Imperial confirms scholarship support for international PhD students

International PhD students will be offered increased scholarship opportunities from next year, reinforcing Imperial's support for internationalism.

"We believe that PhD students are the future of the UK research base and the College is committed to supporting them, wherever they are from." Professor Alice Gast President

The increased support will be sourced from some of the most common PhD funding packages - College and Departmental Scholarships, research projects, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Centres for Doctoral Training, and Doctoral Training Partnerships.

With the tuition fee status of EU students changing from 'Home' to 'Overseas' from 6 August 2021, the College also welcomes UKRI’s announcement that they will triple the proportion of international students that can be funded by their schemes.

Supporting new international talent

The College's President, Professor Alice Gast, said: "We believe that PhD students are the future of the UK research base and the College is committed to supporting them, wherever they are from.

"As the UK looks to negotiate a new partnership with our European and international neighbours and navigates the next phase of the pandemic, it is crucial that we consider the importance of maintaining and strengthening links which have benefitted UK science so much over the last few decades."

Departments will make individual awards, within a set of overarching College-level criteria that will include academic excellence, research potential, suitability of the candidate, fit with existing College strategies, and promoting diversity and compliance with the Equality Act. The allocations of Awards will vary by programme, and candidates are recommended to contact the team administering their chosen course.

The decision to increase support for international students was decided by an expert and diverse working group at the College. They considered the most targeted and effective ways of offering support to those students that need it most.

Hadi Alagha is a Syrian medical doctor and PhD candidate at the MSk Lab and the Biomechanics Research Group and under the supervision of Professor Justin Cobb and Dr. Jonathan Jeffers. He is one of many international students to have been the recipient of the prestigious Imperial College President's PhD Scholarship award in recent years.

"Here I am a Syrian citizen whom Imperial College believes in and opened its doors to, and is now part of this unique community that strives to impact people across the globe positively. If I could make it, you can too." Hadi Alagha

Hadi said: "I remember [receiving news of being granted the scholarship] like yesterday; the news came at 0400 am Toronto time as I was about to head to the Toronto Western Hospital, where I was doing my medical elective. I kept reading the email many times while jumping all over the room.

"Fleeing my home country eight years ago, leaving behind my family and friends whom I haven't seen since and everything I knew of the world made me firmly believe that life is indeed a mystery, full of unpredictable events. I had to learn very quickly how to be independent, and it gave me strength and ambitions. As such my advice for those seeking similar support would be: Do your homework; believe in yourself and embrace the hurdles with faith and a positive attitude, be kind, knock on all doors seeking support and advice from others.

"Here I am a Syrian citizen whom Imperial College believes in and opened its doors to, and is now part of this unique community that strives to impact people across the globe positively. If I could make it, you can too."

International collaboration

"We have a diverse, creative and capable community driving world-leading research, with the facilities to enable our work. International students wishing to join us here at Imperial will find they are greeted with a warm welcome and a supportive culture." Professor Ian Walmsley Provost

Imperial is one of the world's most international universities. Imperial’s global collaborations, discoveries and networks are transforming lives and creating opportunity in the UK and around the world.

The College's excellence – it is consistently ranked among the world’s top ten universities – arises from its talented students and staff who come from all over the world, and support from a global network of alumni, friends and collaborators. Imperial is a global academic community where people from different cultures contribute diverse perspectives, new ideas and fresh approaches to solving complex problems.

60% of Imperial's students come from outside the UK, including 20% from other European countries. Two-thirds of Imperial research includes an international collaborator, encompassing academic peers in more than 130 countries. 

The College believes that innovation thrives when cultures collide and collaborate. That's why it has made a concerted effort to defend international values, and thinks and acts internationally.

Imperial's Provost, Professor Ian Walmsley, said:  "We have a diverse, creative and capable community driving world-leading research, with the facilities to enable our work. International students wishing to join us here at Imperial will find they are greeted with a warm welcome and a supportive culture."

Find out more

The College's selection of scholarships are available to browse online. Use the search tool to navigate across subjects, degree level, and more.

General information on fees and funding at the College is also available. On these webpages, among other information, international students can find information specific to them.

This is a challenging time for students due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19). The College has also established the Student Support Fund which has now been expanded with the support from COVID-19 hardship funds.