Welcome to the PhD Scholarship Hub – Your Guide to Funding Opportunities

This page is a key resource for applicants and prospective supervisors, outlining various PhD scholarship opportunities within the Department of Materials and Imperial College London.

We regularly update this page to provide the latest funding information. You can also explore the College Scholarship Search Tool for additional opportunities.

PhD Application Process Overview

For Applicants:
  • Find a Prospective Supervisor and submit a formal application:
    • Regardless of your funding needs, you must identify and secure the interest of a department academic whose research aligns with your background.
    • After initial contact, the supervisor may invite you for an interview or encourage you to submit a formal application - check out our How to Apply Webpage
    • To find a prospective supervisor, check out our department's academic and research web pages.
  •  Interview Process
    • If a supervisor is interested, an interview will be arranged.
    • Discuss your research proposal and personal statement with the supervisor if you wish to apply for a scholarship.

  • Next Steps After the Interview:

    • For Scholarship Applicants: Your application must go through departmental shortlisting before being considered for funding.
    • For Self-Funded or Funded Project Applicants: If successful in the interview, you may receive a direct PhD offer without the need for departmental shortlisting. You can explore available funded PhD projects here.

For additional details, check out our Materials PhD FAQs.

For Prospective supervisors:
  • Applicants may approach you informally or submit a formal application via My Imperial, which will be forwarded to you by Annalisa Neri.
  • After the interview, please fill out the cover sheet to formalise the outcome.
  • All PhD offers require approval from our PGR Admissions Tutor, Stefano Angioletti-Uberti, and formal processing by our PGR Coordinator, Annalisa Neri.
  • If you wish to nominate a candidate for a scholarship, follow the steps and deadlines outlined on this page.
Additional Information 

We look forward to supporting your journey toward a PhD in the Department of Materials!

PhD Scholarship Calls

President's Scholarship
  • Award: The following support is offered to President's scholars during the 3.5 years of study:
    • Full funding for tuition fees (OS or Home)
    • A stipend of £26,500 (2026-27 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 ECRI
  • Deadlines:
  • Eligibility:
    • Candidates must be in receipt of, or due to receive, a first-class or equivalent in an undergraduate or integrated Master's degree.
    • 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.
    • Candidates with only a single undergraduate degree or an integrated Master’s must still be in receipt of, or due to receive, a first-class or equivalent.

      • Department Special Case: Applicants who don’t meet the standard eligibility criteria may still be considered by their department if extenuating circumstances can be demonstrated to explain their grades and they show strong research ability. Candidates should contact their proposed department directly before applying.

      • Alternate Pathways: Imperial welcomes applicants from non-traditional academic or career backgrounds who demonstrate strong research potential, reflecting the university’s commitment to equal opportunity and inclusion.

    • Applications are accepted from talented candidates from Imperial College London, the UK and worldwide. There are no restrictions on nationality.
    • The scheme is only open to new PhD applications. Currently, registered Imperial PhD students are not eligible to be considered for a President's PhD Scholarship.
  • Eligible supervisors: a list of unavailable supervisors (already supervising a President's scholar) is listed on our website.
  • How to apply: The prospective supervisor should put forward your applicant(s) by notifying our PGR Admission Tutor, Dr Stefano Angioletti-Uberti and PGR Coordinator, Dr Annalisa Neri, forwarding the completed front sheet for the candidate .
    • For the 2026–27 academic year, the earliest start date for funded places is 1 August 2026, and the latest start date is 1 November 2026.
    • When prompted for a personal statement, the applicant 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 the research proposal. The applicant may submit updated versions of this statement if required, following application submissio,n if shortlisted by the department. The applicant is 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 the application (e.g. a personal tutor or a thesis supervisor). The proposed PhD supervisor cannot be a referee.
    • To be considered for the President's PhD Scholarship scheme, the applicant must select this option in the funding section of the additional questions tab within the online application form.
  • Please visit the following web pages for more details:
Departmental Scholarships (including DLA, previously DTP*)

*note that DTP (Doctoral Training Partnership) are now DLA (Doctoral Landscape Award)

  • Award: Financial support for up to 42 months/3.5 years:
    • Full funding for home tuition fees (UK, Irish citizens and EU citizens with settled status qualify as home students)
    • A few overseas departmental scholarships (no DLAs) are available each year. Please get in touch with us.
    • A stipend aligned with the UKRI London rate (this will be reviewed annually and may be increased in line with inflation, £22,780/per year, 2025-26, 2026-27 rate TBC).
    • A consumables fund of £1,000 per annum for the first three years.
  • Deadlines: Refer to the dates for the President’s scholarship on this webpage
  • Eligible candidates: You must meet the Imperial College entry requirements.
  • Eligible supervisors: 
    • Regular Scholarships: Each academic can nominate one PhD student for a departmental scholarship through the rota system, with exceptions possible for outstanding candidates.
    • Collaborative Schemes: If you collaborate with another academic in the department, you can receive a 0.5 scholarship allocation for a jointly supported PhD applicant. This allows two students to benefit from one scholarship and encourages internal collaborations.
    • Supervising a departmentally supported PhD student does not make an academic ineligible for the other schemes listed on this page
  • How to apply: 
    The prospective supervisor should put forward your applicant(s) by notifying our PGR Admission Tutor, Dr Stefano Angioletti-Uberti and PGR Coordinator, Dr Annalisa Neri, via email.
    Applicants should submit their application for admission to study at Materials through our online application system, and we will evaluate the application based on academic merit and potential. There is no specific scholarship application form.  
    When prompted for a research proposal, the student must ensure that it consists of approximately 1,000 words (maximum 2 pages) and outlines their academic and research achievements to date, briefly explaining their planned research project.
    You can keep the same statement if you are also applying for the President’s scholarship. 

    Please visit our Departmental Scholarships webpage for more details, including available projects and supervisors!
Departmental PhD Scholarship for our current MSc students
  • Award: Same as departmental scholarship (covers overseas tuition fees)
  • Deadlines:
  • Eligibility:
    • Eligible candidates: You must meet the Imperial College entry requirements and be currently enrolled on an MSc programme in the Department of Materials.
    • Eligible supervisor: You must not currently supervise a PhD student holding the PhD scholarship for MSc students.
  • How to apply:
    Applicants will need to send to our MSc Deputy Course Director, Dr Ann Huang and our PGR Coordinator, Dr Annalisa Neri, the following:
    • CV and personal statement
    • Academic transcripts and a 1-page research proposal; 
    • Support statement from proposed supervisor; (The supervisor should send this document to Annalisa Neri)

Shortlisted candidates will have to submit a PowerPoint presentation on their research experience and proposed project before the interview.

CSC - Imperial Scholarship (Chinese Nationals Only)

Please note that this scholarship call has not been confirmed yet for 2026-27

  • Award: 
    • Full funding for Overseas tuition fees. 
    • A stipend aligned with the UKRI London rate (this will be reviewed annually and may be increased in line with inflation, currently £22,780 per year).
    • For new applicants, each scholarship is either 3 or 4 years in duration as follows:
      • A successful applicant for the degree of PhD will be awarded a scholarship of three (3) years' duration
      • A successful applicant who is required to undertake a one-year postgraduate research degree before starting a PhD will be awarded a scholarship of one (1) year's duration in the first instance and will be awarded a further scholarship of three (3) years' duration, subject to admission to study for the degree of PhD.
  • Deadlines: 
  • Eligibility: 
    • Chinese students with a strong academic background.
    • Students must hold a PR Chinese passport (applicants from Hong Kong or Taiwan are not eligible). Applicants can be either residents in China (domestic applicants) at the time of application or Chinese applicants studying overseas.
    • Students with prior experience of studying overseas (including in the UK) are eligible to apply. Chinese Imperial graduates/Master's students are therefore eligible for the scheme. 
    • Applicants can be either a new applicant or in their first year of PhD study at Imperial 
    • Full eligibility criteria are available HERE
    • There are no ineligibility criteria for supervisors

  • How to apply and selection process: 

    The prospective supervisor should put forward your applicant(s)by notifying our PGR Admission Tutor, Dr Stefano Angioletti-Uberti and PGR Coordinator, Dr Annalisa Neri and sending a complete CSC - Imperial Nomination form (only complete the student details, PhD details and supervisor support statement).
      • Applicants must have a formal offer of admission by the time the department submits the Nomination Form. 
      • Applicants must have also met the English language condition of the offer by 5 Mar 2026.   The CSC will consider applicants holding a conditional offer letter, provided the only ‘condition’ is the completion of a Master's qualification (and not English Language Test results).  Students can check our 'English language requirements page' for details on our language requirements.
      • Departments can nominate a maximum of three candidates per department. If departments nominate more than one student, they will need to be ranked, and the Head of Department (HoD) has to provide justification in the statement. Departments are required to fully fund and administer the student’s stipend (at the minimum UK Research and Innovation - UKRI stipend level) so HoDs/Institute Directors should only sign off the number of applications that they are willing to financially support.
      • The CSC Imperial Scholarship Panel will then consider all the nomination forms and will produce a list of students to be recommended for a CSC Imperial Scholarship in early March.
      • Those recommended for a CSC Imperial Scholarship will be asked to complete the CSC application form (this will be early/mid-March) on the CSC website.  The CSC application usually opens between 10 March - 31 March  (The CSC application window will be confirmed in early 2026).
      • Students will be informed of the progress of their scholarship application and whether they have been selected as a potential scholarship recipient on/around 12 March 2026. Between April and June 2026, CSC will review and approve the scholarships. After this, students will be informed of the final outcome of their application and issued a formal CSC Imperial Scholarship letter.
  • Please visit our website for more details: 
The Lee Family Scholarship
  • Award: 
    • Full funding for Overseas tuition fees for 3.5 years.
    • A stipend of £26,500 per year (this will be reviewed annually and may be increased in line with inflation), for 3.5 years.
    • A consumables budget (£2,000 in the first three years and £1,000 in the final year) 
  • Deadlines: 
  • Eligibility: 
    • Ordinarily reside in mainland China, Macau or Hong Kong (excluding Taiwan).
    • Submit a PhD application to the Faculty of Engineering by 12 January 2026.  
    • be a new PhD applicant. Current registered Imperial PhD students are not eligible for the Lee Family Scholarship.
    • have been classified as Overseas for fee status.
    • Applicants must have met the English language condition of the offer by 30 June 2026.   Please see our 'English language requirements page' for details on our language requirements and ensure you meet the English requirements by 30 June 2026.
    • There are no ineligibility criteria for supervisors
  • How to apply and selection process: 
    The prospective supervisor should put forward your applicant(s)by notifying our PGR Admission Tutor, Dr Stefano Angioletti-Uberti and PGR Coordinator, Dr Annalisa Neri and sending a complete Lee Family Scholarship Nomination form (Please download the form, don't fill it online and only complete the student details, PhD details and supervisor support statement). 

    Suitable candidates can be nominated for both the Lee Family Scholarship and the CSC Imperial Scholarship (although this has not been confirmed yet) for the academic year 2026-27 for consideration.

      • Prospective PhD students must approach individual Imperial Departments and supervisors with details of their proposed projects well before the PhD application deadline of 12 January 2026.  Guidance on finding a supervisor can be found on the 'Finding a supervisor' page.
      • There is no specific scholarship application form. Students submit a complete PhD application by Monday, 12 January 2026.  You can apply online through My Imperial at the 'Application process' webpage.  Please note: It can take 6-8 weeks for PhD applications to be processed.
      • Departments will nominate candidates for this scholarship. Candidates will be assessed on academic merit and potential using their admissions application. Applicants nominated by the Department for this award will be notified by the PGR coordinator. 
      • The College Selection Panel will then consider all 'Lee Family Scholarship - Nomination Forms' and make the final decision on award holders. 
      •  Successful and unsuccessful candidates will be notified by 31 March 2026.
  • Please visit our website for more details: 
DLA CASE conversions
  • Award: Same as DLA (old DTP) and Department scholarships, above, for 4 years (as opposed to 3.5 years in previous rounds). Only open to home or Ireland tuition fees.
  • Deadlines: 
  • Eligible candidates: Must meet the Imperial College entry requirements and be eligible for Home Fees status.
  • Eligible supervisors: Applications from the following academics are encouraged:

    • The costing model is going to be aligned with EPSRC iDLA. EPSRC confirmed that for iDLA 2026/27, the cash contribution by the industry partner will remain unchanged at £58,500 per PhD project they sponsor; however, EPSRC’s input is yet to be published, although they noted the funding split would be around 60% on EPSRC and 40% on the industry partner. At this point, we can only estimate that the total cost of a CASE Conversion studentship for 2026/27 intake will be at least £149,500, of which £58,500 will be the cash contribution by the industry partner

    • Students must be jointly supervised by a supervisor from the industry partner and an academic supervisor.
    • Industry partners must offer the student at least three months’ worth of placements at their premises.
    • Industry partners must cover all expenses incurred by the student as a result of periods spent with them. This is in addition to their cash contribution.
    • Applications sponsored by SMEs, and/or an early career academic (up to 10 years from the award of their PhD) are encouraged
  • How to apply: The prospective supervisor should put forward your applicant(s) by notifying our PGR Admission Tutor, Dr Stefano Angioletti-Uberti and PGR Coordinator, Dr Annalisa Neri, by submitting the nomination form, and a letter of support. For the final submission to the faculty, a letter or formal email from the industry partner confirming their cash and any in-kind support, joint supervision, host of placement, etc.

    Applicants should submit their application for admission to study at Materials through our online application system. We will evaluate the application based on academic merit and potential. You can keep the same statement if you also apply for the Department/President’s scholarship.

Please read the CASE conversions FAQs.

Other centrally funded scholarships and external scholarships

Also, check out this webpage for more funding opportunities:

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions? Read our frequently asked questions to see how we can help you.

Read our FAQ

Contacts for enquiries

Dr Annalisa Neri

Postgraduate Research Coordinator
Send an email
Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 2053

Learn more about

our research themes and staff
in the Department

Early Career Research Institute

Find out how the Early Career Research Institute can support you during your PhD.

Visit the ECRI homepage