Department of Life Sciences PhD Studentships

Department of Life Sciences PhD Studentships, October 2026 Start 

The Department of Life Sciences at Imperial College London invites applications for fully funded PhD studentships commencing 3 October 2026. 

We are offering projects across a wide range of Life Science disciplines, from molecular structures to global ecology and all scales in between.   

Available research areas and supervisors 

A list of available supervisors can be found here, and an overview of research themes in the Department is available Research Themes 

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact supervisors directly for informal discussions and project-specific information before submitting a formal application. 

Eligibility 

• Applicants must hold (or expect to obtain) at least an Upper Second Class Honours(2:1) degree in a biological or related science. 
• Candidates with a master’s degree in addition to a BSc may be given preference. 
• Applicants must qualify for home fee status. Find out more about home fee status here. 
• Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for this call.

Funding  

The studentships will cover UK tuition fees and will provide an annual tax-free maintenance stipend at the standard UKRI level, currently at £22,780 (rising annually by an amount linked to inflation), in 12 monthly instalments. Studentships are expected to last for 36 months, subject to satisfactory progress. 

How to apply 

• Contact supervisors from the eligibility list to discuss potential projects.
• Applications should be submitted to our application page  where you will be asked to upload: 
  • Personal statement, (PDF file format only) 
  • CV (PDF file format only) 
  • Your most recent academic transcript ((PDF file format only) 
• Application deadline:12/01/2026

For more information or general support please contact dtp@imperial.ac.uk  

Important further information  
 
As part of this studentship call, the Department is also offering a minimum of two Widening Participation (WP) PhD Studentships designed to broaden access to doctoral study. These studentships offer the same funding and opportunities as the main competition. 

Applicants may choose to be considered for both the Standard and Widening Participation (WP) studentship schemes. Only one application form should be submitted, but you will be asked to indicate on the form whether you wish to be considered for one or both schemes. 

Further details about the WP studentships can be found here.