Imperial College President's PhD Scholarships Selection Process 2026
How Candidates are Selected
The selection process is highly competitive and merit-based, not considering financial need. There are approximately 50 scholarships available. Candidates are assessed by the Faculties and a College Selection Panel based on two main criteria: 1. **Academic Excellence**: Demonstrated by past academic results, transcripts, relative class position, awards, and distinctions. 2. **Research Potential**: Demonstrated by the candidate's research experience to date, their interest in discovery, the quality and potential contribution of their research plan/proposal, and performance at an interview (which is also reflected in the departmental statement). The selection process involves two stages: 1. **Departmental Review**: Candidates meeting or predicted to meet the eligibility criteria are reviewed by the department to which they have applied. Departments select a shortlist of candidates to present to the College Selection Panel. 2. **College Selection Panel**: The final decision is made by a panel comprising the Vice-Provost (Research), the Director of the Graduate School, and the Faculty Vice-Deans for Research.
Verification Flow
Institute Nodal Officer Verification
Your college/school checks your bonafide status, fees paid, and marks cards against the database.
District Welfare Officer / State Board Sanction
The state/central department approves the budget release for verified records based on category quotas.
Fund Disbursement via DBT
The bank issues direct fund credits to Aadhaar-seeded accounts using treasury payment systems.
FAQs for Imperial College President's PhD Scholarships
Q.Is there a separate application form for the President's PhD Scholarship?
No, there is no separate scholarship application form. You apply for the scholarship by selecting the 'President's PhD Scholarship' option in the funding section of the additional questions tab when submitting your PhD admission application through Imperial College London's online admissions system.
Q.Do I need to secure a supervisor before applying for the scholarship?
Yes, it is a mandatory requirement to have made contact with and secured an agreement from a potential academic supervisor in an Imperial College London department who is willing to supervise your research project before you submit your application.
Q.What does the scholarship cover besides tuition fees?
In addition to full tuition fee coverage, the scholarship provides a generous annual stipend of £26,500 (approximately 3,392,000 INR) for living costs, a consumables fund of £2,000 (approximately 256,000 INR) per year for the first three years, and access to various support services including tailored assistance for disabled students, visa support for international students, and opportunities from the Early Career Researcher Institute.
Q.Are there any nationality restrictions for this scholarship?
No, there are no restrictions on nationality. Imperial College London accepts applications from talented candidates from the UK and worldwide for the President's PhD Scholarships.