Check if an electronic copy of the thesis is available in the Spiral repository. If the thesis has been digitised you can access and download it.

Imperial College London PhD theses

Information for Imperial students and staff

• Check if an electronic copy of the thesis is available in the Spiral repository. If the thesis has been digitised you can access and download it.
• If the thesis has not been digitised, you can visit the Central Library to consult it - complete a Thesis request form prior to your visit.
• You can also place a Document Delivery request for an electronic copy of the thesis using “ORDER A BOOK OR ARTICLE” tab in Library Search. The time scale for digitisation is 4 weeks.

Information for external users and alumni

• Most of the electronic copies of Imperial PhD theses are available on open access in the Spiral repository. Some theses are closed access, for copyright reasons, and are unavailable to external users.
• You can visit the Central Library to consult any print theses, including theses unavailable in Spiral - complete a Thesis request form and, if you do not have a current membership card, complete the online library membership application form prior to your visit.
• If you are unable to visit the library or wish to receive an electronic copy of a thesis, please contact the Document Delivery Service by email at ill@imperial.ac.uk. Full details will be given upon application.

Library Services provides access to the Master's dissertations of some departments - check the table below for details. If your department is not listed there are no Master's dissertations available. 

Please contact Your librarian if you would like to deposit your department's Master's dissertations in Spiral.

Master's dissertations

UK theses

UK theses are available online via the British Library EThOS service. To obtain a copy of a thesis:

• first register for the service
• if a thesis has already been digitised it will be available for immediate download
• if a thesis has not been digitised and there is no charge, place your order to digitise it. You will receive a notification from EThOS by email when the thesis is ready to download.
• if a thesis has not been digitised and there is a charge, make a request through the Document Delivery Service via Library Search. You will either receive a copy on loan or, if this is not possible, the Library will order a digital copy and notify you when it is available for download - this will take 4-5 weeks.

Overseas theses

Most overseas theses are now available online via Library Search. If the thesis you are interested in is not available request it using Document Delivery.