Imperial College London is offering President’s PhD Scholarships to outstanding students seeking to undertake a fully funded PhD at one of the world’s leading research institutions. The scholarship is open to talented applicants from the UK and worldwide, with no nationality restrictions. The highly competitive programme provides full tuition fee funding, a generous annual stipend and additional research support for up to 3.5 years. Successful scholars will also benefit from bespoke professional development opportunities, research activities and access to Imperial’s postgraduate support services. Scholarship Overview The Imperial President’s PhD Scholarship is designed for high-performing undergraduate and Master’s students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and strong research potential. Host institution: Imperial College LondonStudy level: PhDStudy mode: Full-time or part-timeLocation: London, United KingdomDuration: 3.5 yearsNumber of scholarships: 50Tuition: Fully fundedAnnual stipend: £27,036 for 2027–28Research support: £2,000 per year for the first three yearsEligible nationalities: All nationalitiesEarliest funded start date: 1 August 2027Latest funded start date: 1 November 2027Application deadlines: 2 November 2026, 11 January 2027 and 1 March 2027 What the Imperial President’s PhD Scholarship Covers Each successful scholar receives comprehensive financial support for the duration of the 3.5-year PhD programme. The scholarship covers full tuition fees and provides a £27,036 annual stipend to help with living expenses. Scholars also receive a £2,000 annual consumables fund for the first three years, supporting eligible research-related costs. In addition, recipients participate in a programme of bespoke opportunities and events delivered by Imperial’s Early Career Researcher Institute. Scholars can also access the university’s broader postgraduate support services, including dedicated support for international students and disabled students. Eligibility Requirements The scholarship is intended for candidates with outstanding academic records and significant research potential. Applicants should normally hold, or be expected to obtain, a first-class undergraduate or integrated Master’s degree, or an equivalent qualification. Candidates who do not have a first-class undergraduate degree may still be eligible if they hold, or are expected to obtain, a distinction in a standalone Master’s degree. International applicants should confirm with the relevant Imperial admissions team that their academic qualifications meet the scholarship requirements. The programme welcomes applications from candidates with non-traditional academic or career pathways where there is strong evidence of research potential. Departments may also nominate exceptional candidates who do not meet the standard academic criteria where there are documented extenuating circumstances. Applicants must be applying for a new PhD programme. Current registered Imperial PhD students are not eligible for consideration. Research and Supervisor Requirements Before applying, candidates must contact an appropriate academic department at Imperial College London and identify a proposed PhD supervisor who has agreed to supervise the research project. Applicants should carefully investigate potential supervisors and departments before submitting an application, as supervisors are subject to availability and may only supervise one President’s PhD Scholar at a time. The research proposal should demonstrate a clear research question, strong methodology, originality and potential contribution to the chosen field. How to Apply There is no separate President’s PhD Scholarship application form. Candidates must first submit an application for admission to an eligible PhD programme through Imperial College London’s online admissions system. The relevant academic department will then consider eligible applicants and nominate outstanding candidates for the scholarship based on academic excellence and research potential. Applicants must select the President’s PhD Scholarship option in the funding section of the additional questions within the online application. The application requires a two-page personal statement. The first page should explain the candidate’s motivation for applying to Imperial and the scholarship, while the second page should present the research proposal. Applicants must also provide two academic referees. These should normally be individuals such as a thesis supervisor or personal tutor who can provide an academic assessment. The proposed Imperial PhD supervisor should not be listed as one of the two referees. Application Deadlines There are three consideration rounds for the 2027–28 academic year: 2 November 2026 at 23:59 UK time – scholarship decisions communicated by 31 January 2027 11 January 2027 at 23:59 UK time – decisions communicated by 15 April 2027 1 March 2027 at 23:59 UK time – decisions communicated by 31 May 2027 Applicants should submit well before the relevant deadline because securing supervisor support and preparing a competitive PhD application can take considerable time. How to Strengthen the Application A strong application should demonstrate more than excellent grades. Candidates should clearly explain the significance of their proposed research, identify the gap their project will address and show why Imperial is an appropriate environment for conducting the work. Applicants should also highlight previous research experience, publications, research projects, awards, distinctions or other evidence demonstrating their potential to make an original contribution to their field. The personal statement should be specific to Imperial and the proposed research rather than a generic academic statement. Candidates should ensure that their research proposal is coherent, feasible and sufficiently ambitious for doctoral-level study. International applicants should verify academic equivalencies and any departmental requirements well in advance. Selection Process Selection takes place in two main stages. First, eligible applications are reviewed by the relevant academic department, which develops a shortlist for further consideration. Shortlisted candidates are then assessed through the College-level selection process. Assessment focuses primarily on academic excellence and research potential, including academic results, transcripts, awards, research experience, intellectual curiosity and the quality and potential contribution of the proposed research. Candidates who are not awarded a President’s PhD Scholarship will automatically remain under consideration for a standard PhD place. Eligible candidates should review the full scholarship requirements, identify a suitable Imperial supervisor and submit their PhD admission application through the official Imperial College London admissions system. VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and WPChannel Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) does not take ownership or credit for the opportunities shared on this platform. 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