Step 1- Finding Supervisors: Firstly, you will need to find supervisors to work with you in this capacity. You can search through our research portal to find supervisors who work in your chosen research area. Applicants are expected to contact academics directly.
Step 2- Arranging funding: Unless you are applying for a studentship or can self-fund your studies, you will need to arrange for funding before you make the application. The following pages are useful:
Step 3- Make an online application: Next you need to make your online application here. This application will be assessed by the Admissions team to assess your references, fee status as well as your eligibility in terms of education and experience.
Step 4- Submit a Project Approval Form: The project approval form (PAF) is used to assess your project in terms of planning, feasibility and appropriateness for a PhD. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the form is completed but it is recommended that applicants work closely with the supervisors.
Make sure you complete all sections, answering all questions fully, and signatures from all supervisors and student are included. There is no need to collect the signatures from the Head of Department/Business Manager and Sub-Committee Chair at this point.
We strongly advise the submission of your application as early as possible to ensure that you can begin with your desired intake. If your application is not processed in time you run the risk of a deferral to the subsequent intake.
We advise Home students to submit their online application and PAF at least two months before their desired registration date, and EU and Overseas students to submit their online application and PAF at least three months ahead of their desired registration date, although the earlier the application submission the better. This is to take into account any English Language tests you may need to take and await the results of, and any visa applications that you may need to make.
It is typical that the process from the receipt of your online application and PAF through to offer letter stage (which includes the arrangement of the PhD interview) takes approximately six weeks.
Please note that the deadlines listed below are for both the online application and Project Approval Form (PAF) which is to be submitted in Microsoft Word format to ioppn.pgr@kcl.ac.uk.
Copies of the PAF can be downloaded here.
We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible as we may need to request further information from you to assess your application. This is also important if your application is successful and you are required to meet any offer condition, and/or you need a Student Visa to study here at King's.
The final application deadlines are detailed below; on these dates, the programme will close at 23:59 (UK time) and we will open for the corresponding intake in 2023 soon after the same intake has passed in 2022.
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February 2022 entry – 12 November 2021 for Overseas fee status and 6 December 2021 for Home fee status
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June 2022 entry – 1 April 2022 for Overseas fee status and 11 April 2022 for Home fee status
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October 2022 entry – 29 July 2022 for Overseas fee status and 26 August 2022 for Home fee status
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February 2023 entry – 21 October 2022 for Overseas fee status and 22 November 2022 for Home fee status
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June 2023 entry – 3 April 2023 for Overseas fee status and 17 April 2023 for Home fee status
Please note that funding deadlines may be earlier than the application deadlines listed above.