See our general postgraduate welcome pages for practical advice on enrolling and arriving at York. There's also guidance for international students.
New postgraduate researchers (PGRs)
Getting started
See our checklist of all the things you need to do when starting at York and book your place at our next YGRS induction event.
Learn what it's like to be a researcher at York and find out how the University will support you. Details of our 2025 Induction will be announced in due course.
Progressing your research
Your supervisor and Thesis Advisory Panel (TAP) will monitor your progress throughout your course. They will ensure you have access to the support you need to complete your research and meet any requirements along the way. See information about academic progression as a PGR.
Managing the formal aspects of your academic journey
For queries about formal progression, or a change of plan, contact pgr-administration@york.ac.uk.
Your first year
In addition to your research, there are a number of activities which you must complete in your first year:
- Being an Effective Researcher Tutorial (BERT)
An introduction to the tools and support available to you as you complete your research degree. - Research Integrity Tutorial
A comprehensive guide to research integrity: Citations, references and academic misconduct. - Expectations in Research Supervision Questionnaire
Designed to facilitate a discussion of expectations held by postgraduate researchers (PGR) and supervisors. It is recommended that the form be completed independently by the supervisor(s) and the PGR and that the responses be the topic of discussion at a supervision meeting. - Professional Development Plan (PDP)
All first year postgraduate research students must complete a Professional Development Plan (PDP). Complete your Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to help develop your PDP, which can be reviewed as part of TAP and supervisory meetings.
Develop your research skills
- The Building Research and Innovation Capacity (BRIC) Team provides skill development and career opportunities through a programme of workshops and events.
- The Academic Skills Community helps you advance your academic, language, and interpersonal skills via online resources, workshops and one-to-one appointments.
- The Academic Liaison Librarian Team provides subject-specific resources and supports you in their use.
- Open Research helps you to make the process and outputs of your research as open and reusable as possible.
- Digital Inclusion, Skills and Creativity (DISC) helps you apply digital technologies in learning, teaching and research.
- Research IT provides specialist support, training and events from research software engineers, infrastructure engineers and high performance computing (HPC) support specialists.
Professional development
The Academic Practice team provide support and training to develop the skills and confidence you need to teach at York as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA).
Hone your research communication skills through public engagement opportunities. Find out about 3 Minute Thesis, PhD Spotlight, Pint of Science and more.
Whether you're interested in an academic career or working in other sectors, get advice, information and guidance to help you explore your options.
Support and wellbeing
Conducting a large research project is challenging work. We provide a range of support services to help you through your studies.
University support
Our colleges are a place to foster a sense of belonging, to make friends, and to try out new things. Wentworth Graduate College is a hub for postgraduate activity, whether you live on or off campus.
Contact our support and advice team about practical issues - ranging from financial support, disability support, immigration advice, private accommodation issues and more.
If you find things difficult, it is important to know that you do not have to struggle alone. University support services include Campus Safety, Open Door, TalkCampus and more.
Independent and student-led, York SU caters to postgraduate researchers with representation, community, and welfare activities.