Benefits of President's PhD Scholarships

The President's PhD Scholarships offer outstanding research students from around the world a unique opportunity to pursue doctoral study in their chosen field.

• Under the guidance of distinguished research supervisors, successful presidential scholars receive comprehensive financial support for up to 3.5 years, including full funding for tuition fees.
• A generous stipend of £17,668 per annum for living costs, and a research training and support grant.
• Beyond financial assistance, the scholarship provides a range of additional benefits, including access to a dedicated program of events organized by the Doctoral College, research and transferable skills training programs, and opportunities to network with senior university leaders and other Presidential Scholars.
• Award holders also become ambassadors for doctoral research at the University and have their work promoted through university media channels.

To be considered for the Presidential Scholarship, applicants need to apply and receive an offer to undertake a Ph.D. by the specified deadline. No separate application for the scholarship is required as the faculty automatically considers eligible candidates for this prestigious award

President's PhD Scholarships Application Process

To apply for the President's PhD Scholarship at Imperial College London, follow these steps:

• Make Contact with a Supervisor: Before applying, you must establish contact with a supervisor in an academic department at Imperial College London who agrees to supervise your research project. Note that supervisors are limited to supervising one scholar at a time, so ensure that your chosen supervisor is available.

• Submit Application for Admission: Submit your application for admission to study at Imperial College London through their online admissions system. Your department will consider you for the scholarship based on your academic merit and potential.

• Include Scholarship-Specific Instructions: When prompted for a personal statement during the application process, prepare a 2-page document:

1. The first page should be a personal statement detailing your motivations for applying to Imperial College and the scholarship, along with any additional supporting information that enhances your application.
2. The second page should be your research proposal.

• Provide Academic Referees: Provide the names of two academic referees who can offer an academic reference in support of your application. Refrain from including your proposed PhD supervisor as one of the referees. Share the guidance with your referees, including the recommendation to use 'they/them' language instead of gender pronouns.

• Select Scholarship Option: In the funding section of the additional questions tab within the online application form, choose the option to be considered for the President's PhD Scholarship scheme.

• Application Deadlines: The scholarship applications will be considered at three points throughout the academic year. Check the specific deadlines for each round of applications.

It is crucial to have a supervisor's support and meet all the application requirements stated by your chosen department. For the 2023-24 academic year, the earliest start date for funded places is 1 August 2023, and the latest start date is 1 November 2023.

Ensure you carefully follow the instructions and complete all necessary steps to be considered for the prestigious President's PhD Scholarship at Imperial College London.

Eligibility for President's PhD Scholarships

The President's PhD Scholarship at Imperial College London is a competitive and prestigious scheme with higher than usual eligibility requirements, targeting candidates who display exceptional academic performance and promising research potential. The scholarship is open to talented applicants from Imperial College London, the UK, and worldwide, with no restrictions on nationality. Both full-time and part-time study options are eligible.

Academic Criteria:

• Candidates must have, or be on track to receive, a first-class or equivalent undergraduate or integrated Master's degree.
• Candidates with a standalone Master's qualification must have achieved a distinction or demonstrate evidence of high performance that will lead to a distinction. This allows applicants with excellence at the Master's level, but without a first-class undergraduate degree, to be eligible for the scheme.
• Candidates with only a single undergraduate degree or integrated Master's must still have, or be on track to receive, a first-class or equivalent.

Other Criteria:

• Applications are accepted from talented candidates globally, with no nationality restrictions. However, some departments may have limitations on supporting international candidates.
• The scholarship is available only for new PhD applications, and current registered Imperial PhD students are not eligible for consideration.
• The scheme actively encourages applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, recognizing that diversity enriches both Imperial College London and the broader academic community it serves.

Applicants are advised to review the scholarships' terms and conditions for further details and clarifications.

Selection Criteria for President's PhD Scholarships

The President's PhD Scholarship at Imperial College London follows a two-stage application and review process. Here are the key details:

Application and Review Process:

• Candidates meeting or predicted to meet the eligibility criteria apply to the Department to which they have applied for their Ph.D. program.
• Departments review the applications and shortlist candidates based on their academic excellence, research potential, past academic results, transcripts, class position, awards, and distinctions.
• The shortlisted candidates are presented to the College Selection Panel for further consideration and final decision.

Assessment Criterions:

• Candidates are assessed based on academic excellence, which includes their academic achievements, class position, and any awards or distinctions received.
• Research potential is evaluated based on the candidate's research experience, interest in discovery, the quality of their research proposal, and departmental statements reflecting their performance at the interview.

Faculty Allocations:

• Faculty Vice Deans may make initial offers to promising candidates based on the scoring and ranking of candidates in Departmental shortlists.
• The College Selection Panel may make additional offers from a separate allocation to candidates who meet widening participation or other strategic alignment goals.

Notification:

• Successful candidates will receive written confirmation of their scholarship, and any offer of a Ph.D. place will be conditional on them obtaining the predicted qualifications.
• Applicants who apply by specific deadlines will be notified of the scholarship results on different dates:
• Applications received by 4 November 2022 will be notified by 23 January 2023.
• Applications received by 6 January 2023 will be notified by 20 March 2023.
• Applications received by 3 March 2023 will be notified by 22 May 2023.

Standard PhD Consideration:

• Applicants who are not selected for the President's PhD Scholarship will automatically be considered for a standard PhD program at Imperial College London.

FAQs

Ques: What is the President's PhD Scholarship at Imperial College London?

Ques: How many scholarship places are available?

Ques: What is the application and review process for the scholarship?

Ques: What are the assessment criteria for the scholarship?

Ques: Can international students apply for the President's PhD Scholarship?

Ques: Are current registered Imperial PhD students eligible for the scholarship?

Ques: What is the Faculty allocation stage in the selection process?

Ques: What benefits do successful candidates receive with the scholarship?