Programmes at the MRC Centre offer the opportunity to learn in a supportive and stimulating environment from leaders in the field. The experts are actively engaged in research and advise leading public health professionals, policymakers, governments, international organisations and pharmaceutical companies. Both national and internationally focussed, their work includes real-time analsis of infectious disease outbreaks and focus on emerging and endemic diseases including pandemic influenza, HIV, TB, malaria, polio and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
There are multiple opportunities across Imperial College in which the MRC Centre may be allocated successful students according to research areas. You are encouraged to get in touch with potential supervisors within the MRC Centre to discuss your ideas in advance of application. Questions and applications should be via the relevant scheme processes which are not administered by the MRC Centre. Please see individual programme pages for further information and details on how to apply.
If you are an international student and would like to apply for a PhD in the department please refer to the international scholarship page and President’s scholarship.
Find out from previous students how their student experience was doing their placement at the MRC Centre.
MRes in Epidemiology (now accepting applications)
Applications now open for the 2026/2027 academic year (deadline 1st of February 2026)! This MRes programme offers broad training for a career in biomedical research specialising in infectious disease epidemiology.
NIHR HPRU in Health Analytics and Modelling
Two fully funded studentships in health Analytics and modelling available. One focussed on respiratory pandemics (find out more), the second focussed on environmental and personal heat health risks (find out more).
MRC MultiSci DTP
Applications for scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year open in Autumn 2025. MultiSci is a Medical Research Council (MRC) DTP for Interdisciplinary Science in Health (MultiSci) at Imperial. It has been designed to enable graduates to undertake a 4.5 year training programme, including a research project plus training in research methods and transferable key skills, leading to the submission of a doctoral thesis and the award of a PhD.
MRC MultiSci iCASE Studentships
MRC MultiSci iCASE Studentships enable graduates with excellent honours degrees to undertake a three and a half year training programme, which includes a research project plus training in research methods and transferrable key skills, leading to the submission of a doctoral thesis and the award of a PhD.
The University is offering a number of fully funded MultiSci iCASE Studentships. Each studentship is tied to a specific Collaborative Award in Science and Engineering (CASE) project.
MultiSci iCASE students will benefit from additional training relevant to the industry through the CASE commercial partner, covering areas such as ethical standards, good laboratory practice, discovery and the development process, the R&D value chain and key activities and investment decisions, and the use of appropriate specialised equipment available to the commercial partner.
The next round of research projects is estimated to be available for application by April 2026.
President's PhD Scholarships
Applications for this scholarship scheme will be considered at three points throughout the academic year. 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, you could be selected to receive full tuition fees and a generous stipend for a PhD place at Imperial College London. The President’s PhD Scholarships provides up to 50 research students the opportunity to work within their chosen research field with the support of an excellent supervisor. Both full-time and part-time study on the scholarship is available.
ESRC LISS DTP Studentships
Recruitment for October 2026 entry projects will open in Winter 2025-2026. LISS DTP’s Collaborative (CASE) Studentships promote partnerships between social scientists at King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London and Imperial College and end-user, non-academic organisations (public or private or third sector ‘partner institutions’). A CASE studentship is a PhD studentship in which the student enhances their training by working closely with the non-academic partner in the development of their research project. There are a mix of +3.5 (PhD only) and 1+3.5 (Master’s + PhD) opportunities, which represent some of the broad range of interdisciplinary social research themes being investigated by LISS DTP staff and students.
EPSRC Cooperative Awards in Science and Technology (iCASE)
EPSRC iCASE training grants provide funding for doctoral studentships where businesses and related organisations take the lead in arranging projects with an academic partner of their choice. The aim of these awards is to provide doctoral students with a research training experience, within the context of a mutually beneficial research collaboration between academic and partner organisations for example industry and policy making bodies. Funding to support iCASE studentships is allocated via industry partner.
Contact us
For any enquiries related to the MRC Centre please contact:
Scientific Manager
Susannah Fisher
mrc.gida@imperial.ac.uk
External Relationships and Communications Manager
Dr Sabine van Elsland
s.van-elsland@imperial.ac.uk