Overview
If you are a high performing undergraduate or Master’s student and have a strong desire to undertake a PhD programme at a world-class research institution, a President’s PhD Scholarship could provide you with the outstanding opportunity to receive full funding for tuition fees and a generous stipend for a 3.5 year PhD place at Imperial College London.
The President’s PhD Scholarships allow students to undertake a research project of their choosing with the support of an excellent supervisor, alongside cohort-building opportunities with other President’s PhD Scholars.
What the scholarship covers
Each of the 50 scholarships available provides the following support during the 3.5 years of study:
- Full funding for tuition fees
- A stipend of £25,150 (2024-25 rate) per annum to assist with living costs
- A consumables fund of £2,000 per annum for the first 3 years of study
- A programme of bespoke opportunities and events delivered by the Graduate School
You will also have access to the full range of support available to postgraduates at Imperial, including tailored support for disabled and international students, and the wider Graduate School programme of professional skills courses.
Check if you’re eligible
This competitive scheme has higher than usual eligibility requirements, attracting candidates that show excellent academic performance and promising research potential.
We accept applications from talented candidates from Imperial College London, the UK and worldwide. There are no restrictions on nationality.
The scholarship applies to both full- and part-time study.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds, as we recognise that diversity not only benefits Imperial but also helps the sector to better represent the communities that we serve.
Academic criteria
- Candidates must be in receipt of, or due to receive, a first class or equivalent in an undergraduate or integrated Masters degree; or if this has not been achieved
- Candidates must be in receipt of (or where this has yet to be received be able to provide evidence of high performance that will lead to) a distinction in a standalone Master’s qualification.
This allows candidates who have demonstrated excellence at Master’s level, but not achieved a first class undergraduate degree, to be able to apply to the scheme.
Candidates with only a single undergraduate degree or integrated Master’s must still must be in receipt of, or due to receive, a first class or equivalent.
Other criteria
- Applications are accepted from talented candidates from Imperial College London, the UK and worldwide. There are no restrictions on nationality, although some departments may be unable to support international candidates.
- The scheme is only open to new PhD applications. Current registered Imperial PhD students are not eligible to be considered for a President’s PhD Scholarship.
Read our scholarships terms and conditions.
How to apply
Applications for this scholarship scheme will be considered at three points throughout the academic year – see ‘When you’ll hear’ below.
Before you apply
Application process
- There isn’t specific scholarship application form.
- You should submit your application for admission to study at Imperial through our online admissions system and your department will put you forward for the scholarship based on academic merit and potential.
Scholarship-specific instructions for the admissions process are below; you must also meet any additional application requirements stated by your department of choice.
Additional admissions instructions
- For the 2024–25 academic year, the earliest start date for funded places is 1 August 2024, the latest start date is 1 November 2024.
- When prompted for a personal statement you must include a 2-page document:
- the first page should be a personal statement (motivations for applying to Imperial and the scholarship, and any other supporting information not included elsewhere on the form that you feel will enhance your application)
- the second page should be your research proposal. You may submit updated versions of this statement if required following application submission if your department shortlists you for the scholarship. You are encouraged to write in the first person.
- When prompted for the names of two academic referees, these should be people who can provide an academic reference in support of your application (e.g. your personal tutor or yopur thesis supervisor). You should not include your proposed PhD supervisor. You are encouraged to share this guidance with your two referees, noting, in particular, the recommendation to use ‘they/them’ language (rather than gender pronouns).
- To be considered for the President’s PhD Scholarship scheme, you must select this option in the funding section of the additional questions tab within the online application form.
Review and selection
50 scholarship places are available. Applications will be reviewed by a two-stage process:
- Candidates meeting or predicted to meet the eligibility criteria will be reviewed by the Department to which they have applied. Departments will select a shortlist of candidates to present to the College Selection Panel for consideration.
- The final decision will be made by the College Selection Panel. The members of the panel are the Vice-Provost (Research), the Director of the Graduate School, and the Faculty Vice-Deans for Research. Imperial recognises excellence in all our Faculties and as such allows some offers to be made at Faculty level:
- A Faculty allocation stage will score and rank candidates in Departmental shortlists, making initial offers to the most promising candidates. Faculty Vice Deans present these candidates with justification for offers at the College Selection Panel.
- The College Selection Panel makes additional offers from a ring-fenced allocation to candidates that meet widening participation or other strategic alignment goals.
Assessment criteria
Candidates are assessed by the Faculties and College Selection Panel against the following criteria:
- Academic excellence – as demonstrated by:
- past academic results
- transcripts
- relative class position
- awards
- distinctions
- Research potential – as demonstrated by:
- the candidate’s research experience to date
- their interest in discovery
- the research plan and its potential contribution as described in their research proposal
- the departmental statement, which also reflects on performance at interview
Successful candidates will receive written confirmation of their scholarship. Any offer of a PhD place will be conditional on the candidate receiving the predicted qualifications.
Applicants not selected for the scholarship will automatically be considered for a standard PhD.
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