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PhD/MPhil Research Degrees

Introduction

The Department of Computing at Imperial College is an internationally leading research institution which offers an exciting research environment for prospective postgraduate students. It has consistently been awarded the highest research rating (5*) in the UK Research Assessment Exercises, including the most recent one held in 2001, and was rated as "Excellent" in the most recent national assessment of teaching quality. The Times Higher Education Supplement recently rated Imperial as the best in Europe and fourth best in the world for technology (see extract).

Two research degree programmes are offered, one leading to the MPhil degree and the other to the PhD degree. All students are initially registered for MPhil but may transfer to the PhD programme if their progress is satisfactory. The programmes may be followed in either full-time or part-time modes, for which the minimum periods of registration are two or three calendar years, respectively. The time taken for a full-time student to complete the PhD programme is normally expected to be three years from the date of initial registration.

For an overview of the research in the Department, please see our research topics page.

Financial Support

The funding details are different for UK, European and Overseas students.

UK Students and Students Eligible for EPSRC Funding

Each year the Department has a number of EPSRC funded DTA studentships which are awarded to suitably qualified research students. These pay for the College fees and provide a bursary for the student's living expenses:

Fees: £3,168 per year
Bursary: £13,200 per year

European Students

The current situation is that the Department has some scholarships to fund the fees for suitably qualified European students. The student or supervisor has to find the funding for the bursary. It is not likely that this situation will change in the foreseeable future.

Fees: £3,168 per year
Bursary: £13,200 per year (for EU students that fulfill "residency" requirements)

Overseas Students

There are national scholarships for overseas students, called ORS awards, which cover the difference between the overseas fees (£13,300) and the home fees (£3,168). These awards are prestigious and competitive. The student or supervisor has to find the funds for the remainder of the fees and the bursary. To ensure eligibility for these awards, please apply as early as possible, e.g., in early November for the competition of the subsequent year.

Please see the ORS web pages for more details about the ORS award scheme.

Scholarships

Please see Scholarships and Awards for other funding opportunities, in particular the Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards. Through its Industrial Liaison Unit, the Department is able to offer enhanced PhD scholarships to selected students. These are supported through generous donations from industrial sponsors. They are allocated early in the first year of study and are tenable for up to 3 years and renewed on an annual basis. The criteria for award and financial value differ between scholarships and are publicised at the start of the selection process.

Please note that the Department does not provide funding for either tuition fees or maintenance. There are sometimes Scholarships available through the Department, College, or individual supervisors. Opportunities for Fellowships, Teaching Assistantship (TA) and Research Assistantship (RA) posts are not that frequent and you would need to refer to www.doc.ic.ac.uk/about/situationsvacant/ on a regular basis to see what positions are available.

How to Apply

Applications are welcome for 2008/ 09 session (entry 2008)

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates. Competition is very strong for places, and applicants are required to have a good MSc degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Mathematics or some IT-related discipline. Candidates who have a BSc degree only will not be considered. Additionally, applicants need to demonstrate strong research potential. Where appropriate, we may encourage applicants to register first for the MSc in Advanced Computing and then, upon successful completion of this, to apply for registration for a research degree. The MSc course includes special research-oriented provisions for students intending to take this route.

To apply for a PhD/MPhil research degree, please read the instructions and complete the application forms here:

www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus/applicationforms

To increase your chances of acceptance and to facilitate the processing of your application, please:

• ensure that the full paperwork for your application reaches the College in a timely manner
• write a convincing and compelling research plan for your PhD work, as a self-contained document in addition to whatever you put on your application form
• develop and carry out a plan that secures your funding for your entire period of study, and
• indicate in your application the general research areas and topics that interest you, and potential supervisors for your research in the Department.

Your completed application form should be returned to the following address, not to the Department:

The Assistant Registrar (Admissions),
Imperial College London,
SW7 2AZ.

(unless you have explicit instructions to send your form to the Department).

This should be done by 1st May 2008 for admission in October 2008. We strongly advise applying earlier than May. Before applying, please carefully assess whether your qualifications will meet the College's requirements.

Contacting the Department

Our PhD admissions secretary is Dr. Amani El-Kholy and our PhD Admissions Tutor is Dr. Krysia Broda.

Before contacting the Department, we strongly advise you to read the following:

1. Departmental information for PhD applicants (this page) www.doc.ic.ac.uk/research/phd/
2. Imperial College Postgraduate Prospectus www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus, of which we particularly highlight the info zone: www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus/infozone
3. The regulations for students: www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus/infozone/regulationsforstudents

To contact our PhD Admissions Team, please email phdadmissions@doc.imperial.ac.uk.

Applicants with Disabilities

The Department has an equal opportunities policy and encourages applications from people with disabilities. You are invited to declare your disability to our PhD Admissions Tutor in order to discuss suitable arrangements for your PhD studies. Please also see the College's arrangements for people with disabilities.