Funding and scholarships

We offer a fully funded Doctoral programme at Imperial College Business School – this includes a tuition fee waiver and a stipend for up to five years. The 2024-25 rate of the Graduate Teaching Assistant scholarship stipend is £25,000. Rates are reviewed annually and are expected to increase for 2025-26 in line with Research Council UK rates. Stipends are tax-free and the continuation of the stipend will depend on your satisfactory progress on the programme.

Living costs vary considerably depending on the area of London you choose to live in and your choice of accommodation.

Read more about estimated London living costs and accommodation for postgraduates.

Eligibility

The scheme is open to both Home and Overseas students currently enrolled on a PhD programme at another institution who identify as:

• Black British
• Black Caribbean
• Black African
• Mixed heritage – Black and other background
• Other Black background

Applications will be assessed on merit and academic trajectory as well as current access to grants/bursaries.

How to apply

You are encouraged to familiarise yourself with our academic areas and contact a potential supervisor before submitting a formal application. You must also agree on a study plan with your potential supervisor before applying.

You will then contact our Programme Director Nikki Hann, who will support you with submitting a formal application through the Imperial College London admissions system. Formal admissions decisions can only be made after the application has been processed by the College Registry and the Business School. There is no application deadline for students wishing to commence a study period at other times, although students are encouraged to apply at least 4 to 6 months in advance of a proposed start date especially if they require a visa to enter the UK to undertake their study period.

Please read the Student Route Visa webpage to determine if you need a visa to study in the UK. The GOV.UK webpage on visa fees will help you determine the costs.

Support provision

We aim to provide visiting PhD students with a well-rounded student experience when they join us. You will be supported by your supervisor and an independent mentor from the Business School. We also provide a range of support networks for Black heritage students across the Business School and the wider Imperial including:

• Imperial As One: the Race Equality Network for staff and postgraduate students. They act as an advisory group helping to set priorities and advising the College on how to support and promote an inclusive workplace and culture of respect, opportunity, unity, transparency, and equality.
• The African Caribbean Society welcomes people of any and every background; open to anyone of African, or Caribbean heritage, or interested in celebrating African and Caribbean culture.
• As part of Imperial’s Enterprise Lab, Imperial BE supports Black entrepreneurship, Black Enterprise, and Black excellence through panel events, workshops, and masterclasses.

All applications to the Doctoral programme are made via our online platform. You will either need to select 'Business (MRes 1YFT)' or 'Business (MRes 2YFT)' based on your research area of interest. Further information can be found on our Doctoral programme page.

Please refer to the How to apply page to see application deadlines, what documents you are required to submit with your application and to view the selection process.

To find out more about application deadlines for our Doctoral programme please visit the How to apply page.

No, although in your application you should list a member of faculty you have identified as a potential supervisor. You can demonstrate in your statement of purpose how your research interests are aligned to a potential supervisor and the Business School.

Checking the research profiles of faculty members and Business School projects will give you an indication of whether the Business School is a good fit for you. If no faculty are working in your area of interest it is unlikely that you would be shortlisted, as we may not be able to provide supervisory support during your PhD.

During the MRes year, you will become part of the research community at Imperial College Business School and interact with faculty and other PhD students during taught courses and at seminars, which we hope will influence and help shape your research ideas for the PhD.

Not all applications progress to the interview stage of the selection process, however we interview all shortlisted candidates before making an offer. In the case of overseas candidates we will arrange an interview by telephone or via Skype.

We have a large variety of clubs, societies, and networks throughout the Business School and Imperial College London. In addition, the Student Support Zone provides everything from advice and support to counselling, and wellbeing information, to personal development to help you in your academic journey and everyday university life.

There are a variety of options for accommodation, including postgraduate student accommodation, and private accommodation. Visit the accommodation page for more information.