges and data; understanding of responsible research and innovation
- Transferable skills such as entrepreneurship and communication, including engineering competence skills suitable for professional registration (EurIng, CEng)
- An open science approach to research, through open publication of research papers, data and software
- Entrepreneurial and innovation-oriented attitude through exposure to SME and spin-off companies in our network.
CVSSP is a destination of choice for postgraduate talent and it is part of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
What we offer
- Cohort-based research training with training weeks on transferable skills, science schools on research topics and facilitated sandpits for agile cross-disciplinary team solution to industry challenges
- Individual research training to develop in- depth research experience and specific skills tailored for the individual and their personal career development plan
- Opportunities for engagement with non-academic industry and user partners throughout the research programme incl. project design, training in industrial practice and industrial secondments. The learning objective is to ensure that all PhD researchers gain a cross-disciplinary understanding of both the fundamental science and real-world application of multi-sensory machine perception.
We have a thriving community of over 90 postgraduate research students conducting research across a broad range of areas. Our research cohorts are internationally diverse with students from all over the world, studying on a full or part-time basis. View our research or contact the relevant academic with an informal enquiry.
Postgraduate research courses start in October, January, April and July and run for 48 months full time. Offers may be conditional of applicants achieving the minimum requirements for IELTS and having satisfactory academic qualifications. Contact our team (cvsspadmin@surrey.ac.uk) if you have an enquiry.
What our students say
Studentship opportunities
Our Centre for Doctoral Training in Audio-Visual Machine Perception offers an enhanced doctoral training programme to address industry demand for individuals with cross-disciplinary scientific expertise in AI and machine perception, working in teams with integrated professional skills in software, project management, innovation and understanding of ethics and regulation of AI and data science research.
PhD Studentship in Designing AI for Home Wellbeing through Participatory Design
Funding information:
UKRI standard stipend funded by University of Surrey (the current stipend is £19,237 per annum for 3.5 years, which will increase each year in line with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) rate).A research training support grant of £3,000 total is available to cover travel, conferences, and consumables.Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship in AI-Enabled Digital Accessibility (ADA)
Funding information:
Fully funded 4 year studentship (48 months of full-time study) covers home or international tuition fees, maintenance at UKRI base levels (£19,237 for 2024/25) and £10,000 to support the individual student’s research and training needs.Fully funded PhD Studentship in AI and Journalism
Funding information:
UKRI standard studentshipStipend: £1,600 per month (£19,237 per year). This is tax free.Fees: UK home rate fees. In exceptional cases, we may be able to waive the non-UK fees for an exceptional international/European candidate.Research, training and support: £3,000 over the project.
Transform future media experiences
Six fully-funded PhD studentships including fees and stipend available for outstanding candidates to join the BBC partnership 'AI4ME' at the Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP) at the University of Surrey.
Our research has pioneered new technologies for the benefit of society and the economy, with applications spanning healthcare, security, entertainment, robotics, autonomous vehicles, communication and audio-visual data analysis.
We have unique facilities to support audio-visual machine perception research, including: A multiple camera audio-visual recording studio with 16 Ultra HD cameras, video rate capture and processing, a 64 channel sound sphere, and robot vision platforms including a new autonomous car testbed.
Find out more about PhD study at the University of Surrey from the people at the heart of our doctoral research community – our incredible students and academics.
PhD programme details
Please contact Nan Bennett (n.bennett@surrey.ac.uk) once you have applied for a PhD position or successfully submitted a PhD online application form.
