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Application FAQs

We have put together some answers to common questions below with regards to our PhD or MD(Res) offerings. If you have further queries please contact the Research Degrees Administrator - researchdegreeenquiries@imperial.ac.uk.

Information can also be found in the Research Degrees Handbook 2023 which informs you about the support available to you throughout your research degree programme.

What are the steps in making a PhD or MD(Res) Application?

Identify and seek the agreement of a supervisor.

Make an online application and upload your supporting documentation.

Send confirmation of your online application to the Research Degrees Administrator - researchdegreeenquiries@imperial.ac.uk.

Admissions and Departmental reviews of your application take place (all successful PhD/ MD(Res) applicants require an interview as part of the application process). You will be contacted following the outcome of your application reviews.

How many supervisors do I need?

All students undertaking a PhD or MD(Res) require two supervisors. You only need to identify one at online application stage.

How do I find a suitable supervisor?

The first step in the application process is to identify and speak to a supervisor. Please refer to MDR's research webpages in order to do this.

Are there any eligibility requirements that I need to be aware of?

You will be required to meet Imperial College London’s eligibility requirements with regards to academic qualifications and English language before you register for a PhD or MD(Res). Full information can be found on our eligibility webpage.

Please note that if you are applying for the President’s Scholarship you would need to have obtained a UK First in your undergraduate degree or equivalent. If you have an additional Masters, it must be awarded with a distinction.

How do I apply?

Once you have found a supervisor who has agreed to supervise you, please apply using this link – by clicking on ‘Apply for Doctoral Courses’.

You will be prompted to create an account, once you have done so please log in and select the options below, before following the online instructions to complete the remainder of your application:

- Under Course Type, please select ‘Doctoral’

- Under Academic Programme you have two options:

For PhD applications please select your research area of interest, i.e. 'Clinical Medicine Research (Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction)’.

For MD (Res) applications please select your research area of interest, i.e. ‘Clinical Medicine Research (Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction) MD (Res)’.

Once you have completed your online application, please email confirmation to researchdegreeenquiries@imperial.ac.uk so that the Research Degrees Administrator can follow up your application with our Admissions Team.

Once you complete your online application Registry will assess your qualifications and English language certificate where required to confirm you meet Imperial College London’s eligibility requirements, before forwarding for departmental review.

Can I apply with advanced standing?

Advanced Standing refers to taking into account previous periods of study before a student's registration for a research degree at Imperial College, and allowing this work to contribute towards their PhD at Imperial College. This is typically a period of doctoral level study at another institution. It can also refer to prior experiential learning undertaken by a Research Assistant or Clinical Research Fellow (at Imperial College or Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust), though such cases are unusual and require a clear reason why the student was not previously registered for a PhD.

Advanced Standing applicants should follow the standard application and interview procedure and a supporting case should be submitted outlining the reasons for the period of registration exemption sought due to research engagement. It should provide details of work, activities, progress and assessments already undertaken whilst engaged with research and must be supported by documentary evidence and a supporting statement from the supervisor.

The case will then be considered by the Department’s Higher Degrees Research Committee, Director of Postgraduate Studies (Research) and the Graduate School. If the application to register with Advanced Standing is approved, registration must be for at least 12 months (full-time) or 24 months (part-time), and would typically be for longer periods than this. Approval may be conditional on the successful completion of Research Plan, ESA and LSR milestones after registration.

What are the tuition fees?

Please refer to our Postgraduate Tuition Fees webpage for current tuition fee information.

As a staff member, am I eligible for discounted tuition fees?

Self-funded Imperial College staff members (usually Research Assistants and Clinical Research Fellows) with a contract for the minimum duration of a PhD (3 years) are eligible for the College Tuition Fee Remission Scheme. A copy of your contract must be forwarded to the Research Degrees Administrator and uploaded as part of your online application which must be submitted a minimum of two months ahead of your PhD start date. This allows a month for completion of the application, internal reviews & approvals plus a month for satisfying conditions and obtaining any additional documents.

Please note that an Imperial College contract of employment must have commenced by the start of the research degree programme and end on or after the date on which the research degree programme is expected to finish in order to be eligible for the College Tuition Fee Remission Scheme.

Further information can be found on the remission scheme webpage.

The Faculty of Medicine policy offers self-funding Imperial College Trust staff and staff from associated Trusts(e.g. Chelsea and Westminster, Northwick Park, St Mark’s) a discount of one-third of the home fee. A Trust contract of employment must be provided at the time of application. Contract extensions are permitted during the course of the research degree.

If I am also a staff member, can I backdate my start PhD/ MD(Res) start date?

Backdating enrolment is not permitted.

Who do I contact to follow up the progress of my application?

For all postgraduate enquiries, please contact the Research Degrees Administrator - researchdegreeenquiries@imperial.ac.uk

If I am struggling to upload any documents to the online application system, who should I contact?

If you are unable to upload supporting documents to the online application system, please forward them to the Research Degrees Administrator - researchdegreeenquiries@imperial.ac.uk

Do you have any funding opportunities?

For funding opportunities please refer to our department’s funding webpage.

Additional studentship opportunities can be found on Imperial's scholarship’s webpage.