Funding

More information about postgraduate fees and funding

Funding is often secured through Wellcome Trust or MRC DTP Fellowships. Further information about this and specific projects studying under the supervision of Departmental supervisors who have obtained funding are advertised below.

For up-to-date information on tuition fees, please refer to the College's Fees and Funding pages. It should be noted that supervisors may charge an additional ‘bench fee’ from sponsors to cover the costs of laboratory expenses (consumables and equipment) for postgraduate research projects.‌‌‌‌

PhD Studentship in Small Vessel Disease Research Group

Award

We are seeking a PhD students to join our Small Vessel Disease Research Group, joining a research programme to tackle one of the leading causes of neurological disability. This project ams to better explain why the disease is so variable by defining relationships between the wide range of brain imaging changes and clinical problems seen in small vessel disease with the underlying abnormal vascular physiology. The candidate will gain experience in a combination of techniques including advanced data analytics, MRI imaging and in person physiological testing, to tease apart these mechanisms and better define targets for treatment. The student will be under the primary supervision of Dr Alastair Webb, Clinical Reader in Stroke Medicine.

  • Tax free stipend at UKRI levels (currently £19,237 plus London weighting as appropriate) for 3 years
  • PhD student fees for eligible UK students are covered (currently at £7,090 per annum)

Eligibility

  • Candidates should be eligible for home (UK) fees. Overseas candidates will only be considered with confirmed independent funding for overseas fees.
  • Scientists from a range of backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including those with experience in neurosciences, cardiovascular physiology or computational analysis with a biological background (statistics or machine learning).
  • Experience in coding (e.g. R, python, matlab) or physiological testing is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.
  • Applicants must have or expect to have obtained the overseas equivalent of at least a 2:1 UK undergraduate degree in a relevant field.  A Masters degree is desirable but not essential.
  • The student must also satisfy the usual eligibility criteria, including adequate academic qualifications. Applicants must also meet Imperial College’s English language requirements.  

Application

  • For informal enquiries please contact Dr Alastair Webb at alastair.webb@imperial.ac.uk. 
  • For application please send a full CV (including confirmation of your fee status), a letter of interest and contact details for two academic references to alastair.webb@imperial.ac.uk. 
  • The deadline for expressions of interest is 31 July 2024.

Blood biomarkers of Small Vessel Disease related to cognitive impairment and neuroimaging findings

Award

An opportunity has arisen for a 4-year PhD studentship within the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London funded by the Multi-institutional VIDA (Vascular and Immune Contributions to DementiA) network. This PhD aims to address the contribution of neurodegeneration and vascular pathology to cognitive impairment after acute vascular injury. The student will test this by looking for the relationship between blood biomarkers, brain imaging and cognitive measures at multiple time points in people after acute vascular injury using the existing IC3 observational study (Imperial Comprehensive Cognitive assessment in Cerebrovascular disease). Find out more about the PhD studentship and the research questions in this document (.docx).

  • Tax free stipend at UKRI levels (currently £19,237 plus London weighting as appropriate) for 4 years
  • PhD student fees for eligible UK students are covered (currently at £7,090 per annum)

Eligibility

  • Candidates should be eligible for home (UK) fees. Overseas candidates will only be considered with confirmed independent funding for overseas fees.
  • Applicants must hold (or obtain by October 2024) a first or upper-second-class honours degree. A Master’s degree is desirable but not essential (ideally in neuroscience, psychology, or a related field). 
  • Prior experience with clinical/patient studies are desirable. Good communication with team and patients is essential.
  • The student must also satisfy the usual eligibility criteria, including adequate academic qualifications. Applicants must also meet Imperial College’s English language requirements.  All Imperial College London PhD entry requirements must be met.

Application

  • Applicants should submit their CV and a cover letter, including full contact details of two referees, to Dr Fatemeh Geranmayeh (fatemeh.geranmayeh00@imperial.ac.uk).
  • We regret that due to the large volume of applications received, we are only able to notify those shortlisted for interview.

  • The deadline for applications 1 August 2024 for an October 2024 start date.

‌PhD studentship in Machine Learning for Genomics

Award

Applications are invited for a fully-funded (at home/UK fee rate) 3.5-year PhD studentship in the research group of Dr Nathan Skene at the UK Dementia Research Institute, commencing during 2023 for the project: Using machine learning to predict cell-type specific effects of genetic variants which influence genome regulation. The project is based at Imperial’s White City Campus, the Hub for convergent research. The candidate will be part of the UK DRI’s Neurogenomics Lab under the supervision of Dr Nathan Skene. 

  • Full funding for tuition fees (currently at £7,030 per year)
  • A stipend of £21,000 per annum for 3.5 years

Eligibility

  • Applicants should hold or attain (by October 2023) a First Class or an Upper Second Class degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) in a quantitatie discipline, such as mathematics, statistics, computer science or engineering. 
  • Imperial would normally expect successful applicants to hold or achieve a Master's degree in a related field. Prior experience with programming is essential, but no experience with biology is necessary
  • Experience using machine learning methods will be beneficial. Applicants who are interested in this topic and are interested in applying for the Doctoral Training Centre scholarship’s in AI4Health or MultiSci, or who have qualifications suitable for the President’s Scholarship, are encouraged to contact Dr Nathan Skene.

Application

  • For informal enquiries please contact Dr Nathan Skene.
  • For application, please send a full CV (including confirmation of home fee status), and contact details for two academic referees to n.skene@imperial.ac.uk.

  • We regret that due to the large volume of applications received, we are only able to notify those shortlisted for interview. Applications will be considered throughout the 2023/24 academic year.

‌The President’s PhD Scholarship

Award

  • Full funding for tuition fees
  • A stipend of £25,150 per annum for 3.5 years
  • A consumables fund of £2,000 per annum for the first 3 years of study
  • 50 scholarships awarded per year.

Eligibility

  • Includes First Class UK degree or equivalent. If a Master's is held, it must be awarded with Distinction.
  • The Department will consider one exceptional overseas student however this must first be approved by the Department. Please ask your supervisor to discuss with their departmental manager before applying.
  • Prior to applying - Applicants must have made contact with a supervisor who has agreed to supervise their research project. Supervisors are limited to supervise one student at any time. Once you have a supervisor who has agreed to support you, please email Mojiba Khanum m.khanum@ic.ac.uk  so your PhD scholarship application can be prioritised for review and shortlisting.

Application

Read more about our current PhD funding opportunities

Imperial College’s Scholarships Search Tool

Other scholarships may be available for students with particular track records and nationalities, and it is advised that this tool is used to help search for available scholarships.