The Student Room Group

PhD at Imperial

How easy is it to get into one? All I get from their website is the infamous minimum of 2.1.
Why do you want to do a PhD?
Reply 2
Avatar for gumball
gumball
13
Funding, if that's what you're of course after, is the hardest part of the whole process. There isn't a whole lot at the moment, so competition is fierce. Science tends to have more available funding than the arts, though. Without any more details it's hard to give any more information.
Reply 3
Avatar for vladrew
vladrew
OP
Original post by gumball
Funding, if that's what you're of course after, is the hardest part of the whole process. There isn't a whole lot at the moment, so competition is fierce. Science tends to have more available funding than the arts, though. Without any more details it's hard to give any more information.


Thanks for replying. I'll be applying for Astrophysics. I'll also graduate from a 1994 Group university with a 1st (hopefully) and have done one summer internship in a semi-related field. What do you think my chances are?
You are very unlikely to get a place on a stand alone PhD straight from an u/grad course. You will need to do either a relevant Masters course or (within Science/Tech subjects) a combined MRes + PhD program. To be eligible for a PhD studentship at Imperial (ie. a funded place) you have to get a First (and Distinction at Masters level) -http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/studentfinance/prospectivepgstudents/scholarships/phdscholarshipscheme

The Internships are a good idea. Anything that shows you have experience in this area beyond simply study will help you application for postgrad. You will also need a strong research proposal and, importantly, very supportive references.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 5
Avatar for vladrew
vladrew
OP
Original post by returnmigrant
You are very unlikely to get a place on a stand alone PhD straight from an u/grad course. You will need to do either a relevant Masters course or (within Science/Tech subjects) a combined MRes + PhD program. To be eligible for a PhD studentship at Imperial (ie. a funded place) you have to get a First (and Distinction at Masters level) -http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/studentfinance/prospectivepgstudents/scholarships/phdscholarshipscheme

The Internships are a good idea. Anything that shows you have experience in this area beyond simply study will help you application for postgrad. You will also need a strong research proposal and, importantly, very supportive references.


Well, I am doing an MPhys now. Isn't that good enough?
Reply 6
Avatar for Nichrome
Nichrome
18
Original post by returnmigrant
You are very unlikely to get a place on a stand alone PhD straight from an u/grad course. You will need to do either a relevant Masters course or (within Science/Tech subjects) a combined MRes + PhD program. To be eligible for a PhD studentship at Imperial (ie. a funded place) you have to get a First (and Distinction at Masters level) -http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/studentfinance/prospectivepgstudents/scholarships/phdscholarshipscheme

The Internships are a good idea. Anything that shows you have experience in this area beyond simply study will help you application for postgrad. You will also need a strong research proposal and, importantly, very supportive references.

Those scholarships are central university funding, which are very competitive and hard to get as ANYONE can apply for them (similar to CHESS or Gate’s in Cambridge) and hence have high entry requirements. However, for UK/EU students, many projects at Imperial come with Research Council funding (EPSRC/STFC/BBSRC), which requires only a minimum of a 2.1 at u/g masters level.

Original post by vladrew
Well, I am doing an MPhys now. Isn't that good enough?

A first at MPhys is absolutely fine to get a funded place. What would matter is your references, how high your first is and how well you perform at interview to get a place.
Reply 7
Avatar for paddy_
paddy_
What Nichrome said is spot on, a first or high 2.i in your MPhys and good references and you have a great chance at EPSRC/STFC funding at Imperial. Be warned, Imperial physics admin staff are terrible at getting back to you though :tongue: Good luck :smile:

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you