A member of the Russell Group and one of just four UK universities rated both gold for teaching and top 10 for research, the University of York combines academic excellence with social purpose. York exists as a University for Public Good, built on founding values of excellence, equality and opportunity for all. The University’s award-winning community ethos, diverse representation and strong research culture creates a sense of belonging for more than 20,000 students and 5,000 staff.

York was named Community University of the Year by The Mail University Guide 2026, in celebration of its annual Festival of Ideas. The campus is renowned for its green spaces, lakes and wildlife and is home to a statue of Long Boi, a beloved campus duck who charmed the nation. York is a thriving, friendly city, renowned for its rich history and heritage, and is a great base from which to explore the beauty of Yorkshire and beyond.

The Department of Mathematics at the University of York

The Department of Mathematics is a vibrant hub for learning. We conduct influential research that advances a deep understanding of pure mathematics, and benefits society and industry through applications. We rank among the UK’s top 20 mathematics departments for research, with all our research achieving a rating of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. We are one of only four mathematics departments in the UK to achieve this 100% record in all three categories of outputs, impact and environment (REF 2021).

In pure mathematics, York has a specific focus and strength in algebra, geometry, number theory, stochastic analysis and the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics.  We have a long history of applying theoretical insights to real-world problems: our expertise spans data science, mathematical biology, quantum technologies and fluid dynamics, whilst a new group explores the underlying mathematics of AI.

Underlining the far-reaching nature of our work, in November 2025 Professor Chris Fewster and his co-author, Professor Rainer Verch (University of Leipzig) were awarded the Paul EhrenFest Best Paper Award for Quantum Foundations. The award recognises outstanding and influential research contributions to the foundations of quantum physics.

Our research drives impactful innovations through industrial collaborations with organisations such as Cefas, Eucleda, Fera Science, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Sky Betting and Yorkshire Water. Our researchers also benefit from deep ties to interdisciplinary research networks across the University of York, including the Institute for Safe Autonomy and the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity.

Based in our modern lakeside home on Campus East, we provide a supportive environment that champions academic excellence, mathematical rigour and inclusivity.

We look forward to welcoming Martingale Scholars to our dynamic research community.