Postgraduate study

Read our guidance to help you decide whether postgraduate study is for you. Postgraduate study is a very popular option with Imperial graduates, with over a quarter of all graduates from Imperial (and over a half from some degrees) choosing to undertake a postgraduate taught course or research.

A postgraduate qualification can be essential or desirable for entry into some careers but the majority of graduate programmes are open to graduates with a good first degree. Postgraduate study shouldn’t just be a way to delay career decisions and postpone work experience or employment. So think carefully about what you would gain from postgraduate study and what your reasons are for choosing this option. What types of postgraduate study options are there?

The following are the types of course you could go on to do:

taught courses leading to masters degrees (MSc, MA) research courses leading to masters degrees (MRes) research degrees leading to MPhils or PhDs vocational courses, required for entry into professions such as teaching or law studying abroad – e.g. in the USA or on courses taught in English in Europe.

Application timelines

Postgraduate courses differ in their application deadlines and requirements. These are some examples:

Masters/MRes: applications go directly to the university; course deadlines may be open but popular courses can fill up quickly. PhDs: start researching the options in November. Vocational courses: applications for some courses eg teaching or law have to be made via a clearing house system with fixed closing dates. Studying abroad: usually requires much more time to plan ahead (e.g. eighteen to twenty four months) to research courses, take any tests, e.g. GRE, and make applications.

Reasons to choose to do a PhD

Do you enjoy pushing back the boundaries of knowledge to devise new theories and models? In some areas extensive practical work will also be required in the laboratory or the field. If you think this could be for you, then applying for a PhD or MRes leading to a PhD might be your next step. Gaining a doctorate is the recognised route to becoming a professional researcher or academic but bear in mind that you will be up against enormous competition and the PhD itself requires tremendous determination, patience and stamina – ninety five per cent perspiration and five per cent inspiration is sometimes mentioned! So you have to be really keen.

Different types of PhDs

UK Research and Innovation is an organisation that brings together the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK and Research England. There are links to the relevant science and engineering Research Councils from the UKRI website UKRI website.

Research Councils decide which research areas they will support and invite bids from the academic community to develop Doctoral Training Programmes in these areas. Research Councils fund CDTs (Centres of Doctoral Training) and DTPs (Doctoral Training Partnerships) as well as industrial CASE studentships (iCASE) in the key areas of research identified by that Research Council. (Industrial CASE awards (or iCASE awards) are where businesses / industry arrange to collaborate with a university or research group of their choice.

Vacancies for PhDs can be seen on university websites and on findaphd. Further information is available from the relevant Research Council website. DTP and CDT PhD programmes place a strong emphasis on professional skills training. The first year of a four-year programme is designed to prepare student for years two to four of their PhD. The universities manage the recruitment and selection of students to the PhD programmes that are Research Council funded. So this means you must approach all relevant universities to apply for and be considered for selection. Have a look also at findaphd.

What do you need to do as an undergraduate if aiming for a PhD?

Achieve the best possible grades on your degree. Undertake a research placement e.g. UROp during year). Once in your final year, be aware that PhDs can be advertised from November onwards. Check whether the PhD programmes to which you are applying are funded; this is usually the case in science and engineering. Let academics know of your interest in doing a PhD. Discuss your interest with academics such as your personal tutor and your final year project supervisor and seek their advice. See also targetjobs. You are not restricted to Imperial – so research online, identify and approach academics at othe universities too, who are working in research areas of interest to you. The earlier you start exploring options, the better.

Students with disabilities

Useful information and links can be found on the careers website. If you are Research Councilfunded, you may be eligible for a Disabled Students’ Allowance. Contact your funding body directly for more information about this. Further information can be found here on the Prospects website.

International students

There are a few competitive scholarships and awards available for postgraduate study in the UK for international students.

See the Prospects website and the careers website for more information.

The Careers Service can help you at every stage – researching and exploring options, getting feedback on your applications and helping

you prepare for interview.

Professor Adrian Sutton, FRS (Department of Physics) has this advice to share:

The first thing to stress is that a PhD does not guarantee a job in academia. Only a very small fraction of all PhDs in science subjects in the UK become university professors – less than 1 per cent. For many employment sectors a PhD does not enhance employability or salary beyond a good first degree. After a PhD you could find your salary is three or four years behind your contemporaries who entered employment straight after their first degree.

So, why do a PhD? There are some very good reasons – to be successful in the research that leads to a PhD, you will develop generic skills that will be useful to you for the rest of your life. These skills are also highly valued by some employers, who are willing to pay a premium to employ PhD graduates; and a few employers will accept only PhD graduates.

A PhD involves learning how to tackle a significant question for which there is no known answer. In your first degree you meet questions for which by and large there are well-established answers. In a PhD not only is the answer unknown but even the methods you might use to find the answer are sometimes unclear. Even the question itself may have to be refined during the course of the research to make it more meaningful.

To be awarded a PhD you have to make a contribution to knowledge. It may be the first time in your life that you discover what it means to confront ignorance, and develop a hypothesis and an approach to test it through experimental and/or theoretical evidence.

Skills that are gained on a PhD

Analytical – you will be facing problems for which there is no known answer and developing a hypothesis as well as an approach to test this hypothesis through experimental or theoretical evidence.

Teamwork – you will support colleagues, provide and receive feedback and gain awareness of your personal impact.

Project management – you will also be expected to work effectively on your own: to manage your own research project effectively, you will need to learn how to manage your time and maximise your productivity.

Autonomy, responsibility and leadership – as your experience and confidence increase, you will take more ownership of the project and become a more independent researcher who can demonstrate leadership and intellectual responsibility.

Communication – you will learn to write clear, concise and evidence-based reports about your work, and develop excellent oral communication skills by delivering group talks, seminars and conference presentations, sometimes to an international audience; this culminates in your thesis, a substantial body of work, which you will have to defend in a demanding two to three-hour oral examination.

Dr. Caroline Hargreaves, Senior Teaching Fellow at the Graduate School says:

A good PhD application is always tailored to the specific PhD, individual student, supervisor, Research Group and context. Read the PhD description if there is one, as PhDs vary depending on these factors.

If you’re thinking of applying for a PhD, network (see below), attend any relevant workshops, e.g. Stepping Up: Master’s to PhD tailor your application and allow time to gain feedback on your draft application before you send it. When networking get advice from people in the field/group that you’re interested in working, ask current PhDs in the particular groups what are the highlights and challenges of their PhDs to get a feel of whether you would enjoy working there. Find opportunities to meet prospective supervisor/s to see if you want to work with them.

When you tailor your application demonstrate your enthusiasm, initiative, motivation and interest in the project, supervisor and group, as well as evidence your relevant academic skills and techniques. Highlight experience that you have had or potential that you have in what they are looking for in the application form. For example, provide evidence if: you have worked successfully on research topics relevant to the PhD; your work had impact via outreach, publication/s, presentation/s, collaborations, team working, teaching, attendance at conferences or any prizes/awards; your Master’s supervisor/institution is well regarded. Show your communication skills and attention to detail in the application. Read any given information given and research the group and supervisor, read the candidate profile and project description. Some examples may be found via the links below:

Imperial doctoral courses

Apply for a research programme

A balanced PhD experience Mitesh Patel Phd Student, Centre for Doctoral Training in Theory and Simulation of Materials

“Throughout my undergraduate studies in the Department of Physics, I was motivated to pursue a PhD by the opportunity to make an original contributions to science. My interest in applying mathematical and computatonal physics to real workd problems naturally lead me to the TSM-CDT as it nurtures strong industrial collaborations.. The Phd is oftern percieved synonymoylsy with research but what sets the TSM-CDT apart is its investment in the personal development of scientists. Hence, it runs workshops on career planning, science communication, ethics and team building. For me such courses are immesely useful becouse they encourage you to reflect on your skills and refine your frame of mind, a trait that is highly valued by employers. Additionally, there is a multitude of outlets to excercise creativity, which is important for a balanced PhD experience. For example, I am involved in the inception of a conference, I see such commitments as invalueable teachers of skills that are seldom encountered in a standalone degree.”

Postgraduate Masters Loans

Postgraduate Masters loans, of up to £11,222 are available for students wishing to study Masters degrees in the UK (MSc, MRes and MPhil) but not PhDs. Students normally resident within the UK, but not international students, are eligible for a Masters loan. The loan needs to be paid back as soon as the student is earning enough. You may also be eligible if you are an EU national and meet certain criteria but please check current regulations on the goverment website.

For more information, see also findamasters and the Prospects website.

Research and innovation grants

UK Research and Innovation works in partnerships with universities to fund research and innovation. The easiest way of finding out about funded PhDs in areas relevant to your degree is to regularly review findaphd and also research on universities’ own websites. Find out more about where and how the UKRI is funding innovation and research.

College bursaries

Most colleges and some departments have their own awards. Check with the department, university website or postgraduate admissions office to see what you might be eligible for.

Charities and trusts

These will not fund all of your study but can contribute up to a few hundred pounds for specific items such as books or transport. Consult the Directory of Grant Making Trusts or the Grants Register for more details. It is clearly important to try and obtain a fully funded PhD as PhDs typically take three to four (quite a commitment). Websites such as findaphd usually say whether the PhD vacancy is funded. Some students do not manage to secure funding and seek other ways to undertake a PhD so may be interested to know that UK nationals who haven’t secured funding from one of the usual sources have been able to take out a loan towards covering the cost of fees and living expenses of a PhD, up to a maximum of £26,445.overall. This loan will then need to be paid off like other student debt. More information on

PhD loans can be found on the Prospects website.

Graduate teaching and research assistantships

Working as a research or teaching assistant within the department may entitle you to a bursary and/or a waiver of your fee.

jobs.ac.uk advertises vacancies for research assistants.

Look also in the Times Higher Education Supplement and

Tuesday’s The Guardian for information on these posts.

Employer sponsorship

This is rare unless you are already working for the employer, in which case you may get funding to study for a vocational qualification.

Postgraduate study websites

Postgraduate study websites

findaphd features PhD vacancies in your discipline, both in the UK and overseas.

findamasters features taught and research masters courses.

The Prospects postgraduate study webpages have useful information on courses, funding and how to apply.

The Careers Service further study webpages outline further resources available to you.