President’s PhD Scholarships at Imperial College London 2027–28 | Fully Funded

The President’s PhD Scholarships at Imperial College London are fully funded doctoral awards offered by Imperial College London in the United Kingdom. They support PhD study for outstanding students, covering tuition fees and living costs for up to 3.5 years.

They are open to UK and international students across most research fields, with no nationality restriction, though some departments may not support international candidates. The award covers full tuition, an annual stipend of £27,036, and a £2,000 yearly consumables fund. Application dates are on the official page, so read the sections below.

The President’s PhD Scholarship provides comprehensive financial support for doctoral study at Imperial College London.

Benefits include:

• Full funding for tuition fees
• Annual stipend of £27,036 for the 2027–28 rate
• Funding for up to 3.5 years
• £2,000 per year consumables fund for the first three years
• Bespoke opportunities and events through the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI)
• Access to Imperial’s postgraduate support services
• Access to ECRI learning and development courses
• Opportunities to build connections with other President’s PhD Scholars

The scholarship is designed to cover the major costs associated with doctoral study, while the consumables budget supports research-related expenses.

Is the President’s PhD Scholarship Fully Funded?

Yes. Imperial College London describes the President’s PhD Scholarship as providing full funding for tuition fees and a generous stipend for a 3.5-year PhD place.

For 2027–28, the scholarship provides:

• Full tuition fee funding
• £27,036 annual living stipend
• £2,000 annual consumables fund for the first three years

The scholarship therefore provides comprehensive funding for tuition and living support, although applicants should review Imperial’s scholarship terms and conditions for details of expenses that are not specifically covered.

The President’s PhD Scholarship is available for:

• PhD
• Doctoral research programmes
• Full-time PhD study
• Part-time PhD study

The scholarship provides funding for up to 3.5 years of study. The 2027–28 funded places have start dates from 1 August 2027 to 1 November 2027.

President’s PhD Scholarships are available across numerous academic departments at Imperial College London.

Eligible areas include:

• Aeronautics
• Bioengineering
• Brain Sciences
• Business
• Chemical Engineering
• Chemistry
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Computing
• Design Engineering
• Earth Science and Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Immunology and Inflammation
• Infectious Disease
• Life Sciences
• Materials
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction
• Physics
• Public Health
• Surgery and Cancer
• Environmental Policy

The availability of the scholarship can depend on the department and its ability to support the applicant, particularly for international candidates. Applicants should therefore check their intended department before submitting an application.

The President’s PhD Scholarship is open to candidates from:

• United Kingdom
• Imperial College London
• International countries worldwide

There are no nationality restrictions under the general scholarship eligibility rules.

However, Imperial notes that some departments may be unable to support international candidates. Applicants from outside the UK should therefore confirm that their intended department can support their application before applying.

To be considered for the President’s PhD Scholarship 2027–28, applicants must generally:

• Apply for a new PhD at Imperial College London.
• Have or expect to receive a first-class undergraduate degree or equivalent.
• Alternatively, have or expect to achieve a distinction in a standalone Master’s degree.
• Demonstrate excellent academic performance.
• Demonstrate strong research potential.
• Have identified a proposed research project.
• Have contacted an Imperial academic supervisor who has agreed to supervise the research project.
• Meet the admission requirements of the chosen PhD department.
• Be applying as a new PhD entrant.

Current registered Imperial PhD students are not eligible for this scholarship.

Academic Requirements:

Imperial College London specifies high academic requirements for the President’s PhD Scholarship.

Applicants must normally meet one of the following routes:

First-Class Undergraduate or Integrated Master’s Degree

Applicants with a single undergraduate degree or an integrated Master’s degree must have achieved, or be expected to achieve, a first-class degree or equivalent.

Standalone Master’s Degree

Applicants who do not have a first-class undergraduate degree may still be considered if they have achieved, or are expected to achieve, a distinction in a standalone Master’s qualification.

International applicants should confirm that their qualifications meet Imperial’s equivalent academic standards.

Research Potential

Academic excellence is only one part of the selection process.

Imperial also evaluates applicants according to their research potential. This can be demonstrated through:

• Previous research experience
• Research projects
• Research placements
• Interest in discovery
• Research proposal
• Potential contribution of the proposed research
• Academic achievements
• Relevant awards and distinctions

The scholarship is intended for candidates who demonstrate both outstanding academic performance and promising research potential.

Supervisor Requirement

Applicants must contact an academic supervisor at Imperial College London before applying.

The proposed supervisor must agree to supervise the applicant’s research project.

Imperial states that President’s PhD Scholarship primary supervisors are permitted to supervise only one President’s PhD Scholar at a time. Applicants should therefore check Imperial’s list of unavailable supervisors before approaching a potential supervisor.

There is no separate President’s PhD Scholarship application form.

Instead, applicants apply for admission to a PhD programme at Imperial College London and indicate that they wish to be considered for the President’s PhD Scholarship.

Step 1: Choose a PhD Programme

Identify an appropriate PhD programme and academic department at Imperial College London.

Make sure that your proposed research fits the department’s research areas and that the department can support applicants for the scholarship.

Step 2: Find an Imperial Supervisor

Contact a suitable academic at Imperial College London and discuss your proposed research.

You must have a supervisor who has agreed to supervise your project before applying for the scholarship.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application

Prepare your PhD admission application and supporting documents.

For 2027–28, Imperial requires the personal statement and research proposal to be structured as a two-page document:

• Page 1: Personal statement explaining your motivation for applying to Imperial and the scholarship, along with relevant supporting information.
• Page 2: Research proposal describing your proposed research.

A more detailed research proposal can also be provided if required by the department.

Step 4: Provide Academic Referees

Applicants must provide the names of two academic referees.

These should be people who can provide academic references in support of the application, such as:

• Personal tutor
• Thesis supervisor
• Academic lecturer

The proposed Imperial PhD supervisor should not be listed as one of the two academic referees.

Step 5: Select Scholarship Consideration

When completing the online application, applicants must select the President’s PhD Scholarship option in the funding section of the additional questions tab.

Step 6: Submit the PhD Application

Submit the complete PhD admission application through Imperial College London’s online admissions system before one of the scholarship consideration deadlines.

There is no separate scholarship application form. Imperial departments nominate suitable applicants based on academic merit and potential.

Step 7: Departmental Shortlisting

Eligible applications are initially reviewed by the relevant department.

Departments select candidates to put forward to the College Selection Panel.

Step 8: Final Selection

The College Selection Panel makes the final scholarship decisions.

Candidates are assessed based on academic excellence and research potential.

Successful applicants receive written confirmation of their scholarship.

Application Deadline:

For the 2027–28 President’s PhD Scholarships, Imperial College London has three scholarship consideration rounds:

• 2 November 2026 at 23:59 UK time - applicants awarded scholarships notified by 31 January 2027
• 11 January 2027 at 23:59 UK time - applicants awarded scholarships notified by 15 April 2027
• 1 March 2027 at 23:59 UK time - applicants awarded scholarships notified by 31 May 2027

Applicants should check their chosen department’s requirements carefully because departments may have their own earlier application deadlines.

2027–28 Scholarship Start Dates:

For the 2027–28 academic year, funded President’s PhD places have:

• Earliest start date: 1 August 2027
• Latest start date: 1 November 2027

Applicants should ensure that their proposed PhD start date falls within the scholarship’s eligible funding period.

Selection Process:

The President’s PhD Scholarship uses a two-stage selection process.

Stage 1: Departmental Review

Candidates who meet or are expected to meet the eligibility requirements are reviewed by the department to which they have applied.

The department shortlists candidates for consideration by the College Selection Panel.

Stage 2: College Selection Panel

The final decision is made by Imperial’s College Selection Panel.

The assessment considers:

• Academic excellence
• Previous academic results
• Transcripts
• Relative class position
• Awards
• Distinctions
• Research experience
• Research interests
• Research proposal
• Potential contribution of the proposed research
• Departmental assessment

Imperial may also make offers through faculty-level allocations and a strategic allocation for candidates following alternate academic or career pathways.

Alternate Academic and Career Pathways:

Imperial College London encourages applications from candidates with non-traditional academic or career pathways who demonstrate strong research potential.

Applicants who do not meet the standard academic criteria may potentially be considered as a departmental special case where there are extenuating circumstances explaining why the required grades were not achieved but the applicant otherwise demonstrates the required calibre.

Applicants seeking consideration under this route should contact their proposed department before applying.

Required Documents:

The exact documentation can vary by department, but the scholarship application requires applicants to provide information and materials including:

• Academic transcripts
• Details of previous qualifications
• Personal statement
• Research proposal
• Two academic referees
• PhD application materials
• Details of the proposed research
• Information about the proposed Imperial supervisor

For the 2027–28 scholarship, the personal statement and research proposal should be structured as a two-page document as specified by Imperial. Departments may request additional research documentation.

Important Points for International Students:

International students can apply for the President’s PhD Scholarship because Imperial does not impose a general nationality restriction.

However, international applicants should pay attention to the following:

• You must meet Imperial’s academic requirements or an approved alternative pathway.
• You must apply for a new PhD programme.
• You need an Imperial academic supervisor who has agreed to supervise your project.
• Some departments may not be able to support international candidates.
• You must satisfy the admission requirements of your selected department.
• You should verify that your academic qualifications meet Imperial’s international equivalency requirements.
• You must meet any applicable UK immigration and student visa requirements separately.

Can Pakistani Students Apply?

Yes. Pakistani students can apply because the President’s PhD Scholarship has no general nationality restrictions.

However, Pakistani applicants must meet the scholarship’s academic and research requirements, secure agreement from an appropriate Imperial supervisor, gain admission to an eligible PhD programme and ensure that their intended department can support international candidates.

Is IELTS Required?

The President’s PhD Scholarship page does not establish one universal English-language score specifically for the scholarship.

Applicants must satisfy Imperial College London’s English-language requirements for their chosen PhD programme. Therefore, applicants should check the English-language requirements of their intended department and programme rather than assuming that one IELTS score applies to every PhD.

Important Points:

• The President’s PhD Scholarship is offered by Imperial College London.
• The scholarship supports PhD-level study.
• 50 scholarships are available for the 2027–28 scheme.
• The scholarship provides full tuition fee funding.
• The 2027–28 stipend is £27,036 per year.
• A £2,000 annual consumables fund is available for the first three years.
• Funding is provided for up to 3.5 years.
• The scholarship is open to applicants worldwide.
• There are no general nationality restrictions.
• Some departments may be unable to support international candidates.
• Applicants must have an Imperial supervisor who agrees to supervise their project.
• There is no separate scholarship application form.
• Applicants apply through Imperial’s PhD admission system.
• Applicants must select the President’s PhD Scholarship option in the funding section.
• A first-class undergraduate/integrated Master’s degree or distinction in a standalone Master’s is normally required.
• Current registered Imperial PhD students are not eligible.
• Applicants are assessed on academic excellence and research potential.
• There are three scholarship consideration deadlines for 2027–28.
• The earliest deadline is 2 November 2026.
• The latest listed scholarship consideration deadline is 1 March 2027.
• Eligible funded PhD places can start between 1 August and 1 November 2027.