PhD admissions are open for general October 2025 entry.
The Astrophysics PhD Open Day took place on Wednesday November 27th.
Most of our PhD applications are for STFC funded places, so we set up formal deadlines for applications and dates for interviews. The application deadline for STFC funded places is 5th February 2025 - please note that it can take time for your application to reach us from Registry, so if you are submitting shortly before the deadline please send a copy of your application directly to us via astro@imperial.ac.uk. We are able to support one overseas candidate with an STFC place.
If you are an overseas candidate who would need funding from a scholarship you must apply earlier than the deadline for STFC funded places. To be considered for main round of the Imperial College President's PhD Scholarships you must apply before the 9th January 2025. To be eligible for the full range of Imperial Scholarships you must apply before the deadlines which vary; you will then be considered for all scholarships as part of the assessment process. If you are interested in applying for one of these please apply as soon as possible, you are welcome to discuss your application with potential supervisors before you apply. If you are a candidate who does not require funding please indicate this on the application form.
Interviews will be held on 26 and 27 February 2025, and offers will be made shortly after, with a deadline for acceptance on the last day of March for STFC studentships.
Applying
Applications must be made online via the Postgraduate Prospectus, we cannot process applications sent directly to us. You should apply for a Physics Research (PhD). In order to apply for astrophysics PhDs, under research details, enter Astrophysics when asked for your proposed group.
The application form will ask for a "research proposal" if you want to be considered for the President's Scholarship, we do not require a detailed proposal (you may disregard less specific advice you read elsewhere), please use this to describe which topics and/or projects you're interested in applying for. You are welcome to contact our staff members to discuss potential projects before making your application. For further information, please see frequently asked questions.
Funding
A PhD normally takes 3.5 years to complete. We accept around 4-6 PhD students each year, mainly funded by STFC. Please see the STFC website to check your eligibility for these.
Visit the following link to find out further information on fees and funding.
PhD Projects
PhD projects for 2025 can be found here. They may be added to or change before October 2025. You are free to contact our staff members to discuss potential projects in our research areas that match your interests.