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Cambridge PhD POLIS Applicants 2025

Hi all,

I just made this thread to track progress for PhD POLIS and Dev Studies applicants, I've applied to PhD Dev Studies but haven't heard anything back yet, even though interviews were meant to be held over the last week or two.

Has anyone heard back about interviews at this stage, or are others also in the same boat?

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Reply 1

Interviewed on the 15th for the PhD in Politics. Judging by last year's results, we'll know towards the end of January/beginning of February.

Reply 2

I was likewise interviewed for the PhD in POLIS in the week they indicated

Reply 3

Original post
by Anonymous
Hi all,
I just made this thread to track progress for PhD POLIS and Dev Studies applicants, I've applied to PhD Dev Studies but haven't heard anything back yet, even though interviews were meant to be held over the last week or two.
Has anyone heard back about interviews at this stage, or are others also in the same boat?

Is your status in the applicant portal "Under review by department - Your application is currently under review."?

I haven't heard back yet as well and it's been like this for weeks. To be fair, I also applied for Gates so maybe that's why it's taking quite slow? I dunno. At this stage, I'm not really hopeful.

Reply 4

Original post
by Anonymous
Is your status in the applicant portal "Under review by department - Your application is currently under review."?
I haven't heard back yet as well and it's been like this for weeks. To be fair, I also applied for Gates so maybe that's why it's taking quite slow? I dunno. At this stage, I'm not really hopeful.

That's right, status is the same. Did you apply to PhD Dev Studies too, or POLIS? I've still not had an interview invite, I think only successful applicants get interviewed, maybe I'm wrong, not sure.

Reply 5

The wait is torture. I've been checking over a 100 this each day. Even though I sort of got an informal acceptance during the interview I'm tweaking

Reply 6

Original post
by Anonymous
That's right, status is the same. Did you apply to PhD Dev Studies too, or POLIS? I've still not had an interview invite, I think only successful applicants get interviewed, maybe I'm wrong, not sure.

Just in Dev Studies. Still waiting 😓

Reply 7

POLIS applicant, applied on the December deadline.

For those of you who have been following this topics in prev years, if you don't get an interview invite in the indicated week does that mean that the application has been unsuccessful?

Reply 8

Original post
by Anonymous
POLIS applicant, applied on the December deadline.
For those of you who have been following this topics in prev years, if you don't get an interview invite in the indicated week does that mean that the application has been unsuccessful?

If you're not studying at POLIS for an MPhil it's probably not a good sign, but I really don't know for sure. That's what others have said in previous years.

Reply 9

Original post
by Anonymous
If you're not studying at POLIS for an MPhil it's probably not a good sign, but I really don't know for sure. That's what others have said in previous years.

oh well, it was good while it lasted

Reply 10

Apparently, somebody was admitted for the PhD in Politics today (according to gradcafe). The person also left the following comment: "Political Theory subfield. Informed by email by the department coordinator. Email also states that I am being nominated for funding. Acceptance of offer, of course, depends on if I manage to get full funding."

Reply 11

I applied in Dev. The platform says: Unsuccessful - Your application has been unsuccessful for this course. :frown:

Reply 12

Original post
by Anonymous
I applied in Dev. The platform says: Unsuccessful - Your application has been unsuccessful for this course. :frown:

Sorry to hear that, hope you have better news if you had applied to any other programs

Reply 13

Does anyone get 'decision pending' in the portal? According to previous years the decision might be made by the end of Jan🥲

Reply 14

Original post
by Anonymous
Does anyone get 'decision pending' in the portal? According to previous years the decision might be made by the end of Jan🥲

and here I am, not even an interview invite yet hoping against hope lol

Reply 15

Original post
by Anonymous
Does anyone get 'decision pending' in the portal? According to previous years the decision might be made by the end of Jan🥲

Unfortunately not ... and I am getting less hopeful every day

Reply 16

Still nothing?

Reply 17

Original post
by Anonymous
Still nothing?

nope. only the mini heart attack when I saw the notification on my phone "New post(s) in POLIS"

Reply 18

wrote to PhD admin yesterday regarding interviews, this is the response I got

Thank you for your email and for checking in.

I can confirm that we have completed all of our interviews for this year’s application round.
We will update the portal in the coming weeks, all outcomes will be made available by early February.

Apologies that I cannot offer any more specific information at this stage

So I guess this is the end of the road for me (and for any POLIS PhD applicants who did not get an interview call)

All the best to those still in the running!

Reply 19

Original post
by matt971
wrote to PhD admin yesterday regarding interviews, this is the response I got
Thank you for your email and for checking in.

I can confirm that we have completed all of our interviews for this year’s application round.
We will update the portal in the coming weeks, all outcomes will be made available by early February.

Apologies that I cannot offer any more specific information at this stage
So I guess this is the end of the road for me (and for any POLIS PhD applicants who did not get an interview call)
All the best to those still in the running!


As far as I know, there is no interview takes place for Mphil application. So MPhil application should be similarly updates by next week?

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